While the Industry Slumps, LTC Financial Partners Posts Robust Revenue, Profit, and Dividend Gains.

KIRKLAND, Wash., March 14 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — In an economy that seems stuck on stagnate, business is booming, thank you, for LTC Financial Partners LLC (LTCFP), one of the nation’s most experienced long term care insurance agencies. In fact, 2009’s growth was so strong and the future so promising, the firm seeks to expand its army of agents by 300 this year, an increase of about 60 percent over last year.

While the long term care industry was down about 30 percent in 2009, LTCFP’s submitted premium was up a handsome 20 percent for the year and 37 percent for the last quarter compared to Q4 2008. Profit was an all-time high of $2.31 million, up about 73 percent over 2008 profit of $1.34 million. Earnings were $0.26 per share, an increase of about 70 percent over 2008’s earnings of $0.15 per share.

Perhaps most significant for LTCFP’s agents, dividend payments — to be made this month — will be $0.20 per share, an increase of 40 percent over last year’s dividend. “All LTCFP Partners get dividends,” says Cameron Truesdell, CEO, “and all of our agents may become Partners based on their performance.” Unique in the industry, LTCFP’s dividend payments constitute an additional revenue stream beyond commissions and renewal income.

For individuals wishing careers in long term care insurance, experience is a plus but not a must. “Our LTC Insurance Training Institute trains good people from scratch,” says Truesdell. “We’re looking for men and women with intelligence, social skills, ambition, and a sincere desire to help others,” he adds. “With those basics, we can get them up to speed and state-certified in short order.” Information is available at web.ltcfp.com/ltcfp/careercenter.aspx.

LTCFP has earmarked 2 percent of its profits for development aid in Africa and Haiti, and is a sponsor of the “3 in 4 Need More” campaign, which seeks to inform the public that “at least 70 percent of people over age 65 will require some long-term care services at some point in their lives,” according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (www.ltcguild.com).

Privately held, LTCFP is a limited liability company. In 2009 Inc. Magazine ranked LTCFP No. 1,970 among all companies, and No. 16 in the insurance category, in its annual ranking of the 5,000 fastest-growing companies in the nation. LTCFP made the Inc. 5000 list in 2008 as well. Among insurance companies, LTCFP is the fastest-growing one focusing exclusively on long term care insurance sales.

The LTCFP home site is at: www.ltcfp.com.
NEWS SOURCE: LTC Financial Partners LLC

Consult A Doctor 24/7, a leading provider of consumer driven telemedicine solutions announced that it closed a $5 million Series A round financing.

MIAMI, FL (PRWEB) February 16, 2010 — Consult A Doctor 24/7, a leading provider of consumer driven telemedicine solutions that drive down healthcare costs, announced that it closed a $5 million Series A round financing. Consult A Doctor’s financing was led by Morgenthau Venture Partners, and joined by New World Angels and Promociones Bursa, an international consortium of investors in healthcare and technology.

“This financing provides working capital to accelerate the adoption and utilization of our consumer directed telemedicine services and to expand additional cost cutting services such as Consult A Specialist, Labs and a flu program to name a few,” said Wolf Shlagman, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Consult A Doctor. Shlagman goes on to say “Consult A Doctor’s health care solutions accelerate the transformation to a consumer-driven healthcare revolution that lowers costs while providing greater access to affordable, quality health care – giving more choice, more control and more savings to everyone.”

“We recognize that the completion of this financing represents support for both our business model and the overwhelming demand for lower-cost healthcare services and delivery in the United States and worldwide. Consult A Doctor looks forward to continuing to execute on that strategy and achieving several well-defined milestones in 2010.”

“Numerous research studies in the last 12-24 months indicate that consumer driven telemedicine solutions such as those provided by Consult A Doctor, can considerably drive down costs of healthcare access and delivery. We feel these solutions are key to future healthcare reform, and poised for growth over the next few years,” said Michael Andzel of Morgenthau Venture Partners, LLC.

