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Changes Affect Mental Health, Drugs And Preventative Care

Washington, D.C.- The new Medicare bill that was voted into law this week has a number of smaller provisions, besides blocking the pay cut for doctors that was overturned by Congress.

These are things that may affect people on Medicare, depending on what kind of services that a person receives from their Medicare insurance.

Mental Health- The coverage that a person has under Medicare has been for a larger co pay than a lot of insurances, the co-pay for Medicare has been 50 percent of the bill for mental health including therapy.

Gradually in the next several years the amount that the patient has to pay will drop to 20 percent, which is basically the amount most Medicare patients pay for other medical services.

Drug Coverage- There has not been any coverage to date for a couple classes of medication that was added in this new bill.

Barbiturates, which are prescribed as anticonvulsants and sleep aids, will now be covered for certain patients that are suffering from chronic conditions.

They will only be covered for patients that have been identified by their doctors as suffering a chronic cancer, epilepsy or mental health condition.

The other class of medication that will now be covered is anxiety drugs such as Valium and Xanax, for those patients that are prescribed by their doctor to take them.

Preventative Care- The length of time that a person can obtain a physical when they first sign up for Medicare has been extended, from six months to a year.

Other preventative services may be approved by Medicare, the new bill allows Medicare to set up standards that previously had to be specially authorized by Congress.