What Is Medicare Assignment

Generally, it is wise to make sure the doctor you see accepts Medicare assignment, regardless of the supplement plan you have.

There are a few states that have prohibited the charging of these excess charges, including CT, MA, MN, NY, OH, PA, RI and VT (as of early 2017).

In those states, doctors can not charge above the Medicare payment schedule if they are going to accept Medicare patients.

What is a SELECT plan and how does it differ from a regular Medigap plan?

SELECT plans provide the same coverage as traditional Medigap plans; however, they have a network that you must stay within to receive those benefits.

The networks are usually statewide or regionally specific.

If you are out of the area/out of network, you may still receive some benefits but those benefits will be much more limited than if you were in network.Most providers DO accept Medicare assignment (some estimates show that around 95-96% of doctors do accept assignment nationally).This means they accept the terms and conditions (and amounts) on the Medicare payment schedule.Physicians (or any other healthcare providers or facilities) who accept assignment agree to take Medicare’s payment for services.They cannot bill a Medicare beneficiary in excess of the Medicare allowance, which is the copayment or coinsurance.While providers who participate in the Medicare program must accept assignment on all Medicare claims, they do not have to accept every Medicare beneficiary as a patient.When you are turning 65, one of the questions you may be asking is, “do all doctors accept Medigap plans? Although this question leads to much consternation and misunderstanding for those new to Medicare, the answer is actually very straight-forward.If you live in the following states you are protected from excess charges due to MOM (Medicare Overcharge Measure): Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont.Accepting assignment is a real concern for those who have Original Medicare coverage.In this case, Susan could be responsible for the excess charge. Excess charges can be easily avoided altogether by simply asking your doctor if he or she accepts “Medicare Assignment.” If they do, they cannot overcharge the Medicare-approved amount.In addition, Plans F and G covers excess charges at 100%.