“We are excited about this opportunity not only for Consult A Doctor’s industry leadership and growth strategy but also as this is the second time we have co-invested with Morgenthau,” said Rhys Williams, President of the New World Angels.

“It brought together sophisticated international technology investors, a well-known venture capital firm, and New World Angels, a group of over 40 highly skilled entrepreneurs from across the country who decided to live and invest in the South Florida area.”

The transaction was assisted by the law firms of Edwards, Angell, Palmer and Dodge, West Palm Beach, FL, Cary, Rodriguez, Greenberg and Paul, LLC, Miami, FL, and Groundwork Equity, Management Consultants, Los Angeles, CA and CP Capital Securities, Miami, FL.

Consult A Doctor partners with health plans, self-insured groups, TPA, brokers and various other groups to offer convenient 24/7 access to physicians for phone and secure email medical consultations. Its proprietary nationwide on-demand cross-coverage network of U.S. licensed primary care physicians and specialists provide specific answers to medical questions and advice regarding non-emergency, routine medical conditions.

All Consult A Doctor physicians are carefully screened, credentialed and have malpractice coverage insurance. They use numerous healthcare technologies such as decision support systems, PDR’s, EMR’s and e-prescribing technologies to discuss symptoms, recommend treatment options, diagnose many minor conditions, and prescribe medication when appropriate.

Consult A Doctor’s Consumer-Driven Telemedicine service reduces healthcare cost for all payers by providing members with more convenient and more efficient access to medically equivalent care in a lower-cost setting. Consult A Doctor services are proven to considerably reduce unnecessary doctor, ER and urgent care visits while reducing sick leave absenteeism and presenteesim.

For more information about Consult A Doctor – please call 888-688-DOCTOR (3628) or visit http://www.consultadoctor.com

Featuring More Than 3,900 Key Executives Contacts, The all-new 7th edition of AIS’s Health Plan Directory contains every health plan and primary care preferred provider network operating in the U.S. as of year-end 2009.

Washington, DC (PRWEB) February 24, 2010 – Atlantic Information Services (AIS), publisher of industry-leading newsletters Health Plan Week, Drug Benefit News, Medicare Advantage News and The AIS Report on Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans is pleased to announce publication of AIS’s Directory of Health Plans: 2010, available in print and on CD-ROM. Now in its 7th edition, the directory contains every health plan and primary care preferred provider network operating in the U.S. as of year-end 2009.

Featuring 469 health plan records and 3,975 key executive contacts (in more than 16 job functions), the 2010 directory listings include: national and state-level enrollment data by company, national enrollment by type of product, company contact information, types of primary care offered, NCQA accreditation status and PBM contracted. To see a list of fields in each section, visit http://www.aishealth.com/Products/dhp.html

AIS’s Directory of Health Plans: 2010 is designed to help health plans, PBMs, pharmaceutical companies, technology firms, consultants and other health care organizations:

• Discover which health plans offer certain types of plan models, and which health plans operate in each state, so you can gauge your competitors’ strengths and identify where your opportunities for market expansion lie.
• Gain insight into the increasing diversity of health plan models as benefit designs adapt to meet marketplace demands.
• Create targeted mailing lists and develop call lists to network and generate leads for prospective new partners.
• Determine which PPO networks may best serve your benefit design offerings.
• Track shifts in branding as organizations have started to position themselves as national brands versus state or local entities, and as integrations, mergers and acquisitions change the competitive landscape.
• Develop benchmarks for determining the prevalence of certain type of plan models and create projections about which areas are likely to grow.

The CD database features additional information not found in the print version. Unique data points featured are: a new enhancement that allows users to view enrollment for large national companies in spreadsheet format at the subsidiary level; a special report allowing easy analysis of health insurers by state containing the full listing of each company operating in each state; full listings of parent organizations with corporate headquarters executives, total enrollment data and more; total physicians, and total hospitals.

