Problem
• Describe in detail what Medicare and Medicaid are. Explain the four different parts of Medicare and the history behind each.
• How is Medicaid different than Medicare? Who is eligible and what are the eligibility requirements? why?
Real-World Case Study
Your uncle, John Smith, is going to turn 65 in three months. He is self-employed and has owned his own homebuilding business for the past 40 years. He has purchased his own health insurance plan through an independent agent for more than 20 years. Now that he will be eligible for Medicare, he wants to know more about the program. He saw a commercial about Medicare on TV and it suggested to the viewers that they visit www.medicare.govLinks to an external site..
John went to the Medicare website, but there was so much information and unfamiliar terminology that he became frustrated and quit. He asked a few of his friends who were on Medicare how they chose their plans, and they said they just signed up for the "simple plan" rather than choosing something else that "might not be quite right."
Your mother told your Uncle John that you were in a health-related major at the university, so he called you up for some advice. Prepare the "Medicare Choices for Uncle John" grid. Your grid should be detailed and include the following: cost, deductible(s), co-payment(s), examples of covered services, and any other details you think are important. It is also important that you make sure the grid is easy for Uncle John to understand. In addition, provide your uncle with a list of websites or other services that he may want to use to help him make his decision.