picture of a mother, daughter and son with caption: EDUCATE, INFORM, COLLABORATE - Discover the Health Disparities Program

EDC CONSUMERS

The CMSPULSE Web site is a user-friendly portal that provides important information, educational resources and materials to consumers on health related programs, including diabetes. Providing quality information for improved health is our goal to help you become a knowledgeable consumer and make wise decisions about your health.

Specific tools for consumers are provided on the CMSPULSE Web site and they are located in sources in the Resource Section. These tools include helpful links to additional health related and more specifically health disparity related resources that are available online for underserved populations. The resources range from brochures, health literature, educator's toolkits and latest findings on from research centers, foundations and associations.

testimonials about the benefit of attending a diabetes self-management education (dsme) class

What did you like most about the DSME classes?
Would you recommend the DSME class to someone else?
What is one thing you learned in the DSME class that has made a difference in your life?
The U.S. Virgin Islands DSME Graduates

2011 Medicare & You Handbook

Every year the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' produce a handbook for Medicare beneficiaries. In 2011, the handbook has been updated to reflect the changes from the Affordable Care Act. If you have Original Medicare, you will now be able to get a yearly wellness exam and most preventive services for free. If you're in a Medicare Advantage Plan, check with your plan to see if these benefits will also be free for you. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' 2011 Medicare & You http://www.medicare.gov/publications/pubs/pdf/10050.pdf

Your Medicare Rights

No matter what type of Medicare coverage you have, you have certain guaranteed rights. As a person with Medicare, you have the right to all of the following:

  • Be treated with dignity and respect at all times
  • Be protected from discrimination
  • Have access to doctors, specialists, and hospitals
  • Have your questions about Medicare answered
  • Learn about all of your treatment choices and participate in treatment decisions
  • Get information in a way you understand from Medicare, health care providers, and, under certain circumstances, contractors
  • Get emergency care when and where you need it
  • Get a decision about health care payment or services, or prescription drug coverage
  • Get a review (appeal) of certain decisions about health care payment, coverage of services, or prescription drug coverage
  • File complaints (sometimes called grievances), including complaints about the quality of your care
  • Have your personal and health information kept private

Your Right to a Fast Appeal

If you're getting Medicare services from a hospital, skilled nursing facility, home health agency, comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facility, or hospice, and you think your Medicare covered services are ending too soon, you have the right to a fast appeal. Your provider will give you a notice before your services end that will tell you how to ask for a fast appeal. You should read this notice carefully. If you don't get this notice, ask your provider for it. With a fast appeal, an independent reviewer, called a Quality Improvement Organization (QIO), will decide if your services should continue.

You may ask your doctor for any information that may help your case if you decide to file a fast appeal.

You must call your local QIO to request a fast appeal no later than the time shown on the notice you get from your provider. Use the telephone number for your local QIO listed on your notice.

If you miss the deadline, you still have appeal rights:

  • If you have Original Medicare, call your local QIO.
  • If you're in a Medicare health plan, call your plan. Look in your plan materials to get the telephone number.

    • Call 1 800 MEDICARE (1 800 633 4227) to get the telephone number for the QIO in your state, or visit www.medicare.gov. TTY users should call 1 877 486 2048.

Your Guide to Medicare's Preventive Services

This is the official government booklet with important information about the following:

  • What disease prevention is and why it's important
  • Which preventive services Medicare covers and how often
  • Who can get services
  • What you pay – many preventive services are free in 2011

    • More information may be obtained at http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/10110.pdf

Other Important Consumer Web Sites

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