For purchase information on AIS’s Health Plan Directory: 2010 and to see the full table of contents, sample page and field listings, go to http://www.aishealth.com/Products/dhp.html

New market analysis by DMAA: The Care Continuum Alliance provides insight on keys to program success. Report details purchaser and program provider perspectives on industry trends, purchasing expectations, program measures, physician collaboration and other metrics.

This survey shows employers view workplace health promotion programs as key contributors to financial well-being, as well as to employee health and productivity Washington (PRWEB) March 9, 2010 — A challenging economy has not lessened the commitment of employers and other health care purchasers to population health and wellness programs, which they view as essential to their financial management strategy, a new survey shows.

DMAA: The Care Continuum Alliance “Population Health Improvement: A Market Survey Report,” from DMAA: The Care Continuum Alliance, also finds a trend toward population-based programs, rather than interventions focused on individuals, and shows most purchasers consider incentives, such as premium discounts, critical to program success.

The DMAA market analysis collected responses from 135 purchasers and providers of health and wellness services and explores a variety of metrics, such as intervention types, use of incentives and measures of success. The comprehensive analysis also examines market trends, including purchasing expectations, insourcing vs. outsourcing of services and use of integrated data platforms.

The survey projects that 73 percent of purchasers will offer population health improvement programs over the next 12 months and that 76 percent will do so by the end of 2011. Of those who currently purchase programs, 84 percent expect additional purchases, signaling strong purchaser commitment to population health interventions.

“This survey shows employers view workplace health promotion programs as key contributors to financial well-being, as well as to employee health and productivity,” DMAA President and CEO Tracey Moorhead says. “The continued strength of these programs in the face of a challenging economy demonstrates their value to purchasers.”

The survey report, which includes more than two dozen charts and figures of key industry data, found strong support among purchasers and providers for ensuring physician integration in health and wellness programs. Nearly all purchasers view population health improvement as supporting the physician-patient relationship, and both groups ranked physician engagement highly as a critical component of program success.

“Population health improvement programs are valuable contributors to the health care team and improve the quality and value of care,” Moorhead said.

In other findings:

When asked how they measure program value, purchasers most often cite improved program participation and reduced annual care expenses. A majority of purchasers expect to see a financial return on investment in one to two years.

The report, in electronic format, is available through the DMAA Web site. It may be purchased alone or, for a nominal additional fee, in combination with a CD-ROM copy of the association’s 2008 market analysis. Members of the media may obtain a copy of the report by contacting Carl Graziano at (202) 360-5253.

About DMAA: The Care Continuum Alliance DMAA: The Care Continuum Alliance convenes all stakeholders providing services along the care continuum toward the goal of population health improvement. These care continuum services include strategies such as health and wellness promotion, disease management, and care coordination. DMAA: The Care Continuum Alliance promotes the role of population health improvement in raising the quality of care, improving health outcomes and reducing preventable health care costs for individuals with chronic conditions and those at risk for developing chronic conditions. DMAA’s activities in support of these efforts include advocacy, research and the promotion of best practices in care management.

DMAA: The Care Continuum Alliance represents more than 200 corporate and individual stakeholders – including wellness, disease and care management organizations, pharmaceutical manufacturers and benefit managers, health information technology innovators, biotechnology innovators, employers, physicians, nurses and other health care professionals, and researchers and academicians. Visit DMAA on the Web at http://www.dmaa.org

If you aren’t currently covered by a traditional health insurance plan, short term health insurance can be a great way to protect yourself. With valuable coverage available for unexpected illness or injury, these plans are designed to meet anyone’s needs.

Short term insurance is intended for those who don’t currently have access to a major insurance plan. New employees waiting for coverage from their employer, unemployed or temporary workers, and recent graduates are all good candidates for short term insurance. Instead of waiting uninsured for a traditional plan to take effect, these types of plans can be helpful while you wait.

