Getting Help With Your Medicare Questions (NAPSA)—Tommy G. Thompson, Secretary of Health and Human Services, answers readers’ questions about Medicare. Q. I have questions about my Medicare coverage. Where can I get information to answer my questions? A. To help you with your Medicare questions, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), our federal agency that runs the Medicare program, has resources that can provide you with fast, reliable and accurate information right at your finger- tips. Below are three important resources to help you get the information you need: * 1-800-MEDICARE(1-800633-4227), 24 hours of personal assistance in English or Spanish. This toll-free helpline is available seven days a week to help with your questions. When you call, customer service representatives are available to provide assistance. The helpline also allows you to do somethings automatically, like get important phone numbers, order publications and get answers to frequently asked questions. If you use a teletypewriter (TTY), you can call 1-877-486-2048. * www.medicare.gov for upto-date, easy-to-access healthcare information. This website allows you to get information and answers to your questions about your Medicare at any time. It offers many tools to help you get the information you need to make healthcare decisions that are right for you. Oneof these tools is the “Medicare Personal Plan Finder.” It lets you compare Medicare health plans and Medigappolicies available in your area, out-ofpocket costs, benefits and the quality of health plan care. It helps you find the plan that’s right for you. This site also provides basic information about Medicare, including what’s covered, how to enroll and answersto common questions. You can search For people with Medicare questions, there are several ways to get answers. for telephone numbers of other organizations that can answer your questions. Some information on the site is available in Spanish and Chinese. Information on the site is updated regularly. handbook, important Medicare information delivered to your door. This handbook is mailed each fall to all people with Medicare. It provides basic information about the Medicare program, including health plan information for each state. In addition, the handbook provides information on Medicare rights and other available programs that may help pay some healthcare costs. The handbook is available in manydifferent formats to meet the needs of all people with Medicare. You can get a copy of the handbook in English, Spanish, audiotape (English and Spanish), large print (English and Spanish) and braille. These and other information resources are available to help you understand as much about the Medicare program as possible. CMS and I want you to have all the information you need to make important healthcare decisions. waoe-e eee eee eeeQU. ---------------------------Note to Editors: This is article 1 of series of 6.
