Medicare Blog

as an hospital administrator why is medicare for seniors important

by Braxton Leuschke Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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Medicare facilitates the health of physicians and allows patients to get in and out of hospital whenever the need arises. This ensures that the insurance for older people does not vary from place to place and does not restrict the elderly' choices of providers in the American healthcare system.

Medicare coverage is especially important to low-income elderly people because they are in poorer health than higher income elderly people and have few financial assets to draw on when faced with high medical costs.

Full Answer

How does Medicare help the elderly?

Yet in its first 10 years, Medicare helped cut their poverty rate in half. By helping people shoulder the potentially devastating costs of illness, Medicare plays a critical role in the financial security of older Americans, as well as their health security.

Why should I become a healthcare administrator?

As a healthcare administrator you will have both reputations and can use your role in the community to make a difference in many different ways. Not only that, but hospitals and other healthcare organizations often employ large numbers of people in their region.

What is the importance of Medicare and impacts on healthcare?

Importance of Medicare and Impacts on Healthcare & the Federal Budget. Medicare is akin to a home insurance program wherein a large portion of the insureds need repairs during the year; as people age, their bodies and minds wear out, immune systems are compromised, and organs need replacements.

How much does the average senior spend on Medicare Advantage?

Meanwhile, the average senior with Medicare Advantage spends less than $3,400 on their insurance each year. MA enrollees tend to have better health outcomes than their peers covered by traditional Medicare.

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Why is Medicare important to healthcare providers?

#Medicare plays a key role in providing health and financial security to 60 million older people and younger people with disabilities. It covers many basic health services, including hospital stays, physician services, and prescription drugs.

What is Medicare and why is it important?

Medicare provides health insurance coverage to individuals who are age 65 and over, under age 65 with certain disabilities, and individuals of all ages with ESRD. Medicaid provides medical benefits to groups of low-income people, some who may have no medical insurance or inadequate medical insurance.

What do seniors think of Medicare?

Older Medicare recipients are happiest with their coverage. Nearly nine out of 10 people who are 80 years old or older say they're satisfied or very satisfied with Medicare. That's compared to 79% of people age 71 to 79, 71% of people 65-70 and 69% of those under 65.

Why is Medicare funding important?

Medicare, the federal health insurance program for 65 million people ages 65 and over and younger people with long-term disabilities, helps to pay for hospital and physician visits, prescription drugs, and other acute and post-acute care services.

What does Medicare help people with?

Medicare is the federal health insurance program for: People who are 65 or older. Certain younger people with disabilities. People with End-Stage Renal Disease (permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a transplant, sometimes called ESRD)

What would happen without Medicare?

Payroll taxes would fall 10 percent, wages would go up 11 percent and output per capita would jump 14.5 percent. Capital per capita would soar nearly 38 percent as consumers accumulated more assets, an almost ninefold increase compared to eliminating Medicare alone.

Why do seniors choose Medicare Advantage?

Seniors are flocking to Medicare Advantage because it provides better benefits at lower cost. Medicare Advantage plans are administered by private insurance companies that contract with the federal government. Most plans bundle hospital, outpatient, and prescription drug coverage.

What percent of seniors choose Medicare Advantage?

A team of economists who analyzed Medicare Advantage plan selections found that only about 10 percent of seniors chose the optimal Medicare Advantage plan. People were overspending by more than $1,000 per year on average, and more than 10 percent of people were overspending by more than $2,000 per year!

Do all older adults use Medicare?

Nearly every American 65 or older is eligible for Medicare, and almost all of them are eligible for Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) with no premiums. Although about three-quarters of Medicare beneficiaries are satisfied with their coverage,1 not everyone in this age group wants to receive Medicare.

How successful is Medicare?

With a combination of affordability, quality, flexibility and choice, it's no surprise that 90 percent of MA beneficiaries are satisfied with their coverage, compared to a 76 percent satisfaction rate for traditional Medicare.