With flexible payment options and choice of deductive and co-insurance options, these plans work well with many types of financial situations. Plans can be purchased for 30 days up to 360 days (varies by state). Payments can be made monthly, or you can save 20% by making a one-time payment for the entire amount.

It’s never a good idea to be uninsured, especially in today’s economy. The debt that can grow when you have to pay out of pocket for medical bills can be a great hardship to your family. In case of emergency, with short term insurance, you can rest assured that you will be protected.

This insurance has two different options available. The most coverage is offered with the Short Term Medical Plan, which includes emergency doctor visits, hospital stays, and prescription drug benefits. The Healthsaver Limited-Benefit plan is similar, but also requires additional fees for emergency room visits, inpatient hospital stays and surgeries. Having a plan that is limited like this is still better than not having any insurance at all.

Temporary health insurance gives you the freedom to choose your own doctors and hospital. These plans cover your emergency care once the coinsurance, applicable fees and deductible have been met.

When you are unemployed, there is nothing more stressful than not having health insurance. Staying up late worrying about what could happen to your family if someone becomes sick or injured is not healthy.

Relax and rest easy when you know that with a short term medical insurance plan, you will be protected.

It’s important to protect yourself and your family when you don’t have access to a traditional health insurance plan. A short term insurance plan is the best way to make sure that you will be covered and protected from future debt in case of a medical emergency.

Although there are many advantages with having complete control of your working life it does mean you are responsible in entirety for your income. For most, when self-employed there is no-one to full back on, no sick pay, no-one to cover your outstanding work load which means if you need time off work due to illness or injury getting back on your feet as soon as possible is crucial.

In the insurance market today there are many protection products designed specifically for the self-employed. From payment protection to cover your monthly financial obligations if you are off work due to sickness or injury to affordable health insurance so you can get treatment quickly when you need limiting the time spent off work.

Take a tradesmen such as a carpenter. If the carpenter needs treatment, let us say he cannot work due to back problems, work stops, projects get delayed and money stops coming in. This can put a lot of strain on the finances, if he were to use the national health service he could be waiting a considerable time to receive treatment and spend a lot of time sat twiddling his thumbs. With a health insurance plan he can get diagnosed promptly and treated as quickly as possible, at a time convenient to him thus cutting down the amount of time off work and minimising the loss of income.

When searching for medical insurance it is important you review the whole market as some policies may appear well priced but have fixed cover and with little flexibility not allowing you to tailor it to your specific requirements. Although no one can really predict what may happen but your lifestyle, type of business and the work you undertake may provide you with some of the specific requirements you may wish to consider covering.

Like any health insurance, those designed for the self employed have options to include outpatient treatment and additional benefit, such as cover for initial tests, consulting fees, hospital and accommodation charges. Some insurers will offer a no claims discounts structured similar to the no claims discounts found on car insurance whilst providing other specialist discounts such as gym and other club discounts.

There are a vast range of health insurance providers in the market offering a variety of products. As with any insurance, given the resources the internet holds before buying a policy you are best to research the market to and get quotes from a number of providers to compare both the quality of the product and the price.

Most insurance companies will allow a certain tailoring of policies and add in extras to compliment your medical plan, but do recognise, insurance is like any other product, the more extras you add the more expensive the premiums will be.

It is impossible to provide health cover rates due to the nature of how the product is priced and underwritten, especially for self employed. Premiums will vary depending on your circumstances such as age, location and occupation, if you have any existing conditions. It is best to get a quote online to get an estimate of your premiums.

With entrepreneurs and the self-employed having so much to think about, protection is rarely at the top of the list however it is so important given the lack of a safety net.

Copyright © by James P White of Drewberry Personal Health Insurance Brokers, specialist providers of information, advice and broking services in the self employed health insurance market.

By Jessica Farrell

Choosing the right type of individual health insurance is an important step in looking after yourself. The main three choices when it comes to Individual Health Insurance coverage are Fee-for-service, HMO and PPO.

