On Wednesday, December 15, 2010, President Obama signed into law the Medicare and Medicaid Extenders Act of 2010 (MMEA). This new law prevents a scheduled payment cut for physicians who treat Medicare patients from taking effect. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is pleased that this law has addressed key issues for beneficiaries and providers and we are actively engaged in implementing these changes.
CMS is also working to implement several important new provisions for Medicare beneficiaries made possible by the Affordable Care Act – the health reform law. In 2011:
- Beneficiaries who reach the prescription drug coverage gap, known as the donut hole, will receive a 50 percent discount when buying Part D-covered brand-name prescription drugs.
- Virtually all Medicare beneficiaries are eligible to receive many free preventive care services and a free annual wellness visit.
These provisions will improve care for Medicare beneficiaries and we encourage you to share this information with your patients. More information on these Affordable Care Act provisions can be found at Medicare.gov and at
healthcare.gov. This site also contains a timeline and other key information about the new law and a highly praised insurance finder for coverage options in public and private insurance programs, which family members and friends of Medicare beneficiaries may find useful.
