RE: Assistance needed immediately

[Guest guest]

hi Bessie, my recent experience w/buy-in is that those beneficiaries are subject to annual enrollment rules like anyone else, it's just a matter of having the premium paid for them vs paying it themselves.

-----Original Message-----From: TxFinancialCoordinators [mailto:TxFinancialCoordinators ]On Behalf Of Bessie PlummerSent: Wednesday, December 03, 2008 7:25 AMTo: txfinancialcoordinators Subject: Assistance needed immediately

Hello all:

We have a critically ill patient awaiting a liver transplant within the hospital right now and his situation is as follows:

The pt is only covered with Medicare Part A because he opted to drop Part B in 2006 since he was a veteran and receiving services from the VA hospital and at that time had Tricare as well. He has lost Tricare because he no longer has Medicare Part B His daughter recently enrolled him with a Part D plan that will become effective in January 2009 The pt's income exceeds the Medicaid guidelines We have taken a Medical Assistance and Charity Care application for the hospital I have been informed that the pt would have to enroll with Part B during the General Enrollment period and would not become eligible with Medicare Part B until, July 1, 2009. Our facility is uncomfortable transplanting a pt that cannot follow-up here and is required to follow-up and the VA Hospital which is miles away I have been told that if the pt lives in a "buy in" state which he does (New Jersey) that he could possibly become eligible with Medicare Part B immediately.

My question is does anyone have any experience or information regarding Medicare and "buy in" states, or any other recommendations or suggestions at all for this very crucial situation.

All feedback would be greatly appreciated