Fee for service means that you can go to any doctor in the country and you do not need referrals for specialists. This is the most flexible type of cover, and often the most expensive too. You pay a monthly premium and a yearly deductible which is a payment you must make before any insurance payments are made. Certain costs are taken out of this deductible, whilst others may not be covered by it.

HMO stands for Health Maintenance Organization. These organizations tend to place a high importance on keeping you well, and are good at preventative care, simply because they don’t make any more money the sicker you get. The downside is that you must choose a doctor from their list, and if you need to see a specialist you must have a referral from your primary care doctor.

PPO stands for Preferred Provider Organization. This is a combination between the HMO and the Fee for service provider. There are a limited amount of doctors you can see, however you will still receive some coverage if you see doctors who are not part of your PPO’s organization.

Fee for service, HMO and PPO providers are beginning to take leaves out of the others books however, so whereas in the past a HMO might have offered the cheapest health care and the least flexibility, that may not be the case today.

You really do have to shop around and see what each plan offers. A fee for service plan may have unexpected restrictions, or a HMO plan may include costs you might not expect.

You might also want to consider Medicare or Medicaid if you are disabled or come from a low income family. Eligibility varies from State to State, so if you think you might be eligible, do look into it.

About the Author: life insurance quotes home owners insurance affordable health insurance car insurance quotes

By Irina

This digest-analysis of several key aspects of the current healthcare crisis in the U.S. may help the readers become more educated consumers of healthcare services.

Why so expensive?

Roughly 15.1% of the U.S. GDP (gross domestic product) is spent on healthcare that averages $5,198 per person per year. The numbers are expected to reach 17.9% of the GDP and $7,352 per person in 2005.

It wasn’t always that way. In 1960, America’s health bill was only $141 per person and nearly everyone was able to pay it out of pocket. What happened? Two key developments:

1. free market was abandoned in favor of government- or employer-sponsored prepaid plans. Individuals no longer paid the bills and NO LONGER CARED what things cost.

2. technology exploded. New and better diagnostic and therapeutic techniques were developed. And everyone demanded the best REGARDLESS OF COST.

Does Joe Average pay for you, or on the contrary?

In a given one-year time period, 50% of insured Americans don’t go to the doctor. Another 30% claim less than $500. THE REMAINING 20% CONSUME 80% of the $1.1 trillion annually. Only half of them indeed has serious chronic conditions or naturally induced traumatic symptoms. The remaining half is suffering LIFESTYLE DISORDERS like overeating, drinking, using drugs, practicing poor sex habits, not wearing helmets, seat belts, etc.

With health insurance you never get what you paid for. The numbers above suggest that for most of us it’s LESS much more often than MORE.

Vanishing insurance

Not long ago getting a job meant getting a good health benefits — now there are 44 million uninsured Americans. Not necessarily due to poverty, since over 25% of them make more than $50,000 a year. The trend also reflects the increasing number of self-employed and small businesses without health benefits.

Even more Americans will be uninsured in the future as increasing costs and patient rights laws force more employers to drop or cut back on health benefits. Bottom line — those still insured will have to pay even more for Joe’s LIFESTYLE DISORDERS.

What to expect

• The average price of prescriptions is rising 4% per year;

• The average senior citizen takes 3.3 medications every day;
• 60% Americans require corrective lenses;
• Over 33 million need hearing aids — yet only 6% can afford them;
• 19 million Americans use chiropractic services that are not covered by insurance;
• Approximately 10 million suffer from substance abuse — the cost of treating this illness is often not covered by insurance;
• Another 5 million are suffering from mental illness that again is often not covered.

The solution

Americans spend nearly $200 billion annually on OUT OF POCKET healthcare expenses or nearly $1,000 per person per year. Most of this is paid for at FULL RETAIL prices.

As a solution to rising costs consider a MEDICAL SAVINGS ACCOUNT. This concept is like an IRA for healthcare. Instead of sending ever-increasing premiums to a black hole called insurance company, you buy a high deductible “catastrophe” plan and pay for the everyday health maintenance and routine medical procedures out of pocket with the help of your tax-free medical savings account.