What is Medicare hospital insurance?

Medicare Part A hospital insurance covers inpatient hospital care, skilled nursing facility, hospice, lab tests, surgery, home health care.

What did Medicare accomplish?

Medicare's successes over the past 35 years include doubling the number of persons age 65 or over with health insurance, increasing access to mainstream health care services, and substantially reducing the financial burdens faced by older Americans.

What is Medicare akin to?

Medicare is akin to a home insurance program wherein a large portion of the insureds need repairs during the year; as people age, their bodies and minds wear out, immune systems are compromised, and organs need replacements. Continuing the analogy, the Medicare population is a group of homeowners whose houses will burn down each year.

When did Medicare start a DRG?

In 1980 , Medicare developed the diagnosis-related group (DRG), the bundling of multiple services typically required to treat a common diagnosis into a single pre-negotiated payment, which was quickly adopted and applied by private health plans in their hospital payment arrangements.

What percentage of Medicare enrollees are white?

7. Generational, Racial, and Gender Conflict. According to research by the Kaiser Family Foundation, the typical Medicare enrollee is likely to be white (78% of the covered population), female (56% due to longevity), and between the ages of 75 and 84.

How much did Medicare cost in 2012?

According to the budget estimates issued by the Congressional Budget Office on March 13, 2012, Medicare outlays in excess of receipts could total nearly $486 billion in 2012, and will more than double by 2022 under existing law and trends.

Why does home insurance increase?

Every year, premiums would increase due to the rising costs of replacement materials and labor. In such an environment, no one could afford the costs of home insurance. Casualty insurance companies reduce the risk and the cost of premiums for home owners by expanding the population of the insured properties.

How many elderly people are without health insurance?

Today, as a result of the amendment of Social Security in 1965 to create Medicare, less than 1% of elderly Americans are without health insurance or access to medical treatment in their declining years.

How long was the average hospital stay in 1965?

In 1965, the average hospital stay was approximately nine days; by 2011, the average stay was less than four days. This reduction has been accomplished by delivering treatment on an outpatient, rather than an inpatient basis, as a consequence of the reimbursement methodology promoted by Medicare.

Why are healthcare administrators important?

The Importance of Healthcare Administrators 1 Sensitive information is shared between multiple parties during the insurance payment process. This information could damage patient privacy if it fell into the wrong hands. Administrators work to keep facilities in compliance with HIPAA laws that protect patient information. 2 Administrators serve as the hub of the wheel that keeps the healthcare industry rolling. They make sure that doctors, insurance companies, patients, and other providers have access to the information needed to ensure proper care. Without them, treatments are delayed, payments lost, and quality of care suffers. 3 Like all businesses, medical facilities need good managers to oversee their staff. Administrators work with medical staff to ensure good shift coverage and to give every patient the right amount of attention.

What is the role of healthcare administrators?

Healthcare administrators are responsible for facilitating patient care. They plan, direct, and coordinate services so that doctors, patients, insurance providers, and medical facilities stay on the same page throughout treatment. Their primary purpose is to interpret laws and regulations as they apply to individual patient profiles.

Why do medical facilities need administrators?

Administrators work with medical staff to ensure good shift coverage and to give every patient the right amount of attention. Healthcare administrators are a central part of the medical field in the United States.

Why do administrators need formal education?

Administrators need to be able to see things from several points of view. While they are there to support direct care workers, they must also conform to the wishes of their directors. Formal education helps them understand how to navigate this space professionally and compassionately.

What is a healthcare administration degree?

A degree in healthcare administration is a powerful tool that can help you start or advance your career in some specific ways. Greater opportunities. Working nurses and healthcare professionals who want to expand their career opportunities can use their degree to qualify for positions for higher responsibility.

What is the role of an administrator in medical terminology?

While they do not provide direct care to patients, administrators are responsible for interpreting medical data. A solid background in medical terminology helps them understand patient charts and information so they can make more informed decisions. Legal requirements.

