what are the qualifications for medicare part d
Medicare Part D Individuals on Medicare are eligible for prescription drug coverage under a Part D plan if they are signed up for benefits under Medicare Part A and/or Part B. Beneficiaries obtain the Part D drug benefit through two types of plans administered by private insurance companies: the beneficiaries can join a standalone Prescription Drug Plan (PDP) for drug coverage only or they can join a public Part C health plan that jointly covers all hospital and medical services covered by Medicare Part A and Part B at a minimum, and typically covers additional healthcare costs not covered by Medicare Parts A and B including prescription drugs (MA-PD).[2] (NOTE: Medicare beneficiaries need to be signed up for both Parts A and B to select Part C.) About two-thirds of all Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled directly in Part D or get Part-D-like benefits through a public Part C Medicare Advantage health plan.[3] Another large group of Medicare beneficiaries get prescription drug coverage under plans offered by former employers.
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act The ACA includes provisions to take effect between 2010 and 2020, although most took effect on January 1, 2014. Few areas of the US health care system were left untouched, making it the most sweeping health care reform since the enactment of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965.[2][3][4][15][5] However, some areas were more affected than others. The individual insurance market was radically overhauled, and many of the law's regulations applied specifically to this market,[2] while the structure of Medicare, Medicaid, and the employer market were largely retained.[3] Most of the coverage gains were made through the expansion of Medicaid,[16] and the biggest cost savings were made in Medicare.[3] Some regulations applied to the employer market, and the law also made delivery system changes that affected most of the health care system.[3] Not all provisions took full effect. Some were made discretionary, some were deferred, and others were repealed before implementation.