AHIP 2024 EXAM AND PRACTICE EXAM TEST BANK, Exams of Nursing

Download AHIP 2024 EXAM AND PRACTICE EXAM TEST BANK and more Exams Nursing in PDF only on Docsity! AHIP 2024 EXAM AND PRACTICE EXAM TEST BANK WITH STUDY GUIDE | ACCURATE AND FREQUENTLY TESTED EXAM QUESTIONS WITH DETAILED ANSWERS | VERIFIED FOR GUARANTEED PASS | GRADED A | LATEST UPDATE Mrs. Duarte is enrolled in Original Medicare Parts A and B. She has recently reviewed her Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) and disagrees with a determination that partially denied one of her claims for services. What advice would you give her? - CORRECT ANSWER Mrs. Duarte should file an appeal of this initial determination within 120 days of the date she received the MSN in the mail. Mr. Capadona would like to purchase a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan and a Medigap plan to pick up costs not covered by that plan. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER It is illegal for you to sell Mr. Capadona a Medigap plan if he is enrolled in an MA plan, and besides, Medigap only works with Original Medicare. Mrs. Park is an elderly retiree. Mrs. Park has a low fixed income. What could you tell Mrs. Park that might be of assistance? - CORRECT ANSWER She should contact her state Medicaid agency to see if she qualifies for one of several programs that can help with Medicare costs for which she is responsible. Mr. Rainey is experiencing paranoid delusions and his physician feels that he should be hospitalized. What should you tell Mr. Rainey (or his representative) about the length of an inpatient psychiatric hospital stay that Medicare will cover? - CORRECT ANSWER Medicare will cover a total of 190 days of inpatient psychiatric care during Mr. Rainey's entire lifetime. Mr. Schmidt would like to plan for retirement and has asked you what is covered under Original Fee-for-Service (FFS) Medicare? What could you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER Part A, which covers hospital, skilled nursing facility, hospice, and home health services and Part B, which covers professional services such as those provided by a doctor are covered under Original Medicare. Agent John Miller is meeting with Jerry Smith, a new prospect. Jerry is currently enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B. Jerry has also purchased a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan which he has had for several years. However, the plan does not provide drug benefits. How would you advise Agent John Miller to proceed? - CORRECT ANSWER Tell prospect Jerry Smith that he should consider adding a standalone Part D prescription drug coverage policy to his present coverage. Mr. Bauer is 49 years old, but eighteen months ago he was declared disabled by the Social Security Administration and has been receiving disability payments. He is wondering whether he can obtain coverage under Medicare. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER After receiving such disability payments for 24 months, he will be automatically enrolled in Medicare, regardless of age. Mr. Buck has several family members who died from different cancers. He wants to know if Medicare covers cancer screening. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER Medicare covers the periodic performance of a range of screening tests that are meant to provide early detection of disease. Mr. Buck will need to check specific tests before obtaining them to see if they will be covered. Which of the following statement is/are correct about a Medicare Savings Account (MSA) Plans? I. MSAs may have either a partial network, full network, or no network of providers. II. MSA plans cover Part A and Part B benefits but not Part D prescription drug benefits. III. An individual who is enrolled in an MSA plan is responsible for a minimal deductible of $500 indexed for inflation. IV. Non-network providers must accept the same amount that Original Medicare would pay them as payment in full. - CORRECT ANSWER I, II, and IV only Mr. Davis is 52 years old and has recently been diagnosed with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and will soon begin dialysis. He is wondering if he can obtain coverage under Medicare. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER He may sign-up for Medicare at any time however coverage usually begins on the fourth month after dialysis treatments start. Juan Perez, who is turning age 65 next month, intends to work for several more years at Smallcap, Incorporated. Smallcap has a workforce of15 employees and offers employer- sponsored healthcare coverage. Juan is a naturalized citizen and has contributed to the Medicare system for over 20 years. Juan asks you if he will be entitled to Medicare and if he enrolls how that will impact his employer-sponsored healthcare coverage. How would you respond? - Medicare prescription drug plan. What should you tell him about this situation? - CORRECT ANSWER He could enroll either in one of the MA plans that include prescription drug coverage or Original Medicare with a Medigap plan and standalone Part D prescription drug coverage, but he cannot enroll in the MA-only PPO plan and a stand-alone prescription drug plan. Mrs. Ramos is considering a Medicare Advantage PPO and has questions about which providers she can go to for her health care. What should you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER Mrs. Ramos can obtain care from any provider who participates in Original Medicare, but generally will have a higher cost-sharing amount if she sees a provider who/that is not a part of the PPO network. Mr. Romero is 64, retiring soon, and considering enrollment in his employer-sponsored retiree group health plan that includes drug coverage with nominal copays. He heard about a neighbor's MA-PD plan that you represent and because he takes numerous prescription drugs, he is considering signing up for it. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER He should compare the benefits in his employer-sponsored retiree group health plan with the benefits in his neighbor's MA-PD plan to determine which one will provide sufficient coverage for his prescription needs. Dr. Elizabeth Brennan does not contract with the ABC PFFS plan but accepts the plan's terms and conditions for payment. Mary Rodgers sees Dr. Brennan for treatment. How much may Dr. Brennan charge? - CORRECT ANSWER Dr. Brennan can charge Mary Rogers no more than the cost sharing specified in the PFFS plan's terms and condition of payment which may include balance billing up to 15% of the Medicare rate. Mr. Gomez notes that a Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plan available in his area has an attractive premium. He wants to know if he must use doctors in a network as his current HMO plan requires him to do. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER He may receive health care services from any doctor allowed to bill Medicare, as long as he shows the doctor the plan's identification card and the doctor agrees to accept the PFFS plan's payment terms and conditions, which could include balance billing. Mr. Wells is trying to understand the difference between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage. What would be the correct description? - CORRECT ANSWER Medicare Advantage is a way of covering all the Original Medicare benefits through private health insurance companies. Mrs. Chi is age 75 and enjoys a comfortable but not extremely high-income level. She wishes to enroll in a MA MSA plan that she heard about from her neighbor. She also wants to have prescription drug coverage since her doctor recently prescribed several expensive medications. Currently, she is enrolled in Original Medicare and a standalone Part D plan. How would you advise Mrs. Chi? - CORRECT ANSWER Mrs. Chi may enroll in a MA MSA plan and remain in her current standalone Part D prescription drug plan. Daniel is a middle-income Medicare beneficiary. He has chronic bronchitis, putting him at severe risk for pneumonia. Otherwise, he has no problems functioning. Which type of SNP is likely to be most appropriate for him? - CORRECT ANSWER . C-SNP Mrs. Burton is a retiree with substantial income. She is enrolled in an MA-PD plan and was disappointed with the service she received from her primary care physician because she was told she would have to wait five weeks to get an appointment when she was feeling ill. She called you to ask what she could do so she would not have to put up with such poor access to care. What could you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER She could file a grievance with her plan to complain about the lack of timeliness in getting an appointment. Mr. Greco is in excellent health, lives in his own home, and has a sizeable income from his investments. He has a friend enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plan (SNP). His friend has mentioned that the SNP charges very low cost-sharing amounts and Mr. Greco would like to join that plan. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER SNPs limit enrollment to certain subpopulations of beneficiaries. Given his current situation, he is unlikely to qualify and would not be able to enroll in the SNP. Mrs. Radford asks whether there are any special eligibility requirements for Medicare Advantage. What should you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER Mrs. Radford must be entitled to Part A and enrolled in Part B to enroll in Medicare Advantage. Mrs. Andrews asked how a Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plan might affect her access to services since she receives some assistance for her health care costs from the State. What should you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER Medicaid may provide additional benefits, but Medicaid will coordinate benefits only with Medicaid participating providers. Mr. Castillo, a naturalized citizen, previously enrolled in Medicare Part B but has recently stopped paying his Part B premium. Mr. Castillo is still covered by Part A. He would like to enroll in a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan and is still covered by Part A. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER He is not eligible to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan until he re-enrolls in Medicare Part B. Mrs. Davenport enrolled in the ABC Medicare Advantage (MA) plan several years ago. In mid- February of 2021, her doctor confirms a diagnosis of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). What options will Mrs. Davenport have regarding her MA plan during the next open enrollment season? - CORRECT ANSWER She may remain in her ABC MA plan, enroll in another MA plan in her service area, or enroll in a Special Needs Plan (SNP) for individuals suffering from ESRD if one is available in her area. Mr. Kumar is considering a Medicare Advantage HMO and has questions about his ability to access providers. