2016 Wellness Expo

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Page 54 2016 Wellness Expo Lincoln Daily Tuesday, February 16, 2016
For those who are retirement age, Medicare and Medicare supplemental insurance can be a very
important part of staying healthy in the long term. Steve Shoemaker of Central Illinois Insurance in
Lincoln was on hand to discuss insurance issues with the seniors in attendance. While Shoemaker
offers insurance for all ages and walks of life, he pays special attention to what is needed for those who
have reached the age of Medicare eligibility.
On Saturday he was sharing information that had been published recently by the Wall Street Journal
as well as other periodicals. In the article, the topic was a clerical oversight that is happening often in
hospitals across the country. The problem comes
about when Medicare patients are brought into
an emergency room for observation. Medicare
allows for a specific number hours where a
patient can be in the hospital for observation.
The problem occurs when the hospital holds
the patient too long under “observation status.”
The end result is that patients end up being
denied Medicare coverage, which means their
supplemental also will not pay, and the expense
is left to the patient.
It is a cautionary tale, warning seniors and senior
caregivers to know what the Medicare rules
are for hospitalization, and to make certain that
hospital stays are coded appropriately, so that
Medicare and supplemental insurances will pay the bill
At the Community Expo