You can further minimize your out-of-pocket healthcare expenses through various Healthcare Savings Programs. They negotiate prices on behalf of their members and provide access to the same networks of healthcare providers that large insurance companies use. The service is available for a modest monthly fee that is only a fraction of an insurance premium for similar coverage. No long-term commitment is required and — to make these programs even more appealing — all pre-existing conditions are accepted.

Summary: Healthcare today is 50(!) times more expensive than it used to be in the 1960s and shows no sign of getting any cheaper. There is no free lunch in America — the only way to save money on healthcare is to understand current trends and take appropriate action.

(C) by Irina 2003.

About the Author: Irina helps people save money on healthcare and create steady stream of residual income working from home

Anthem Blue Cross Life and Health Insurance Company is responding to the national health care crisis by offering two new affordable health plans for California residents. The two new plans will be rolled out in early 2010, providing low-cost insurance alternatives for the many Californians who either don’t have insurance or who have health insurance plans that they are struggling to afford.

The first of Anthem’s new health insurance plans – CoreGuard – will become available on January 1, 2010. CoreGuard is a PPO plan that provides tax deductible options and prescription drug coverage. Most importantly for many California residents: the monthly premiums for CoreGuard will start at “prices to meet just about every budget,” noted one California health insurance agent.

As an example of the low-cost rates for the CoreGuard plan, the monthly premium for a male under the age of 40 is expected to be about $75 per month. However, as with most healthcare plans, participants will need to meet a deductible in order to receive coverage. Participants can select from a wide range of annual deductible amount and rate combinations to select the one that best for their budgets and healthcare needs.

The second of Anthem’s new affordable California health insurance plans is ClearProtection. ClearProtection will launch on February 1, 2010 and is designed to provide a wide range of benefits, but still offer first-dollar coverage. A male under the age of 40 will have a monthly deductible of about $69. ClearProtection is being touted as the PPO health insurance plan with the lowest rates of all of the Anthem PPO health insurance plans.

Blue Cross of California has one of the largest networks of healthcare providers throughout the state of California, which includes more than 50,000 doctors and almost 400 hospitals accepting PPO health insurance. Anthem’s health insurance plans also travel with participants across the country, helping to ensure that even if California plan holders leave the state, they will still be covered.

In addition to the basic healthcare coverage provided by these two new Anthem PPO plans, participants can also select from optional coverage for healthcare needs such as dental and term life.

Anthem’s NextRX delivers prescription medications to California residents through the mail

The two new health insurance programs from Anthem may be the newest additions to Anthem’s health care program line-up, but they fall into line with a whole host of helpful healthcare services offered to California residents by Anthem.

The NextRX program is Anthem’s preferred mail service pharmacy, which is available to Anthem members who taken maintenance medications on a regular basis. Many of the medications that qualify as maintenance medications include drugs that are used to treat heart disease, diabetes, depression, allergies, and even oral contraceptives.

When California residents enroll in the NextRX program by December 31, 2009, Anthem will waive the first co-pay for each generic prescription that participants transfer to NextRX.

In addition to the two new affordable health insurance plans offered by Anthem for California residents, Anthem also offers California state health programs, including Medi-Cal, Healthy Families, MRMIP, AIM, CMSP, and Telemedicine. Here’s an overview of each of these different California healthcare programs:

Medi-Cal is California’s Medicaid Program, which is available at no cost for individuals and families who meet certain low-income or other qualifications.

The Healthy Families Program is a low-cost managed care coverage program for children who live in households with financial situations that make them ineligible for the Medi-Cal Program.

The MRMIP program (California Major Risk Medical Insurance Program) is a health insurance plan that is available for Californians who cannot obtain health insurance coverage in the individual health insurance market.

AIM is the low-cost manage care coverage available for infants and their mothers who have family incomes too high for Medi-Cal coverage.