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER In most Medicare Advantage HMOs, Mr. Kumar must generally obtain his services only from providers within the plan's network (except in an emergency or where care is unavailable within the network).ur clients, Lauren Nichols, has heard about a Medica Mr. Barker enjoys a comfortable retirement income. He recently had surgery and expected that he would have certain services and items covered by the plan with minimal out-of-pocket costs because his MA-PD coverage has been very good. However, when he received the bill, he was surprised to see large charges in excess of his maximum out-of-pocket limit that included some services and items he thought would be fully covered. He called you to ask what he could do? What could you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER You can offer to review the plans appeal process to help him ask the plan to review the coverage decision. Mr. Sinclair has diabetes and heart trouble and is generally satisfied with the care he has received under Original Medicare, but he would like to know more about Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plans (SNPs). What could you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER SNPs have special programs for enrollees with chronic conditions, like Mr. Sinclair, and they provide prescription drug coverage that could be very helpful as well. Mr. Lopez has heard that he can sign up for a product called "Medicare Advantage" but is not sure about what type of plan designs are available through this program. What should you tell him about the types of health plans that are available through the Medicare Advantage program? - CORRECT ANSWER They are Medicare health plans such as HMOs, PPOs, PFFS, and MSAs. plan. As long as Mrs. Mulcahy is entitled to Part A, she does not need to enroll under Part B before enrolling in a prescription drug plan. What types of tools can Medicare Part D prescription drug plans use that affect the way their enrollees can access medications? - CORRECT ANSWER Part D plans do not have to cover all medications. As a result, their formularies, or lists of covered drugs, will vary from plan to plan. In addition, they can use cost containment techniques such as tiered co-payments and prior authorization. All plans must cover at least the standard Part D coverage or its actuarial equivalent. Which of the following statements best describes some of the costs a beneficiary would incur for prescription drugs under the standard coverage? - CORRECT ANSWER Standard Part D coverage would require payment of an annual deductible, and once past the catastrophic coverage threshold, the beneficiary pays whichever is greater of either the co-pays for generic and brand name drugs or coinsurance of 5%. Mr. Jacob understands that there is a standard Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit, but when he looks at information on various plans available in his area, he sees a wide range in what they charge for deductibles, premiums, and cost sharing. How can you explain this to him? - CORRECT ANSWER Medicare Part D drug plans may have different benefit structures, but on average, they must all be at least as good as the standard model established by the government. Mr. Carlini has heard that Medicare prescription drug plans are only offered through private companies under a program known as Medicare Advantage (MA), not by the government. He likes Original Medicare and does not want to sign up for an MA product, but he also wants prescription drug coverage. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER Mr. Carlini can stay with Original Medicare and also enroll in a Medicare prescription drug plan through a private company that has contracted with the government to provide only such drug coverage to eligible Medicare beneficiaries. Which of the following individuals is most likely to be eligible to enroll in a Part D Plan? - CORRECT ANSWER Jose, a grandfather who was granted asylum and has worked in the United States for many years. Mr. Hutchinson has drug coverage through his former employer's retiree plan. He is concerned about the Part D premium penalty if he does not enroll in a Medicare prescription drug plan, but does not want to purchase extra coverage that he will not need. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER If the drug coverage he has is not expected to pay, on average, at least as much as Medicare's standard Part D coverage expects to pay, then he will need to enroll in Medicare Part D during his initial eligibility period to avoid the late enrollment penalty. Mrs. McIntire is enrolled in her state's Medicaid plan and has just become eligible for Medicare as well. What can she expect will happen to her drug coverage? - CORRECT ANSWER Unless she chooses a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan on her own, she will be automatically enrolled in one available in her area. Mrs. Berkowitz wants to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan that does not include drug coverage and also enroll in a stand-alone Medicare prescription drug plan. Under what circumstances can she do this? - CORRECT ANSWER If the Medicare Advantage plan is a Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plan that does not offer drug coverage or a Medical Savings Account plan, Mrs. Berkowitz can do this. Which of the following statements about Medicare Part D are correct? I. Part D plans must enroll any eligible beneficiary who applies regardless of health status except in limited circumstances. II. Private fee-for-service (PFFS) plans are not required to use a pharmacy network but may choose to have one. III. Beneficiaries enrolled in a MA-Medical Savings Account (MSA) plan may only obtain Part D benefits through a standalone PDP. IV. Beneficiaries enrolled in a MA-PPO may obtain Part D benefits through a standalone PDP or through their plan. - CORRECT ANSWER I, II, and III only Mr. Torres has a small savings account. He would like to pay for his monthly Part D premiums with an automatic monthly withdrawal from his savings account until it is exhausted, and then have his premiums withheld from his Social Security check. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER In general, he must select a single Part D premium payment mechanism that will be used throughout the year. You will be holding a sales event soon, at which you would like to offer door prizes to attendees. Under guidelines from the Medicare agency, what types of gifts or prizes would not be allowed in this situation? - CORRECT ANSWER Gift cards or gift certificates of $15 or less that can be readily converted to cash. Another agent working for your agency claims that because you are not employed by the Medicare Advantage plans that you represent, you are not subject to the same marketing requirements as the plans themselves. How should you respond to such a statement? - CORRECT ANSWER Your coworker is not correct. Marketing on behalf of a plan is considered marketing by the plan and requires that all contracted and employed agents comply with all Medicare marketing rules. Mrs. Lu is turning 65 in November and called to ask for your help deciding on a Medicare Advantage plan. She agreed to sign a scope of appointment form and meet with you on October 15. During the appointment, what are you permitted to do? - CORRECT ANSWER You may provide her with the required enrollment materials and take her completed enrollment application. One of your colleagues argues that it is better to focus your time and energy exclusively in neighborhoods with single-family homes. He further argues that their older owners are more likely to have higher incomes and purchase the Medicare Advantage products you represent compared to those living in apartment complexes. How should you respond? - CORRECT ANSWER This could be considered discriminatory activity and a prohibited practice. A Medicare beneficiary has walked into your office and requested that you sit down with her and discuss her options under the Medicare Advantage program. Before engaging in such a discussion, what should you do? - CORRECT ANSWER You must have her sign a scope of appointment form, indicating which products she wishes to discuss. You may then proceed with the discussion. Your friend's mother just moved to an assisted living facility and he asked if you could present a program for the residents about the MA-PD plans you market. What could you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER You appreciate the opportunity and would be happy to schedule an appointment with anyone at their request. Melissa Meadows is a marketing representative for Best Care which has recently introduced a Medicare Advantage plan offering comprehensive dental benefits for $15 per month. Best Care has not submitted any potential posts to CMS for approval. Melissa would like to use the power of social media to reach potential prospects. What advice would you give her? - CORRECT ANSWER As soon as CMS approves Best Care's social media posts, Agent Meadows could post Plan sponsors may undertake the following marketing activities with current Medicare Advantage plan members? - CORRECT ANSWER Market non-health related items or services such as life insurance or annuities policies to current members as permitted following HIPAA Privacy Rules. Mr. Rockwell, age 67, is enrolled in Medicare Part A, but because he continues to work and is covered by an employer health plan, he has not enrolled in Part B or Part D. He receives a notice on June 1 that his employer is cutting back on prescription drug benefits and that as of July 1 his coverage will no longer be creditable. He has come to you for advice. What advice would you give Mr. Rockwell about special election periods (SEPs)? - CORRECT ANSWER Mr. Rockwell is eligible for a SEP due to his involuntary loss of creditable drug coverage; the SEP begins in June and ends on September 1- two months after the loss of creditable coverage. Mrs. Young is currently enrolled in Original Medicare (Parts A and B), but she has been working with Agent Neil Adams in the selection of a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan. It is mid- September, and Mrs. Young is going on vacation. Agent Adams is considering suggesting that he and Mrs. Young complete the application together before she leaves. He will then submit the paper application before the start of the annual enrollment period (AEP). What would you say If you were advising Agent Adams? - CORRECT ANSWER This is a bad idea. Agents are generally prohibited from soliciting or accepting an enrollment form before the start of the AEP. Mr. Block is currently enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan that includes drug coverage. He found a stand-alone Medicare prescription drug plan in his area that offers better coverage than that available through his MA-PD plan and in addition, has a low premium. It won't cost him much more and, because he has the means to do so, he wishes to enroll in the stand-alone prescription drug plan in addition to his MA-PD plan. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER If Mr. Block enrolls in the stand-alone Medicare prescription drug plan, he will be disenrolled from the Medicare Advantage plan. Mrs. Reeves is newly eligible to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan and her MA Initial Coverage Election Period (ICEP) has just begun. Which of the following can she not do during the ICEP? - CORRECT ANSWER She can enroll in a Medigap plan to supplement the benefits of the MA plan that she's also enrolling in. Mr. Johannsen is entitled to Medicare Part A and Part B. He gains the Part D low-income subsidy. How does that affect his ability to enroll or disenroll in a Part D plan? - CORRECT ANSWER He qualifies for a special election period and can enroll in or disenroll from a Part D plan once during that period. Mr. Yoo's employer has recently dropped comprehensive creditable prescription drug coverage that was offered to company retirees. The company told Mr. Yoo that, because he was affected by this change, he would qualify for a Special election period. Mr. Yoo contacted you to find out more about what this means. What can you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER It means that he qualifies for a one-time opportunity to enroll in an MA-PD or Part D prescription drug plan. Mrs. Schmidt is moving and a friend told her she might qualify for a "Special election period" to enroll in a new Medicare Advantage plan. She contacted you to ask what a special election period is. What could you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER It is a period, outside of the Annual Election Period, when a Medicare beneficiary can select a new or different Medicare Advantage and/or Part D prescription drug plan. Typically the Special election period is beneficiary specific and results from events, such as when the beneficiary moves outside of the service area. Mrs. Margolis contacts you in August because she will become eligible for Medicare for the first time in November. She would like to meet and discuss plan choices with you. What advice should you give her? - CORRECT ANSWER Tell her to wait until October to discuss plan choices with you so that you can share plan benefits for the current year as well as any changes for the following year that may impact her choice. Mr. Chen is enrolled in his employer's group health plan and will be retiring soon. He would like to know his options since he has decided to drop his retiree coverage and is eligible for Medicare. