Hurricane Rita Information for People with Medicare and Medicaid and Providers
Source: CMS.HHS.gov Spotlights

Medicare Takes Major Step Toward 2006 Drug Benefit; Issues Approval to Plans Offering Coverage
Source: CMS.HHS.gov Spotlights

Request for Applications for E-prescribing Pilot Released
Source: CMS.HHS.gov Spotlights

Hurricane Katrina Information for people with Medicare and Medicaid and providers.
Source: CMS.HHS.gov Spotlights

Retiree Prescription Drug Coverage & The New Prescription Drug Coverage
Source: CMS.HHS.gov Spotlights

Medicare Provides Tools to Help Local Partners Prepare Beneficiaries for Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage
Source: CMS.HHS.gov Spotlights

New Drug Coverage Includes Options for Additional Benefits and Saving Money
Source: CMS.HHS.gov Spotlights

CMS National Provider Identifier (NPI) Dear Provider Letter
CMS announced a system whereby all health care providers, including Medicare providers, can apply for a new identifier, known as the National Provider Identifier, or NPI, starting May 23, 2005.
Source: CMS.HHS.gov Spotlights

CMS Facilitates Access to Innovative Technology
In a ruling announced today by Administrator Mark B. McClellan, M.D., Ph.D., CMS clarified its payment rules to present beneficiaries with the choice to receive presbyopia-correcting intraocular lenses (IOLs) that not only replace lens clouded by cataracts but also allows the eye to focus on near, intermediate, and far vision, minimizing the need for corrective lens.
Source: CMS.HHS.gov Spotlights

Final Guidance Issued on MMA Section 1011: Emergency Health Services for Undocumented Aliens
This web page is designed to provide hospitals, physicians, and ambulance providers with accurate information regarding the implementation of section 1011 of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA).
Source: CMS.HHS.gov Spotlights

Learn more about the Prescription Drug Benefit and Medicare Advantage Programs (Including Regulations)
Welcome to the Official Centers for Medicare & Medicare Services (CMS) Titles I & II webpage. This is a very special time for Medicare beneficiaries, full of many exciting program improvements and enhancements. The Medicare Modernization Act (MMA), passed with bipartisan support in Congress and signed into law by President Bush on December 8, 2003, has given us unprecedented opportunities to bring more personalized, high-quality modern health care to Medicare's millions of beneficiaries.
Source: CMS.HHS.gov Spotlights

Proposal For The New Competitive Acquisition Program For Part B Drugs And Biologicals
Section 303 (d) of the MMA (adobe pdf 26Kb) requires the implementation of a competitive acquisition program (CAP) for Medicare Part B drugs and biologicals not paid on a cost or prospective payment system basis. Beginning with drugs administered on or after January 1, 2006, physicians will be given a choice between buying and billing these drugs under the average sales price (ASP) system, or obtaining these drugs from vendors selected in a competitive bidding process.
Source: CMS.HHS.gov Spotlights

Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage - "It's all coming together"
Source: CMS.HHS.gov Spotlights

April 2005 CMS Quarterly Provider Update Now Available
CMS publishes this Update at the beginning of each quarter to inform the public about the following:
Regulations and major policies currently under development during this quarter.
Regulations and major policies completed or cancelled.
New/Revised manual instructions
Source: CMS.HHS.gov Spotlights

CMS Guidance on the Limited-Income Subsidy Helpful Information and Fact Sheets
Help For Those With Limited Income and Resources.
Source: CMS.HHS.gov Spotlights

Medicare Part D Electronic-Prescribing Proposed Rule
On December 8, 2003, President George W. Bush signed into law the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act (MMA) of 2003. This landmark legislation provides seniors and people living with disabilities with a prescription drug benefit, more choices and better benefits under Medicare, the most significant improvement to senior health care in nearly 40 years.
Source: CMS.HHS.gov Spotlights

New Medicare Poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation
Source: CMS.HHS.gov Spotlights

Medicare Tomorrow: Future Savings for Beneficiaries, Estimates of the Impact of Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage on Low-Income Beneficiaries--State-Level Estimates
Source: CMS.HHS.gov Spotlights

Upcoming Distance Learning Opportunities on the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit
Source: CMS.HHS.gov Spotlights

Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage - "It's all coming together"
Source: CMS.HHS.gov Spotlights

Changes to Competitive Acquisition Program Timeline
Medicare Competitive Acquisition Program For Part B Drugs and Biologicals
Source: CMS.HHS.gov Spotlights

Basic Questions and Answers about Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage
Source: CMS.HHS.gov Spotlights

40th Anniversary for Medicare and Medicaid
In 1965, the Social Security Act established both Medicare and Medicaid. Medicare was a responsibility of the Social Security Administration (SSA), while Federal assistance to the State Medicaid programs was administered by the Social and Rehabilitation Service (SRS). SSA and SRS were agencies in the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW). In 1977, the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) was created under HEW to effectively coordinate Medicare and Medicaid. In 1980 HEW was divided into the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). In 2001, HCFA was renamed the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Source: CMS.HHS.gov Spotlights