CMSP is a program that provides medical, dental, and vision services for eligible low-income adults who live primarily in one of 34 rural communities who are also not eligible for the Medi-Cal program.

Finally, the Anthem Blue Cross Telemedicine Program provides access to specialized healthcare for rural Californians.

For more information about Anthem’s CoreGuard and ClearProtection PPO health insurance plans, consumers should speak with a health insurance specialist who can explain the specific details of each different coverage option and type of plan. Also, in addition to Anthem’s health insurance plans, California residents can select their health insurance plans from a wide variety of other health insurance carriers that service the state. A California health insurance specialist can help California residents to sift through all of the available health insurance options to find the right plan for their specific healthcare needs.

About the Author: By Wiley Long – President, eCAHealthinsurance ( http://www.eCAHealthinsurance.com ) – California’s leading independent online health insurance agency specializing in individual and family California Health Insurance. Get instant California Health Insurance quotes, compare plans, apply online, and save your hard earned money!

With attention focused on the current healthcare debate, many citizens are have concerns over the promise of an increase in healthcare bills over the coming year and decades. Medicare participants, especially, stand to see a significant increase in the cost of their healthcare, according to some experts, especially supporters of the Republican party.

p>

In the face of these fee increases, the Florida Department of Health and Human Services has just announced a shocking case of Medicare fraud in Miami-Dade County, Florida. According to a report released by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, Miami-Dade County received about five hundred million dollars for Medicare in-home health care payments in 2008. This amounts to a payment of more than the entire nation combined.

Despite the huge amount of claims from Miami-Dade County, the county only accounts for more than half of the nation’s claims. Moreover, only 2 percent of patients who receive home health care live in the county. The Medicare fraud is not only blatantly obvious, but it is effects for everyone; Medicare fraud amounts to more than $3 billion each year because of false claims.

Medicare fraud comes in many forms. In some cases, agencies have billed the Medicare program for home health services that they claim were rendered for homeless people. IAccording to an article published Monday by the Associated Press, “a large percentage of the patients are diabetics who claim they are blind and bill Medicare for a day and night nurse to give them insulin shots.” However, upon further investigation, the beneficiaries are not actually blind.

“What we’re finding in a lot of the cases is the patients don’t even have diabetes and certainly aren’t blind,” said Kirk Ogrosky, who heads the Medicare Fraud Strike Force across the United States for the Department of Justice. The report indicates that Medicare payments for home healthcare for diabetics in Miami are eight times the national average.

Medicare beneficiaries who participate in the Medicare scams may stand to benefit financially for their services. According to the AP article, patients are paid between $700 and $1,400 for their participation. Eight suspects in Miami were charged with getting $22 million from the system through fraud.

What does this fraud mean for Medicare beneficiaries across the country? It means that the Medicare system pays out a significant amount of money from shared coffers for fraudulent claims, reducing the available money for real claims. As Medicare funds are stretched thin, Medicare payments to providers are ultimately reduced and Medicare fees for beneficiaries are ultimately increased.

To help protect themselves against the negative side effects of Medicare fraud, many Medicare participants would benefit by enrolling in Medicare Supplemental insurance plans that will help to cover the costs of many healthcare services and products that are not covered by Original Medicare. Medicare Advantage plans may also provide Medicare participants with more options when it comes to getting the right healthcare for their needs.

Ultimately, Medicare fraud costs the nation billions of dollars and increases fees for all participants. However, by taking steps to protect themselves from these fee increases, many Medicare beneficiaries can minimize the effects of Medicare fraud on their own pocketbooks.

Medicare participants have until December 31, 2009 to make changes to their Medicare plans for 2010, including the addition of Medicare Supplemental insurance.

About the Author: By Wiley Long – President, http://www.MedigapAdvisors.com – The nation’s leading independent agency specializing in Medicare Supplemental Insurance. Our professional MediGap advisors look forward to the opportunity to help you get the best insurance for your healthcare needs.