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER Mr. Chen can disenroll from his employer-sponsored coverage to elect a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan within 2 months of his disenrollment. Mrs. Kumar would like her daughter, who lives in another state, to meet with you during the Annual Election Period to help her complete her enrollment in a Part D plan. She asked you when she should have her daughter plan to visit. What could you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER Her daughter should come in November. Mr. Roberts is enrolled in an MA plan. He recently suffered complications following hip replacement surgery. As a result, he has spent the last three months in Resthaven, a skilled nursing facility. Mr. Roberts is about to be discharged. What advice would you give him regarding his health coverage options? - CORRECT ANSWER His open enrollment period as an institutionalized individual will continue for two months after the month he moves out of the facility. Mr. White has Medicare Parts A and B with a Part D plan. Last year, he received a notice that his plan sponsor identified him as a "potential at-risk" beneficiary. This month, he started receiving assistance from Medicaid. He wants to find a different Part D plan that's more suitable to his current prescription drug needs. He believes he's entitled to a SEP since he is now a dual eligible. Is he able to change to a different Part D plan during a SEP for dual eligible individuals? - CORRECT ANSWER No. Once he is identified by the plan sponsor as a "potential at-risk" beneficiary, he cannot use the dual eligible SEP to change plans while this designation is in place. Mr. Ziegler is turning 65 next month and has asked you what he can do, and when he must do it, with respect to enrolling in Part D. What could you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER He is currently in the Part D Initial Enrollment Period (IEP) and, during this time, he may make one Part D enrollment choice, including enrollment in a stand-alone Part D plan or an MA-PD plan. A client wants to give you an enrollment application on October 1 before the beginning of the Annual Election Period because he is leaving on vacation for two weeks and does not want to forget about turning it in. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER You must tell him you are not permitted to take the form. If he sends the form directly to the plan, the plan will process the enrollment on the day the Annual Election Period begins. Mr. Garrett has just entered his MA Initial Coverage Election Period (ICEP). What action could you help him take during this time? - CORRECT ANSWER He will have one opportunity to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan. You are meeting with Ms. Berlin and she has completed an enrollment form for a MA-PD plan you represent. You notice that her handwriting is illegible and as a result, the spelling of her street looks incorrect. She asks you to fill in the corrected street name. What should you do? - CORRECT ANSWER You may correct this information as long as you add your initials and date next to the correction. You have come to Mrs. Midler's home for a sales presentation. At the beginning of the presentation, Mrs. Midler tells you that she has a copy of her medical records available because she thinks this will help you understand her needs. She suggests that you will know which questions to ask her about her health status in order to best assist her in selecting a plan. What should you do? - CORRECT ANSWER You can only ask Mrs. Midler questions about Which of the following statements best describes Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)? - CORRECT ANSWER Section 1557 incorporates earlier civil rights protections in regard to race, color, national origin, disability, age and sex. Which Medicare programs are covered by ACA Section 1557? - CORRECT ANSWER Parts A, C, and D, but not B. As a result of violations of ACA Section 1557 nondiscrimination rules, - CORRECT ANSWER a health plan may revoke an agent or broker's appointment with the health plan. Which of the following statements best describes the scope of operations subject to Section 1557 under the 2020 Final Rule? - CORRECT ANSWER Health insurers under the 2020 Final Rule are not considered to be principally engaged in delivering health care, and thus lines of business that do not receive federal funding or administered under Title I of the ACA, such as life insurance, do not fall under the scope of 1557. Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act applies to - CORRECT ANSWER all health programs and activities administered by or receiving federal financial assistance from HHS Under Section 1557, 2020 Final Rule issued during the Trump Administration sex was initially defined____________ - CORRECT ANSWER as biologic sex only, meaning whether a person was determined to be male or female at birth. Which of the following would be considered permissible under Section 1557 and the 2020 Final Rule? - CORRECT ANSWER Broker Mary Jones has recruited a diverse workforce. She encourages her agents to prospect through community-based marketing and within their community of influence. Auxiliary aids and services must be provided to individuals with disabilities, such as those suffering from vision or hearing impairments, free of charge, and in a timely manner. Auxiliary aids and services include which of the following: I. large print materials II. qualified sign language interpreters III. braille materials and displays IV. screen reader software - CORRECT ANSWER I, II, III, and IV Which entity enforces Section 1557 for programs that receive funding from on are administered by HHS? - CORRECT ANSWER The Office of Civil Rights (OCR) of HHS. Which of these actions is most likely to be permitted in dealing with a person with limited English proficiency? - CORRECT ANSWER Allowing a child to interpret in an emergency. Under ACA Section 1557, a health plan - CORRECT ANSWER cannot deny coverage to LEP individuals and is required to provide language assistance to them, free of charge. For a health plan, what are the possible consequences of violations of ACA Section 1557? - CORRECT ANSWER Loss of federal business and compensatory damages. Which of the following is NOT potentially a penalty for violation of a law or regulation prohibiting fraud, waste, and abuse (FWA)? - CORRECT ANSWER Deportation Which of the following requires intent to obtain payment and the knowledge the actions are wrong? - CORRECT ANSWER Fraud You are performing a regular inventory of the controlled substances in the pharmacy. You discover a minor inventory discrepancy. What should you do? - CORRECT ANSWER Follow your pharmacy's procedures Your job is to submit a risk diagnosis to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for the purpose of payment. As part of this job, you use a process to verify the data is accurate. Your immediate supervisor tells you to ignore the Sponsor's process and to adjust or add risk diagnosis codes for certain individuals. What should you do? - CORRECT ANSWER Report the incident to the compliance department (via compliance hotline or other mechanism) You are in charge of paying claims submitted by providers. You notice a certain diagnostic provider ("Doe Diagnostics") requested a substantial payment for a large number of members. Many of these claims are for a certain procedure. You review the same type of procedure for other diagnostic providers and realize Doe Diagnostics' claims far exceed any other provider you reviewed. What should you do? - CORRECT ANSWER Consult with your immediate supervisor for next steps or contact the compliance department (via compliance hotline, Special Investigations Unit [SIU], or other mechanism) A person drops off a prescription for a beneficiary who is a "regular" customer. The prescription is for a controlled substance with a quantity of 160. This beneficiary normally receives a quantity of 60, not 160. You review the prescription and have concerns about possible forgery. What is your next step? - CORRECT ANSWER Call the prescriber to verify the quantity Waste includes any misuse of resources, such as the overuse of services or other practices that directly or indirectly result in unnecessary costs to the Medicare Program. - CORRECT ANSWER True Bribes or kickbacks of any kind for services that are paid under a Federal health care program (which includes Medicare) constitute fraud by the person making as well as the person receiving them. - CORRECT ANSWER True These are examples of issues that should be reported to a Compliance Department: suspected fraud, waste, and abuse (FWA); potential health privacy violation, unethical behavior, and employee misconduct. - CORRECT ANSWER True Abuse involves payment for items or services when there is no legal entitlement to that payment and the provider has not knowingly or intentionally misrepresented facts to obtain payment. - CORRECT ANSWER True Ways to report potential fraud, waste, and abuse (FWA) include: a. Mail drops b. Special Investigative Units (SIUs) c. Tekephone hotlines d. All of the above e. In-person reporting to the compliance department/supervisor - CORRECT ANSWER All of the above At a minimum, an effective compliance program includes four core requirements. - CORRECT ANSWER False Correcting non-compliance________ - CORRECT ANSWER Protects enrollees, avoids recurrence of same non-compliance, and promotes efficiency These are examples of issues that can be reported to a Compliance Department: suspected fraud, waste, and abuse (FWA), potential health privacy violation, and unethical behavior/employee misconduct. - CORRECT ANSWER True Once a corrective action plan begins addressing non-compliance for fraud, waste, and abuse (FWA) committed by a Sponsor's employee or first-tier, downstream, or related entity's (FDR's) employee, ongoing monitoring of the corrective actions is not necessary. - CORRECT ANSWER False Standards of Conduct are the same for every Medicare Parts C and D sponsor. - CORRECT ANSWER False What are some of the consequences for non-compliance, fraudulent, or unethical behavior? a.Exclusion from participating kin all Federal health care programs b.Termination of employment c.Disciplinary action d.All of the above - CORRECT ANSWER All of the above Ms. Levi is considering enrollment in a Medicare Advantage HMO plan offered in her area. Ms. Levi often travels to visit relatives and is concerned that she may need emergency care outside of her plan's service area. What should you tell her about coverage of emergency care? - CORRECT ANSWER Plans are required to cover out-of-network emergency care. Ms. Morris will turn 65 on June 10th. She has never previously qualified for Medicare. She is entitled to Medicare Part A and intends to enroll in Part B. She wants to know if she is eligible to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan that includes prescription drug coverage. What do you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER Ms. Morris can enroll in an MA-PD plan now since her initial election period (IEP) for Part D prescription drug coverage and initial coverage period are occurring together beginning March 1st and ending September 30th. Agent Marvin Millner wants to reach out to his current clients for referrals. What advice would you give to Marvin? - CORRECT ANSWER Marvin should understand that under CMS guidelines he can no longer provide gifts, even of minimal value, in exchange for referrals. NOT SURE Mr. Chen has heard about a Medical Savings Account (MSA) but wants to know if it is just about saving money, or if he will get insurance coverage for his health care expenditures as well. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER Under the Medicare Advantage program, a MSA plan involves the combination of a high deductible health plan and a savings account for health expenses. Medicare will make contributions to this savings account to help him pay his health care expenses while in the deductible. NOT SURE Ms. Lewis understands that Medicare prescription drug plans may use various methods to control the use of specific drugs. She has heard about a technique called "step therapy" and is wondering if you can explain what that is. What should you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER Step therapy involves using one or more lower priced drugs before trying a more expensive drug when all are used to treat the same condition. Ms. Stuart has heard about a special needs plan (SNP) that one of her friends is enrolled in and is interested in that product. She wants to be sure she also has coverage for prescription drugs. Would she be able to obtain drug coverage if she enrolled in the SNP? - CORRECT ANSWER Yes. All SNPs are required to provide Part D coverage for prescription drugs. Agent Roderick enrolls retiree Mrs. Martinez in a medical savings account (MSA) Medicare health plan. The MSA plan does not offer prescription drug coverage, so Agent Roderick also enrolls Mrs. Martinez in a standalone prescription drug plan (PDP). What CMS compensation rules apply to this situation? - CORRECT ANSWER This situation is considered a "dual enrollment," and CMS compensation rules are applied to the two plans at once and independently of each other. Mr. Olsen is concerned that a Medicare Advantage plan will not cover the same range of services that would be covered under Original fee-for-service Medicare. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER Though their cost-sharing may differ from Original Medicare's, Medicare Advantage plans are required to cover all services covered by original Medicare. Mrs. Wellington is enrolled in Parts A and B of Original Medicare. A friend recently told her that there is an excellent Medicare Advantage (MA) plan with a five-star rating serving her area. On January 15 she comes to you for advice as to what options, if any, she has. What should you say regarding special enrollment periods (SEPs)? - CORRECT ANSWER Mrs. Wellington is eligible for a SEP that may be used once until November 30 to enroll in the five-star plan. Ms. Gardner is currently enrolled in an MA-PD plan. However, she wants to disenroll from the MA-PD plan and instead enroll in a Part D only plan and go back to Original Medicare. According to Medicare's enrollment guidelines, when could she do this? - CORRECT ANSWER She may make such a change during the Annual Election Period that runs from Oct. 15 to December 7, or during the MA Open Enrollment Period which takes place from January 1- March 31 of each year. Mr. Lopez, who is fairly well-off financially, would like to enroll in a Medicare prescription drug plan you represent and simply give you a check to cover his premiums for the entire year. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER Enrollees should pay using automatic withdrawal from a bank account or credit or debit card, direct monthly billing from the plan, or deductions from their Social Security check. Ms. Jensen has heard about "Original Fee-for-Service Medicare" and "Private Fee-for-Service" plans. She wants to know what the difference is if any. What should you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER PFFS plans are a type of Medicare Advantage plan offered by private companies. Ms. Bushman has two homes in different states and is concerned about restrictions on where she can get her medications. What should you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER Part D prescription drug plans use networks of pharmacies within their service areas. She could look for a plan that maintains a network in both states. NOT SURE Who is most likely to be eligible to enroll in a Part D prescription drug plan? - CORRECT ANSWER Ms. Davis who is entitled to Part A and has just enrolled in Part B.a sales presentation, your client asks you wh Mr. Lopez takes several high-cost prescription drugs. He would like to enroll in a standalone Part D prescription drug plan that is available in his area. In what type of Medicare Health Plan can after January 1,2020. Anita might instead consider other Medigap plans that offer foreign travel benefits but do not cover the Part B deductible. Mrs. Quinn recently turned 66 and decided after many years of work to begin receiving Social Security benefits. Shortly thereafter Mrs. Quinn received a letter informing her that she has been automatically enrolled in Medicare Part B. She wants to understand what this means. What should you tell Mrs. Quinn? - CORRECT ANSWER Part B primarily covers physician services. She will be paying a monthly premium and, with the exception of many preventive and screening tests, generally will have 20% coinsurance for these services, in addition to an annual deductible. What impact, if any, have recent regulatory changes had upon Medigap plans? - CORRECT ANSWER The Part B deductible is no longer covered for individuals newly eligible for Medicare starting January 1, 2020. Mrs. Shields is covered by Original Medicare. She sustained a hip fracture and is being successfully treated for that condition. However, she and her physicians feel that after her lengthy hospital stay she will need a month or two of nursing and rehabilitative care. What should you tell them about Original Medicare's coverage of care in a skilled nursing facility? - CORRECT ANSWER Medicare will cover Mrs. Shield's skilled nursing services provided during the first 20 days of her stay, after which she would have a copay until she has been in the facility for 100 days. Mrs. Willard wants to know generally how the benefits under Original Medicare might compare to the benefits package of a Medicare Advantage Plan before she starts looking at specific plans. What could you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER Medicare Advantage Plans may offer extra benefits that Original Medicare does not offer such as vision, hearing, and dental services and must include a maximum out-of-pocket limit on Part A and Part B services. Mrs. Andrews asked how a Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plan might affect her access to services since she receives some assistance for her health care costs from the State. What should you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER Medicaid may provide additional benefits, but Medicaid will only pay for these services if they are furnished by Medicaid participating providers. Mrs. Walters is enrolled in her state's Medicaid program in addition to Medicare. What should she be aware of when considering enrollment in a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan? - CORRECT ANSWER She can submit any bills she has for co-payments under Medicare to the state's Medicaid program and they will always be fully covered. Mrs. Kelly, age 65, is entitled to Part A but has not yet enrolled in Part B. She is considering enrollment in a Medicare Advantage plan (Part C). What should you advise her to do before she will be able to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan? - CORRECT ANSWER To join a Medicare Advantage plan, she also must enroll in Part B. Ms. Gibson recently lost her employer group health and drug coverage and now she wants to enroll in a PPO that does not include drug coverage. What should you tell her about obtaining drug coverage? - CORRECT ANSWER She can enroll in the PPO, but she will not be able to purchase a stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan. Mrs. Chou likes a Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plan available in her area that does not include drug coverage. She wants to enroll in the plan and enroll in a stand-alone prescription drug plan. What should you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER She could enroll in a PFFS plan and a stand- alone Medicare prescription drug plan. Mrs. Lyons is in good health, uses a single prescription, and lives independently in her own home. She is attracted by the idea of maintaining control over a Medical Savings Account (MSA) but is not sure if the plan associated with the account will fit her needs. What specific piece of information about a Medicare MSA plan would it be important for her to know, prior to enrolling in such a plan? - CORRECT ANSWER All MSAs cover Part A and Part B benefits, but not Part D prescription drug benefits, which could be obtained by also enrolling in a separate prescription drug plan. Mrs. Fiore is a retired federal worker with coverage under a Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) plan that includes creditable drug coverage. She is ready to turn 65 and become Medicare eligible for the first time. What issues might she consider about whether to enroll in a Medicare prescription drug plan? - CORRECT ANSWER She could compare the coverage to see if the Medicare Part D plan offers better benefits and coverage than the FEHB plan for the specific medications she needs and whether any additional benefits are worth the Part D premium costs on top of her FEHB contribution. Mrs. Roswell is a new Medicare beneficiary who has just retired from retail work. She is interested in selecting a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan. She takes a number of medications and is concerned that she has not been able to identify a plan that covers all of her medications. She does not want to make an abrupt change to new drugs that would be covered and asks what she should do. What should you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER Every Part D drug plan is required to cover a single one-month fill of her existing medications sometime during a 90-day transition period. Mrs. Roberts has Original Medicare and would like to enroll in a Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plan. All types of PFFS plans are available in her area. Which options could Mrs. Roberts consider before selecting a PFFS plan? - CORRECT ANSWER A Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MA-PD) PFFS plan that combines medical benefits and Part D prescription drug coverage, a PFFS plan offering only medical benefits, or a PFFS plan in combination with a stand-alone prescription drug plan. Mrs. Walters is entitled to Part A and has medical coverage without drug coverage through an employer retiree plan. She is not enrolled in Part B. Since the employer plan does not cover prescription drugs, she wants to enroll in a Medicare prescription drug plan. Will she be able to? - CORRECT ANSWER Yes. Mrs. Walters must be entitled to Part A and/or enrolled in Part B to be eligible for coverage under the Medicare prescription drug program. Mrs. Fields wants to know whether applying for the Part D low-income subsidy will be worth the time to fill out the paperwork. What could you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER The Part D low-income subsidy could substantially lower her overall costs. She can apply by contacting her state Medicaid office or calling the Social Security Administration. One of your clients, Lauren Nichols, has heard about a Medicare concept from one of her neighbors called TrOOP. She asks you to explain it. What do you say? - CORRECT ANSWER TrOOP stands for true out-of-pocket expenses that count toward the Medicare Part D catastrophic limit and include not only expenses paid by a beneficiary but also in some instances drug manufacturer discounts. Mr. Shapiro gets by on a very small amount of fixed income. He has heard there may be extra help paying for Part D prescription drugs for Medicare beneficiaries with limited income. He wants to know whether he might qualify. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER The extra help is available to beneficiaries whose income and assets do not exceed annual limits specified by the government. Mr. Rice is 68, actively working and has coverage for medical services and medications through his employer's group health plan. He is entitled to premium free Part A and thinking of enrolling in Part B and switching to an MA-PD because he is paying a very large part of his group coverage premium and it does not provide coverage for a number of his medications. Which of additional discussion can take place? - CORRECT ANSWER Since Mrs. Hall specifically asked that you discuss the stand-alone Part D plan, you may do so, as long as she signs a new scope of appointment form first, indicating that she wants to discuss the Part D plan Agent Harriet Walker has recently begun marketing Medicare Advantage and related products aimed at meeting the needs of senior citizens. Client Mildred Jones has expressed interest in a Medicare Advantage plan. It is now the beginning of September. If you were in Agent Walker's position, what would you do? - CORRECT ANSWER Inquire whether the client qualifies for a special enrollment period, and if not, solicit an enrollment application once the annual open enrollment election period begins on October 15th. You plan to participate in an educational event sponsored by a large regional health care system. One of your colleagues suggests that you do a presentation on one of the Medicare Health plans you market and modify it to include information about preventive screening tests showcased at the event. How should you respond to your colleague's suggestion? - CORRECT ANSWER You should tell your colleague no, because participation in an educational event may not include a sales presentation. By contacting plans available in your area, you have learned that the plan you represent has a significantly lower monthly premium than the others. Furthermore, you see that the plan you represent has a unique benefits package. What should you do to make sure your clients know about these pieces of information? - CORRECT ANSWER You may make comparisons between plans if you can support them by studies or statistical data and such comparisons are factually based When you market Medicare Advantage and Part D plans, what may you offer as a gift to induce enrollment in a plan? - CORRECT ANSWER You may provide gifts or prizes to all potential enrollees during an event that does not exceed $15 in retail value. You are scheduled to give a sales presentation at a local senior center at which a drawing will be held for a prize. At the beginning of the presentation, which of the following must you do? - CORRECT ANSWER Clearly state that no obligation exists to enroll if a gift or prize is being offered. Winthrop Brokerage wishes to place an advertisement in the local newspaper that says: "We offer Medicare Advantage plans offered by AB Health and Top Choice Health. Contact us if you would like to learn more." Which of the following best describes the obligation(s) of Winthrop Brokerage regarding the advertisement? - CORRECT ANSWER Winthrop Brokerage does not need to submit the advertisement to CMS for prior approval because it does not include information about the plans' benefits structures, cost-sharing, or information about measures or ranking standards. If you are to comply with Medicare's guidance regarding educational events, which of the following would be acceptable activities? - CORRECT ANSWER You may distribute business cards to individuals who request information on how to contact you for further details on the plan(s) you represent. While making an appointment to discuss Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D plans with a potential enrollee, you are asked to describe other types of insurance products that your client might wish to purchase. What additional types of insurance can you present during the MA and Part D marketing appointment? - CORRECT ANSWER You can present only health care related lines of business but must obtain the beneficiary's permission to do so before the presentation occurs and document that you have obtained that permission. Mr. Edwards, a marketing representative of the ACME Insurance Company, scheduled a marketing event and expects about 40 people to attend. He has hired a magician for $200 to entertain attendees. Can he do this in a way that complies with guidance from the Medicare agency? - CORRECT ANSWER He can do this because the estimated number of attendees is based on the venue size and response rate and the value of the gift does not exceed $15. Willard works as a representative focused on the senior marketplace. What would be considered prohibited activity by Willard? - CORRECT ANSWER Implying that only seniors can enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan when meeting with Mr. Hernandez, who is 58 but qualifies for Medicare because he is disabled. Which of the following individuals has enrolled in a plan based on a fixed enrollment period? - CORRECT ANSWER Ben, who enrolls in a Medicare Advantage plan during the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (MA OEP). Mr. Wilcox has been enrolled in Lexington Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) Medicare Advantage Health Plan (Lexington) for several years. Recently, Mr. Wilcox decided to spend time with his children who live in another state that is not in Lexington's service area. In the future, he may relocate near his children permanently. How does this move to another service area impact his PFFS MA coverage? - CORRECT ANSWER Lexington can allow for Mr. Wilcox's continued enrollment for up to 12 months whether or not he is in a visitor/traveler (V/T) program since it is a PFFS plan. Miles is a licensed agent who represents Colgate Health and its Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. Miles has several clients who have recently come to him for help. They are in their initial coverage periods) (ICEP) and are interested in enrolling in one of Colgate Health's MA plans. Adam will soon turn 68 and has decided to retire. Betty is about to turn 65 and has also decided to retire. Adam and Betty both currently have coverage through Colgate Health. Charles had health coverage through Colgate but dropped the coverage when he retired early to travel to Europe. Charles has just turned age 65 and is now back in the United States. Diedre, who will turn 65 next month, currently has coverage through Ditmas Health - a company that Miles also represents. Who qualifies for the opt-in simplified enrollment mechanism? - CORRECT ANSWER Adam and Betty because each of them will not have a break between their non- Medicare and Medicare coverage through Colgate Health Plan. Mr. Fitzgerald is selling his home to permanently move into a retirement facility near his daughter in a neighboring state before the Annual Election Period. He has a stand-alone prescription drug plan and has learned it is not available where he is moving. He doesn't know what he should do. What can you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER Because he is moving outside of the service area, the plan must automatically disenroll him. He will have a special election period to select a new plan. Mrs. Jenkins is enrolled in both Part A and Part B of Medicare. She has recently also become eligible for Medicaid and would like to enroll in a MA-PD plan. Since this is her first experience with Medicare Advantage, she is concerned that she will be locked into a plan and unable to make any coverage changes for at least a year if not longer. What should you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER Since Mrs. Jenkins has Medicare Part A and Part B and receives Medicaid, she has a special election period (SEP) that will allow her to enroll or disenroll from an MA or MA-PD plan during the first 9 months of each calendar year. Mr. Rodriguez is currently enrolled in a MA plan, but his plan doesn't sufficiently cover his prescription drug needs. He is interested in changing plans during the upcoming MA Open Enrollment Period. What are his options during the MA OEP? - CORRECT ANSWER He can switch to a MA-PD plan. Mrs. Parker likes to handle most of her business matters through telephone calls. She currently is enrolled in Original Medicare Parts A and B but has heard about a Medicare Advantage plan Mr. Robinson was quite ill recently and forgot to pay his monthly premium for his MA-PD plan. He is worried that he will lose his coverage now when he needs it the most. He is certain his plan will disenroll him because that is what happened to a friend of his in a similar type of plan. What can you tell Mr. Robinson about his situation? - CORRECT ANSWER Plan sponsors have the option to do nothing when a plan member does not pay their premiums or disenroll the member after a grace period and notice. Mrs. Johnson calls to tell you she has not received her new plan ID card yet, but she needs to see a doctor. What can she expect to receive from the plan after the plan has received her enrollment form? - CORRECT ANSWER Evidence of plan membership, information on how to obtain services, and the effective date of coverage. Mr. Anderson is a very organized individual and has filled out and brought to you an enrollment form on October 10 for a new plan available January 1 next year. He is currently enrolled in Original Medicare. What should you do? - CORRECT ANSWER Tell Mr. Anderson that you cannot accept any enrollment forms until the annual election period begins. Mr. Wendt suffers from diabetes which has gotten progressively worse during the last year. He is currently enrolled in Original Medicare (Parts A and B) and a Part D prescription drug plan and did not enroll in a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan during the last annual open enrollment period (AEP) which has just closed. Mr. Wendt has heard certain MA plans might provide him with more specialized coverage for his diabetes and wants to know if he must wait until the next annual open enrollment period (AEP) before enrolling in such a plan. