Notes

4. Getting Uncle Sam to Play Fair with Medicare

1. Rehabilitation hospitals are also covered when a patient’s condition requires multiple services or more intensive therapies than a general hospital can provide (e.g., recuperation from strokes, hip and knee replacements). These facilities are not available in all communities. Your hospital discharge planner and physician should know if this option can be used.

5. The Appeal of Medicare Appeals

1. 1991 HCFA Statistics, Health Care Financing Administration, Bureau of Data Management and Strategy (September 1991), page 41.

2. The C.F.R. and the United States Code (U.S.C.) are documents that contain the fine print of our federal laws and regulations. The sections mentioned here deal specifically with Medicare. The rationales for Medicare coverage decisions are supposed to be drawn from these sources and the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) manuals.

3. 1991 HCFA Statistics, Health Care Financing Administration, Bureau of Data Management and Strategy (September 1991), page 41.

Appendix 6. Checklist of Important Documents and Information for Application

1. For proof of age, you must have a certified copy of your birth certificate or baptismal certificate (that was recorded before age 5) if it exists. Social Security won’t take regular photocopies. If neither exists, then locate at least two documents that show your name and age. Usually records established early in life are best. Some records you might use are:

• delayed birth certificate

• child’s birth certificate (showing your age)

• family bible with birth dates

• immigration or naturalization record

• hospital record

• labor union or employer record

• insurance policy

• school record

• state or federal census record

• passport

Appendix 18. Medicare Peer Review Organizations (PROs)

1. PRO will accept collect calls from out of state on this number.