New Medicare drug law says little about SNF residents.Despite mandating the most sweeping changes in Medicare since its inception, the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act (Pub.L. 108-173, 117 Stat. 2066, also called Medicare Modernization Act or MMA) is a law of the United States which was enacted in 2003. of 2003 (MMA (Microcomputer Managers Association, Inc.) A membership organization with chapters throughout the U.S. that was devoted to educating personnel responsible for personal computers. It disbanded in 1996. Mma - A fast Mathematica-like system, in Allegro CL by R. Fateman, 1991. ) says little about how the specialized prescription drug needs of nursing home residents will be met under the new "Part D" Medicare prescription drug program beginning in 2006, reports the Henry J. Kaiser Henry John Kaiser (May 9, 1882—August 24, 1967) was an American industrialist who became known as the father of modern American shipbuilding. Early life Beginning as a cashier in a dry-goods shop in Utica, New York, Kaiser moved many times as he pursued the Family Foundation (KFF). The MMA simply calls on the Health and Human Services Noun 1. Health and Human Services - the United States federal department that administers all federal programs dealing with health and welfare; created in 1979 Department of Health and Human Services, HHS (HHS HHS Department of Health and Human Services. ) secretary to study the problem and report back to Congress by July 2005. KFF identified several issues that will need to be addressed: * "How will prescription drugs be coordinated for beneficiaries who are transferred from home, to a hospital, to a nursing home, to a rehabilitation hospital, and back to home? * "How will Part D cost-sharing work for Medicare-covered nursing home stays? Beneficiaries pay co-insurance after the first 20 days of a Medicare-covered nursing home stay. As this co-insurance covers some of the costs of prescription drugs, will beneficiaries get credit toward their out-of-pocket limit? * "How will cost-sharing work for nursing home residents who are not on Medicaid and who do not [qualify] for Medicare's skilled nursing facility skilled nursing facility n. Abbr. SNF An establishment that houses chronically ill, usually elderly patients, and provides long-term nursing care, rehabilitation, and other services. benefit? * "Will more than one Part D plan be offered to nursing home patients, and if so, who will choose if the nursing home resident is unable to make the decision?" KFF says that experience with the current Medicare drug discount card could provide some indication of the challenges associated with providing Part D benefits to nursing home residents. The report is available at www.kff.org/medicare/7130.cfm. BY DOUGLAS J. EDWARDS, ASSISTANT EDITOR |
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