Learn more about health reform and Medicare:
Hospital performance data: www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov
- New models of care piloted by Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovations: www.innovations.cms.gov
- Health reform in North Carolina: review the NC Institute of Medicine’s reports from working with numerous task forces — http://www.nciom.org/task-forces-and-projects/
- Overviews of health reform and Medicare from the Medicare Rights Center; Kaiser Family Foundation or HealthCare.gov
Need help with Medicare decisions for 2013? Medicare’s annual election period runs Oct 15 – Dec 7:
- Face-to-face counseling: The State Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) has coordinating sites in every county of North Carolina, find your county’s site here.
- Medicare insurance counseling over the telephone: NC SHIIP at 800-443-935 or 1-800-MEDICARE.
- Comparing Medicare D drug plans via the web: www.medicare.gov; Senior PharmAssist has helpful tips online, but that’s only for residents of Durham County