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER If there is a special needs plan (SNP) in Mr. Wendt's area that specializes in caring for individuals with diabetes, he may enroll in the SNP at any time under a special election period (SEP) Richard is a licensed agent who represents Spartan Health Plan and its Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. Richard has several clients who have recently come to him for help who are in their initial coverage election period (ICEP) and are interested in enrolling in one of Spartan Health Plan's MA plans. Alice will soon turn 65 and retire. Alice has coverage through Spartan Health Plan offered by her employer. Bob had health coverage through Spartan but dropped the coverage when he retired early to travel overseas. Bob, who has just turned age 65, is now back in the United States. Charlotte, who will turn 65 next month, has coverage through Athena Health plan - a company Richard also represents. Who qualifies for the opt-in simplified enrollment mechanism? - CORRECT ANSWER Alice because she will not have a break between her non-Medicare and Medicare coverage through Spartan Health Plan. ??????????????? You would like to offer gifts of nominal value to potential enrollees who call for more information about a plan you represent. You would then like to offer additional gifts if they come to a marketing event. Each of the gifts meets the CMS definition of nominal value, but together, the gifts are more than the nominal value. Is this permissible? - CORRECT ANSWER No, the total value of the gifts given to an enrollee in a year cannot exceed the CMS definition of nominal value. You are doing a sales presentation for Ms. Duarte and her son. Ms. Duarte has some cognitive impairment and her son informs you that he has power of attorney to only make financial not health care decisions for her. Can he execute the enrollment for her? - CORRECT ANSWER No, he cannot execute the enrollment for her. He must have a legal authorization, under state law that explicitly allows him to make health care decisions for his mother. Agent Willis had several clients who disenrolled from the plans he represents during the AEP to enroll in Medicare Advantage plans that are competitors of his. Agent Willis believes that the choices they made are not ideal for them and would like to get their business back during the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (MA-OEP). What can agent Willis do? - CORRECT ANSWER He can call them to let them know that if they do not like their new plans, they can change back during the MA-OEP. During a sales presentation in Ms. Sullivan's home, she tells you that she has heard about a type of Medicare health plan known as Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS). She wants to know if this would be available to her. What should you tell her about PFFS plans? - CORRECT ANSWER A PFFS plan is one of the various types of Medicare Advantage plans offered by private entities and she may enroll in one if it is available in her area. Mrs. Sanchez lives in a state located near Canada. She has recently become eligible for Medicare and is considering enrollment in Part D prescription drug coverage. One of her friends has told her that she needs to be aware of something called TrOOP. What should you tell her when she asks you about TrOOP? - CORRECT ANSWER TrOOP are out-of-pocket costs that count toward the annual out-of-pocket threshold to move into catastrophic coverage and generally include the annual deductible(s) and costs for drugs on the plan's formulary purchased at a plan's participating pharmacy. In some instances, amounts not directly paid by the enrollee (like manufacturer discounts) count toward TrOOP. Mr. Polanski likes the cost of an HMO plan available in his area but would like to be able to visit one or two doctors who aren't participating providers. He wants to know if the Point of Service (POS) option available with some HMOs will be of any help in this situation. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER The POS option might be a good solution for him as it will allow him to visit out-of-network providers, generally without prior approval. However, he should be aware that it is likely he will have to pay higher cost-sharing for services from out-of- network providers. Mr. Landry is approaching his 65th birthday. He has signed up for Medicare Part A, but he did not enroll in Part B because he has employer-sponsored coverage and intends to keep working for several more years. But he is considering enrolling in Part D prescription drug coverage because he believes it is superior to his employer plan. How would you advise him? - CORRECT ANSWER Mr. Landry is eligible for Part D since he has Part A, and his initial enrollment period (IEP) for Part D will continue for three months after his 65th birthday. You have decided to focus on doing in-home presentations to market the Medicare Advantage (MA) plans you represent. Before you conduct such sales presentations, what must you do? - CORRECT ANSWER You must receive an invitation from the beneficiary and document the specific types of products the beneficiary wants to discuss prior to making an in-home presentation. This year you decide to focus your efforts on marketing to employer and union groups. Which of the following statements best describes what you can and cannot do in order to stay in compliance? - CORRECT ANSWER You are not required to submit communication and marketing materials specific only to those employer plans to CMS at the time of use, but CMS may request and review copies if employee complaints occur. Agent Chan is conducting a sales presentation on senior issues where he hopes to enroll some attendees in the Medicare Advantage (MA) plans he represents. What action(s) may Agent Chan take during the event? - CORRECT ANSWER Discuss plan specific information such as premiums and benefits. Ms. Hernandez has marketed several different types of insurance products in her home state and has typically sought approval of her materials from her State Department of Insurance. What would you advise her regarding seeking such approval for materials she uses to market Medicare Advantage plans? - CORRECT ANSWER Materials need only be reviewed and approved by the company(s) she represents. Drug policy? - CORRECT ANSWER No, he cannot purchase a Medicare Advantage or Part D policy because he has not received Social Security or Railroad Retirement disability benefits for 24 months. Ms. Henderson believes that she will qualify for Medicare coverage when she turns 65, without paying any premiums, because she has been working for 40 years and paying Medicare taxes. What should you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER In order to obtain Part B coverage, she must pay a standard monthly premium, though it is higher for individuals with higher incomes. Mr. Diaz continued working with his company and was insured under his employer's group plan until he reached age 68. He has heard that there is a premium penalty for those who did not sign up for Part B when first eligible and wants to know how much he will have to pay. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER Mr. Diaz will not pay any penalty because he had continuous coverage under his employer's plan. Mrs. Peňa is 66 years old, has coverage under an employer plan and will retire next year. She heard she must enroll in Part B at the beginning of the year to ensure no gap in coverage. What can you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER She may enroll at any time while she is covered under her employer plan, but she will have a special eight month enrollment period that differs from the standard general enrollment period, during which she may enroll in Medicare Part B. Mrs. Kelly is entitled to Part A, but is not yet enrolled in Part B. She is considering enrollment in a Medicare health plan. What should you advise her to do before she will be able to enroll into a Medicare health plan? - CORRECT ANSWER In order to join a Medicare health plan, she also must enroll in Part B. Mrs. Park has a low, fixed income. What could you tell her that might be of assistance? - CORRECT ANSWER She should contact her state Medicaid agency to see if she qualifies for one of several programs that can help with Medicare costs for which she is responsible. Mr. Yu has limited income and resources so you have encouraged him to see if he qualifies for some type of financial assistance. Mr. Yu is not sure it is worth the trouble to apply and wants to know what the assistance could do for him if he qualifies. What could you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER He might qualify for help with Part D prescription drug costs and help paying Part A and/or Part B premiums, deductibles, and/or cost sharing. Mr. Patel is in good health and is preparing a budget in anticipation of his retirement when he turns 66. He wants to understand the health care costs he might be exposed to under Medicare if he were to require hospitalization as a result of an illness. In general terms, what could you tell him about his costs for inpatient hospital services under Original Medicare? - CORRECT ANSWER Under Original Medicare, there is a single deductible amount due for the first 60 days of any inpatient hospital stay, after which it converts into a per-day amount through day 90. After day 90, he would pay a daily amount up to 60 days over his lifetime, after which he would be responsible for all costs Mrs. Shields is covered by Original Medicare. She sustained a hip fracture and is being successfully treated for that condition. However, she and her physicians feel that after her lengthy hospital stay she will need a month or two of nursing and rehabilitative care. What should you tell them about Original Medicare's coverage of care in a skilled nursing facility? - CORRECT ANSWER Medicare will cover Mrs. Schmidt's skilled nursing services provided during the first 20 days of her stay, after which she would have a coinsurance until she has been in the facility for 100 days. Mr. Rainey is experiencing paranoid delusions and his physician feels that he should be hospitalized. What should you tell Mr. Rainey (or his representative) about the length of an inpatient psychiatric hospital stay that Medicare will cover? - CORRECT ANSWER Medicare will cover a total of 190 days of inpatient psychiatric care during Mr. Rainey's entire lifetime. Mrs. Quinn has just turned 65 and received a letter informing her that she has been automatically enrolled in Medicare Part B. She wants to understand what this means. What should you tell Mrs. Quinn? - CORRECT ANSWER Part B primarily covers physician services. She will be paying a monthly premium and, with the exception of many preventive and screening tests, generally will have 20% co-payments for these services, in addition to an annual deductible. Mr. Buck has several family members who died from different cancers. He wants to know if Medicare covers cancer screening. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER Medicare covers periodic performance of a range of screening tests that are meant to provide early detection of disease. Mr. Buck will need to check specific tests before obtaining them to see if they will be covered. Mrs. Turner is comparing her employer's retiree insurance to Original Medicare and would like to know which of the following services Original Medicare will cover if the appropriate criteria are met? What could you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER Original Medicare covers ambulance services. Mrs. Wolf wears glasses and dentures and has enjoyed considerable pain relief from arthritis through acupuncture. She is concerned about whether or not Medicare will cover these items and services. What should you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER Medicare does not cover acupuncture, or, in general, glasses or dentures. Mr. Hernandez is concerned that if he signs up for a Medicare Advantage plan, the health plan may, at some time in the future, reduce his benefits below what is available in Original Medicare. What should you tell him about his concern? - CORRECT ANSWER Medicare health plans must cover all benefits available under Medicare Part A and Part B. Many also cover Part D prescription drugs. Mr. Schmidt would like to plan for retirement and has asked you what is covered under Original Fee-for-Service (FFS) Medicare? What could you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER Part A, which covers hospital, skilled nursing facility, hospice and home health services and Part B, which covers professional services such as those provided by a doctor are covered under Original Medicare. Mr. Wu is eligible for Medicare. He has limited financial resources but failed to qualify for the Part D low-income subsidy. Where might he turn for help with his prescription drug costs? - CORRECT ANSWER Mr. Wu may still qualify for help in paying Part D costs through his State Pharmaceutical Assistance Program. Mrs. Willard wants to know generally how the benefits under Original Medicare might compare to the benefit package of a Medicare Health Plan before she starts looking at specific plans. What could you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER Medicare Health Plans may offer extra benefits that Original screening tests, generally will have 20% co-payments for these services, in addition to an annual deductible. Mr. Buck has several family members who died from different cancers. He wants to know if Medicare covers cancer screening. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER Medicare covers periodic performance of a range of screening tests that are meant to provide early detection of disease. Mr. Buck will need to check specific tests before obtaining them to see if they will be covered. Mrs. Turner is comparing her employer's retiree insurance to Original Medicare and would like to know which of the following services Original Medicare will cover if the appropriate criteria are met? What could you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER Original Medicare covers ambulance services. Mrs. Wolf wears glasses and dentures and has enjoyed considerable pain relief from arthritis through acupuncture. She is concerned about whether or not Medicare will cover these items and services. What should you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER Medicare does not cover acupuncture, or, in general, glasses or dentures. Mr. Singh would like drug coverage, but does not want to be enrolled into a health plan. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER Mr. Singh can enroll in a stand-alone prescription drug plan and continue to be covered for Part A and Part B services through Original Fee-for- Service Medicare. Mr. Alonso receives some help paying for his two generic prescription drugs from his employer's retiree coverage, but he wants to compare it to a Part D prescription drug plan. He asks you what costs he would generally expect to encounter when enrolling into a standard Medicare Part D prescription drug plan. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER He generally would pay a monthly premium, annual deductible, and per-prescription cost-sharing. Mrs. Geisler's neighbor told her she should look at her Part D options during the annual Medicare enrollment period because features of Part D might have changed. Mrs. Geisler can't remember what Part D is so she called you to ask what her neighbor was talking about. What could you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER Part D covers prescription drugs and she should look at her premiums, formulary, and cost sharing among other factors to see if they have changed. Mrs. Paterson is concerned about the deductibles and co-payments associated with Original Medicare. What can you tell her about Medigap as an option to address this concern? - CORRECT ANSWER Medigap plans help beneficiaries cover coinsurance, co-payments, and/or deductibles for medically necessary services. Mrs. Gonzalez is enrolled in Original Medicare and has a Medigap policy as well, but it provides no drug coverage. She would like to keep the coverage she has, but replace her existing Medigap plan with one that provides drug coverage. What should you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER Mrs. Gonzalez cannot purchase a Medigap plan that covers drugs, but she could keep her Medigap policy and enroll in a Part D prescription drug plan. Mr. Kelly has substantial financial means. He enrolled in Original Medicare and purchased a Medigap policy many years ago that offered prescription drug coverage. The prescription drug coverage has not been comparable to that offered by Medicare Part D for several years and despite notification, Mr. Kelly took no action. Which of the following statements best describes what will occur if Mr. Kelly now decides to enroll in Medicare Part D? - CORRECT ANSWER He will incur a late enrollment penalty. Mr. Capadona would like to purchase a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan and a Medigap plan to pick up costs not covered by that plan. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER It is illegal for you to sell Mr. Capadona a Medigap plan if he is enrolled in an MA plan, and besides, Medigap only works with Original Medicare. What impact, if any, will the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) have upon Medigap plans? - CORRECT ANSWER The Part B deductible will no longer be covered for individuals newly eligible for Medicare starting January 1, 2020. Mr. Lopez has heard that he can sign up for a product called "Medicare Advantage" but is not sure about what type of plan designs are available through this program. What should you tell him about the types of health plans that are available through the Medicare Advantage program? - CORRECT ANSWER They are Medicare health plans such as HMOs, PPOs, PFFS, and MSAs. Mr. Wells is trying to understand the difference between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage. What would be a correct description? - CORRECT ANSWER Medicare Advantage is a way of covering all the Original Medicare benefits through private health insurance companies. Mrs. Radford asks whether there are any special eligibility requirements for Medicare Advantage. What should you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER Mrs. Radford must be entitled to Part A and enrolled in Part B to enroll in Medicare Advantage. Mr. Castillo, a naturalized citizen, previously enrolled in Medicare Part B but has recently stopped paying his Part B premium. Mr. Castillo is still covered by Part A. He would like to enroll in a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan and is still covered by Part A. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER He is not eligible to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan until he re-enrolls in Medicare Part B. Mrs. Billings enrolled in the ABC Medicare Advantage (MA) plan several years ago. Her doctor recently confirmed a diagnosis of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). What options does Mrs. Billings have in regard to her MA plan during the next open enrollment season? - CORRECT ANSWER She may remain in her ABC MA plan or enroll in a Special Needs Plan (SNP) for individuals suffering from ESRD if one is available in her area. Daniel is a middle-income Medicare beneficiary. He has chronic bronchitis, putting him at severe risk for pneumonia. Otherwise, he has no problems functioning. Which type of SNP is likely to be most appropriate for him? - CORRECT ANSWER C-SNP Mr. Kumar is considering a Medicare Advantage HMO and has questions about his ability to access providers. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER In most Medicare For which of the following individuals would a Cost Plan be most appropriate? - CORRECT ANSWER Ms. Baker who is enrolled in Medicare Part B and is willing to continue paying Part B premiums plus any plan premiums. Which statement best describes PACE plans? - CORRECT ANSWER It includes comprehensive medical and social service delivery systems using an interdisciplinary team approach in an adult day health center, supplemented by in-home and referral services. Mr. Romero is 64, retiring soon, and considering enrollment in his employer-sponsored retiree group health plan that includes drug coverage with nominal copays. He heard about a neighbor's MA-PD plan that you represent and because he takes numerous prescription drugs, he is considering signing up for it. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER Beneficiaries should check with their employer or union group benefits administrator before changing plans to avoid losing coverage they want to keep. Mrs. Walters is enrolled in her state's Medicaid program in addition to Medicare. What should she be aware of when considering enrollment in a Medicare Health Plan? - CORRECT ANSWER She can enroll in any type of Medicare Advantage (MA) plan except an MA Medical Savings Account (MSA) plan. Mrs. Andrews asked how a Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plan might affect her access to services since she receives some assistance for her health care costs from the State. What should you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER Medicaid may provide additional benefits, but Medicaid will coordinate benefits only with Medicaid participating providers. Mr. Rivera has Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) eligibility and is thus covered by both Medicare and Medicaid. He decides to enroll in a Medicare Advantage (MA) PPO plan. Later he sees an out-of-network doctor to receive a Medicare covered service. How much may the doctor collect from Mr. Rivera? - CORRECT ANSWER The doctor may only collect from Mr. Rivera the cost sharing allowable under the state's Medicaid program. Mr. Lombardi is interested in a Medicare Advantage (MA) PPO plan that you represent. It is one of three plans operated by the same organization in Mr. Lombardi's area. The MA PPO plan does not include drug coverage, but the other two plans do. Mr. Lombardi likes the PPO plan that does not include drug coverage and intends to obtain his drug coverage through a stand-alone Medicare prescription drug plan. What should you tell him about this situation? - CORRECT ANSWER He could enroll in one of the MA plans that include prescription drug coverage or a Medigap plan and a stand-alone prescription drug plan, but he cannot enroll in the MA-only PPO plan and a stand-alone prescription drug plan. Mrs. Chou likes a PFFS plan available in her area that does not include drug coverage. She wants to enroll in the plan and enroll in a stand-alone prescription drug plan. What should you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER She could enroll in a PFFS plan and a stand-alone Medicare prescription drug plan. Mrs. Walters is enrolled in her state's Medicaid program in addition to Medicare. What should she be aware of when considering enrollment in a Medicare Health Plan? - CORRECT ANSWER She can enroll in any type of Medicare Advantage (MA) plan except an MA Medical Savings Account (MSA) plan. Mr. Lopez has heard that he can sign up for a product called "Medicare Advantage" but is not sure about what type of plan designs are available through this program. What should you tell him about the types of health plans that are available through the Medicare Advantage program? - CORRECT ANSWER They are Medicare health plans such as HMOs, PPOs, PFFS, and MSAs. Mr. Wells is trying to understand the difference between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage. What would be a correct description? - CORRECT ANSWER Medicare Advantage is a way of covering all the Original Medicare benefits through private health insurance companies. Mrs. Chou likes a PFFS plan available in her area that does not include drug coverage. She wants to enroll in the plan and enroll in a stand-alone prescription drug plan. What should you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER She could enroll in a PFFS plan and a stand-alone Medicare prescription drug plan. Mrs. Lee is discussing with you the possibility of enrolling in a Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plan. As part of that discussion, what should you be sure to tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER PFFS plans may choose to offer Part D benefits but are not required to do so. Dr. Elizabeth Brennan does not contract with the PFFS plan but accepts the plan's terms and conditions for payment. Mary Rodgers sees Dr. Brennan for treatment. How much may Dr. Brennan charge? - CORRECT ANSWER Dr. Brennan can charge Mary Rogers no more than the cost sharing specified in the PFFS plan's terms and condition of payment which may include balance billing up to 15 percent of the Medicare rate. Mr. Sinclair has diabetes and heart trouble and is generally satisfied with the care he has received under Original Medicare, but he would like to know more about Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plans (SNPs). What could you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER SNPs have special programs for enrollees with chronic conditions, like Mr. Sinclair, and they provide prescription drug coverage that could be very helpful as well. Mr. Davies is turning 65 next month. He would like to enroll in a Medicare health plan, but does not want to be limited in terms of where he obtains his care. What should you tell him about how a Medicare Cost Plan might fit his needs? - CORRECT ANSWER Cost plan enrollees can choose to receive Medicare covered services under the plan's benefits by going to plan network providers and paying plan cost sharing, or may receive services from non-network providers and pay cost-sharing due under Original Medicare. Daniel is a middle-income Medicare beneficiary. He has chronic bronchitis, putting him at severe risk for pneumonia. Otherwise, he has no problems functioning. Which type of SNP is likely to be most appropriate for him? - CORRECT ANSWER C-SNP. Mr. Castillo, a naturalized citizen, previously enrolled in Medicare Part B but has recently stopped paying his Part B premium. Mr. Castillo is still covered by Part A. He would like to enroll in a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan and is still covered by Part A. