Newsletters

Medicare - Limiting Charges and Assignment

Medicare limits the amount it will pay for some services, supplies, and medical equipment. This is called the Medicare limiting charge. Whether a limiting charge is available to help limit the cost of services or supplies, however, depends upon who is rendering the service, whether the provider has agreed to accept assignment, what type of item or service is at issue, and whether the physician and the patient executed a private contract. Assignment means that a provider has agreed that it will accept the Medicare-defined reasonable and customary fee for its services. A full discussion of assignment appears in a separate article.

Employment - Older Americans and the Peace Corps

The arm of the United States federal government that is designed to promote world peace is known as the Peace Corps. In the Peace Corps, volunteers live and work in developing countries, known as host countries, helping to train and educate residents. For example, Peace Corps volunteers have helped educate people about AIDS, business development, and information technology.

Annuity Contract Considerations

The formation and validity of an annuity policy or contract is determined in the same way as a standard contract. The annuity policy must be supported by consideration (unless it is a charitable gift annuity or the annuity involves a bequest). The parties to the annuity contract must have legal capacity to contract.

Medicare Rights

Every person enrolled in Medicare, whether in Original Medicare (Parts A and B), Medicare Advantage (formerly Medicare+Choice), or a Medigap supplemental policy, has certain rights. Some of these rights relate to how enrollees are treated, some relate to enrollees' rights to care, and some relate to information, privacy, and appeals.

State Guaranty Associations

Generally, all commercial insurers that are licensed by a state to issue annuity policies or contracts must be members of the state's insurance guaranty association in order to conduct business in that state. There are insurance guaranty associations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and all United States territories.