I am caring for a loved one with Medicare. What are the most important things for me to know

To get the information you need, you will need to talk to your loved one and do some research on your own. You may have to bring up some uncomfortable topics with your loved one, such as end-of-life issues and finances. While it may be difficult to have these discussions, it is important that you talk to your loved one before she has a health crisis to ensure that she gets the best possible care.

If you are caring for a loved one with Medicare, you should know:

•How does Medicare work? How does your loved one get her Medicare benefits? What doctors and services does your loved one’s Medicare provider cover
What are your loved one’s health care needs? What conditions does she have? What medications does she take? What conditions and surgeries has she had in the past?
GO TO box.

•Where does your loved one keep important information? Where does she keep documents like her emergency contact list, the names and contact numbers of her doctors, birth certificate, Medicare card and bank statements?

•What are your loved one’s health care preferences? In the event that she can no longer communicate her wishes, what kind of treatment would she want? Has she legally appointed someone to make decisions on her behalf
Are your loved one’s health care needs covered? Can your loved one pay for her current health care needs? Will she be able to in the future? If she needs it, will she be able to afford long-term care (at home or in a living facility)? What kind of health care and prescription drug coverage does your loved one have
Where can you as a caregiver go for help? What is your right to assistance? What support services are available in your area?

Does my state have a program to help me with my prescription drug costs?

Many states offer a state pharmaceutical assistance program (SPAP) to help their residents pay for prescription drugs. Each program works differently.

Many states coordinate their drug assistance programs with Medicare’s drug benefit (Part D). If you do not have Part D but qualify for your state’s SPAP, you will have the chance to sign up for Part D, and may be required to enroll in a Part D plan. If a drug is covered by both your SPAP and your Part D plan, both what you pay for your prescriptions plus what the SPAP pays will count toward the out-of-pocket maximum you have to reach before your Medicare drug costs go down significantly. Your SPAP may also help pay for your Part D plan’s:

premium;
deductible;
copayments; and/or
coverage gap. (Many SPAPs give you coverage during your part D plan’s “coverage gap” or “doughnut hole.”)
Click on the MI Extra chart below to find out if your state has an SPAP, whether you are eligible, how the SPAP works, and how to enroll.