Medicare Consumer Protections

As a participant in Medicare, you have rights that are guaranteed to you regardless of the type of coverage you have.

For starters, you have the right to appeal any decision made by your Medicare plan if you feel that it was unfair or illegal.

There are various circumstances under which you may decide to make an appeal.

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• You may file an appeal if your plan denies your request for medical services, supplies or prescriptions - if you have reasonable grounds for thinking that they should give it to you.
• You may also appeal if you have already received the service and think that your Medicare plan should pay for it, but they don't.
• If you have been denied a request for the value of a prescribed drug that you must pay, then you have the right to appeal it.
• If your plan stops covering a service that you think is meant to be covered, you have the right to appeal it as well.

These rights protect you against unfairness or bias, based on any factors. For instance, you have the right to be treated with dignity and respect, to be protected against discrimination and have any questions pertaining to Medicare answered. These rights are a legal requirement and if any Medicare or plan representatives or insurers violate these rights, it is against the law, and may take legal action against them.

You also have the right to be informed about your treatment options and to be a part of treatment decisions.

Finally, as a member of Medicare, you have the right to receive emergency care whenever and wherever you may need it, the right to file complaints and the right to have your health and personal information kept private at all times.

To compare your Medicare Advantage and Medicare supplement (Medigap) options, use the GoMedicare quoting engine above.