What is required of a medical field?

The medical field is required to follow strict filing and information retention standards. During their education, prospective administrators learn how to keep records in a way that satisfies these requirements. They also learn about other legal issues surrounding their future work. A big picture view.

Important Medicare Milestones

Before we dive into the history of Medicare, let’s take a look at the key milestones in Medicare coverage. These crucial events helped expand health care coverage and eligibility.2

The History of Original Medicare (Part A and Part B)

President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law legislation that established Medicare and Medicaid on July 30, 1965. At the time, seniors were the most likely population group to be living in poverty. Only around half of seniors had health insurance coverage at the time.2 The process of legislating Medicare was certainly challenging.

Learn More About Medicare Part A and Part B

Are you looking for more information about Medicare Part A and Part B, or additional details about Medicare coverage? Check out our “Introduction to Medicare” video below. Here, we go over the basics of Medicare, explore Part A and Part B coverage, and discuss Medigap coverage.

How many people rely on Medicare?

More than 59 million Americans rely on Medicare to cover their health expenses in retirement, but some people are still confused about how the program works. If you're one of them, you could overlook benefits you didn't know you had, or even be underprepared for expenses that Medicare doesn't cover. Here's a closer look at five of the most ...

What does Medicare cover?

1. It doesn't cover everything. Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) covers visits to the hospital, surgeries, lab tests, and other in-patient services. Part B (medical insurance) covers outpatient care and some preventive services.

How much is Medicare Part D?

The premiums vary depending on the plan you choose, where you live, and your income. The average Medicare Part D premium in 2018 was just $34, though. You'll have a $1,364 deductible in 2019 for Part A, and a $185 deductible for Part B.

What are the benefits of Medicare Part B?

You'll get some free preventive services. Medicare Part B covers several preventive health services at no cost to you, including a yearly wellness visit, flu shots, cardiovascular disease screenings, and diabetes screenings.

How long do you have to work to get Medicare Part A?

Most people don't pay a premium for Part A. As long as you've worked and paid Medicare taxes for 40 quarters (10 years) of your life, you qualify for premium-free Part A. If you don't qualify, your premium is $232 if you worked between 30 and 39 quarters, and $422 if you paid Medicare taxes for less than 30 quarters.

When is open enrollment for Medicare?

Open enrollment is Oct. 15 to Dec. 7. The annual open enrollment period is the time when you can make adjustments to your Medicare coverage and switch between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans.

Does Medicare cover Part D?

Image source: Getty Images. Among the different parts, Medicare covers a lot of ground, but there's also a lot that it doesn't pay for.

What does it mean to be a healthcare administrator?

As a healthcare administrator you will have both reputations and can use your role in the community to make a difference in many different ways. Not only that, but hospitals and other healthcare organizations often employ large numbers of people in their region.

Why do people go into healthcare?

A lot of people go into the healthcare field because they want to make a difference in other peoples' lives, and you could help improve the lives of hundreds or thousands of people every time you go to work.

Why are healthcare executives important?

People who work in healthcare are often considered valuable community members because they give their time to heal others, and executives are also considered visible and valuable because they are in high-powered positions where they call the shots.

What is healthcare management?

Healthcare management is a wide field that serves an essential industry – an industry that is one of the largest in the United States. In fact, the healthcare industry as a whole supplies about 11 million jobs to eager workers all over the country. Not only that, but a large percentage of private sector jobs in the last few years have come from healthcare, and it's a field that's still growing quickly (estimated growth rate of 23% between 2012 and 2022). And all those jobs need supervising and managing! Because there is so much demand for healthcare managers, you might find a job in a hospital, doctor's office, or nursing home. Or you might work for the government, in consulting, with device manufacturers, or for a pharmaceutical company. You could also have job opportunities with health insurance companies, professional societies, or financial institutions. There are also job opportunities for you in a variety of geographic regions, from small towns in rural areas to big cities to international positions.

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