The 2008 Medicare Handbook is the indispensable resource you need to clearly understand - and be able to advise on - Medicare"s confusing rules and regulations. It has been prepared by an outstanding team of experts from the Center for Medicare Advocacy, Inc., a private, non-profit organization devoted to helping elders and people with disabilities obtain necessary healthcare. These experienced attorneys and healthcare professionals address - from the beneficiary"s perspective - issues you need to master to provide effective planning advice or advocacy services, including: Medicare eligibility rules and enrollment requirements; Medicare covered services, deductibles, and co-payments; Co-insurance, premiums, penalties; Coverage criteria for each of the programs; Problem areas of concern for the advocate; Grievance and appeals procedures. For each topic, you"ll find an extensive selection of case citations, checklists, worksheets, and other practice tools designed to assist in obtaining coverage for clients, while minimizing research and drafting time. The 2008 Edition has been updated to include coverage of: Increased payments to Medicare Advantage (MA) plans and MA plan proliferation, including greater market penetration of Private Fee for Service (PFFS) plans and Special Needs Plans (SNPs); New rules for hospital discharge notices and expedited appeals; Implementing the 2007 income-based Part B deductible increase; Practical problems arising from the transfer of the Medicare administrative law judge (ALJ) function from the Social Security Administration (SSA) to the Department of Health and Human Services; Ongoing problems with the implementation of the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit.