Sunday May 11, 2008

Medicare is a federal health insurance program for people age 65 and older, people of any age with permanent kidney failure, and certain disabled people under age 65. Medicare is administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Social Security Administration offices across the country take applications for Medicare and provide general information about the program.

The Medicare program is divided into two parts: Hospital Insurance (Part A) and Medical Insurance (Part B). Medicare Part A provides coverage of inpatient hospital services, skilled nursing facilities, home health services and hospice care. Hospital Insurance (Part A) claims are handled by Fiscal Intermediaries. Medicare Part B helps pay for the cost of physician services, outpatient hospital services, medical equipment and supplies and other health services and supplies. Medical Insurance (Part B) claims are handled by Medicare Carriers.

Georgia Medicare Part A is a division of BlueCross and BlueShield of Georgia, Inc.(An Independent Licensee of the BlueCross and BlueShield Association for the State of Georgia), which serves as Part A Intermediary under the Medicare program. In addition to the 973,794 Georgia Medicare enrollees, Georgia Medicare Part A also serves enrollees in other states in its role as single intermediary for three Dialysis Facility chains. During the 12 month period ending September 30, 2006, Georgia Medicare Part A processed 4,200,302 claims.