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER He is not eligible to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan until he re-enrolls in Medicare Part B. Mr. Carlini has heard that Medicare prescription drug plans are only offered through private companies under a program known as Medicare Advantage (MA), not by the government. He likes Original Medicare and does not want to sign up for an MA product, but he also wants prescription drug coverage. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER Mr. Carlini can stay with Original Medicare and also enroll in a Medicare prescription drug plan through a private company that has contracted with the government to provide only such drug coverage to eligible Medicare beneficiaries. Under what conditions can a Medicare prescription drug plan reduce its coverage for a given drug during the first 60 days of the year? - CORRECT ANSWER When a formulary change is in response to a drug's removal from the market. Which of the following steps may a Part D sponsor adopt for beneficiaries who are at risk of misusing or abusing frequently abused drugs? I. Identifying at risk individuals by using criteria that includes the number of opioid prescriptions the beneficiary has and the number of prescribers who have written those prescriptions. II. Locking an at-risk beneficiary into one pharmacy. III. Locking an at-risk beneficiary into one prescriber. IV. Increasing deductibles and copays for at-risk beneficiaries. - CORRECT ANSWER I, II and III only. Mrs. Roswell is a new Medicare beneficiary and is interested in selecting a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan. She takes a number of medications and is concerned that she has not been able to identify a plan that covers all of her medications. She does not want to make an abrupt change to new drugs that would be covered and asks what she should do. What should you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER Every Part D drug plan is required to cover a single one-month fill of her existing medications sometime during a 90 day transition period. Mr. Zachow has a condition for which three drugs are available. He has tried two, but had an allergic reaction to them. Only the third drug works for him and it is not on his Part D plan's formulary. What could you tell him to do? - CORRECT ANSWER Mr. Zachow has a right to request a formulary exception to obtain coverage for his Part D drug. He or his physician could obtain the standardized request form on the plan's website, fill it out, and submit it to his plan. Mrs. Quinn has just turned 65, is in excellent health, and has a relatively high income. She uses no medications and sees no reason to spend money on a Medicare prescription drug plan if she does not need the coverage. What could you tell her about the implications of such a decision? - CORRECT ANSWER If she does not sign up for a Medicare prescription drug plan as soon as she is eligible to do so, if she does sign up at a later date, her premium will be permanently increased by 1% of the national average premium for every month that she was not covered. Mr. Torres has a small savings account. He would like to pay for his monthly Part D premiums with an automatic monthly withdrawal from his savings account until it is exhausted, and then have his premiums withheld from his Social Security check. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER In general, he must select a single Part D premium payment mechanism that will be used throughout the year. Mr. Katz reached the Part D coverage gap in August last year. His prescriptions have not changed, he is keeping the same Part D plan and the benefits, cost-sharing, and coverage of his drugs are all the same as last year. He asked what to expect for this year about his out-of-pocket costs. What could you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER Because he reached the coverage gap last year, he will probably reach it again this year close to the same time. Mrs. Grant uses several very expensive drugs and anticipates that she will enter catastrophic coverage at some point during the year. To help her determine when she is likely to qualify for catastrophic coverage, she asked which expenses count toward the out-of-pocket limit that qualifies her for catastrophic coverage. Which one of the following would count? - CORRECT ANSWER Prescription drugs she purchases when in the Part D coverage gap. Mr. Shapiro gets by on a very small fixed income. He has heard there may be extra help paying for Part D prescription drugs for Medicare beneficiaries with limited income. He wants to know whether he might qualify. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER The extra help is available to beneficiaries whose income and assets do not exceed annual limits specified by the government. Mrs. Fields wants to know whether applying for the Part D low income subsidy will be worth the time to fill out the paperwork. What could you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER The Part D low income subsidy could substantially lower her overall costs. She can apply by contacting her state Medicaid office, or calling the Social Security Administration. Mr. Bickford did not quite qualify for the extra help low-income subsidy under the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug program and he is wondering if there is any other option he has for obtaining help with his considerable drug costs. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER He could check with the manufacturers of his medications to see if they offer an assistance program to help people with limited means obtain the medications they need. Alternatively, he could check to see whether his state has a pharmacy assistance program to help him with his expenses. Mrs. Fiore was in the Army for 35 years and is now retired. She has drug coverage through the VA. What issues might she consider with regard to whether to enroll in a Medicare prescription drug plan? - CORRECT ANSWER She could compare the coverage to see if the Medicare Part D plan offers better benefits and coverage than the VA for the specific medications she needs and whether any additional benefits are worth the Part D premium costs. Mr. Hutchinson has drug coverage through his former employer's retiree plan. He is concerned about the Part D premium penalty if he does not enroll in a Medicare prescription drug plan, but does not want to purchase extra coverage that he will not need. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER If the drug coverage he has is not expected to pay, on average, at least as much as Medicare's standard Part D coverage expects to pay, then he will need to enroll in Medicare Part D during his initial eligibility period to avoid the late enrollment penalty. Mr. Rice has coverage for medical services and medications through his employer's retiree plan. He is considering switching to a Medicare prescription drug plan because his retiree plan does not cover two important medications. What should he consider before making a change? - CORRECT ANSWER If Mr. Rice drops his drug coverage through the retiree plan, he may not be able to get it back and he also may lose his medical health coverage. Mr. Shultz was still working when he first qualified for Medicare. At that time, he had employer group coverage that was creditable. During his initial Part D eligibility period, he decided not to enroll because he was satisfied with his drug coverage. It is now a year later and Mr. Shultz has lost his employer group coverage. How would you advise him? - CORRECT ANSWER Mr. Schultz should enroll in a Part D plan before he has a 63-day break in coverage in order to avoid a premium penalty. Mrs. McIntire is enrolled in her state's Medicaid plan and has just become eligible for Medicare as well. What can she expect will happen with respect to her drug coverage? - CORRECT ANSWER Unless she chooses a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan on her own, she will be automatically enrolled in one available in her area. Mr. Carlini has heard that Medicare prescription drug plans are only offered through private companies under a program known as Medicare Advantage (MA), not by the government. He likes Original Medicare and does not want to sign up for an MA product, but he also wants prescription drug coverage. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER Mr. Carlini can You work for a company that has marketed Medigap products for many years. The company has added Medicare Advantage and Part D plans and you will begin marketing those plans this fall. You are planning what materials to use to easily show the differences in benefits, premiums and cost sharing for each of the products. What do you need to do with your materials before using them for marketing purposes? - CORRECT ANSWER You must submit your materials to the plan you represent, so CMS can review and approve the materials to ensure they are accurate. Which of the following is a correct statement about state laws as they pertain to marketing representatives? - CORRECT ANSWER Medicare health plans must comply with requests for information from state insurance departments investigating complaints about a marketing representative. You are seeking to represent an individual Medicare Advantage plan and an individual Part D plan in your state. You have completed the required training for each plan, but you did not achieve a passing score on the tests that came after the training. What can you do in this situation? - CORRECT ANSWER You will not be able to represent any Medicare Advantage or Part D plan until you complete the training and achieve an adequate score, although you will not have to take a test if you exclusively market employer/union group plans and the companies do not require testing. Your colleague works at a third party marketing organization (TMO) and she said she did not need to take the Medicare training for brokers and agents or pass a test to market Medicare plans since her contract is with the TMO, not the plans that have the products she sells. What could you say to her? - CORRECT ANSWER You could tell her she is wrong, and that only agents selling employer/union group plans are permitted an exemption from testing, but some employer/union group plans may require testing to promote agent compliance with CMS marketing requirements. Agent Armstrong is employed by XYZ Agency, which is under contract with ABC Health Plan, a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan that offers plans in multiple states. XYZ Agency maintains a website marketing the MA plans with which it has contracts. Agent Armstrong follows up with individuals who request more information about ABC MA plans via the website and tries to persuade them to enroll in ABC plans. What statement best describes the marketing and compliance rules that apply to Agent Armstrong? - CORRECT ANSWER Agent Armstrong needs to be licensed and appointed in every state in which beneficiaries to whom he markets ABC MA plans are located. You are mailing invitations to new Medicare beneficiaries for a marketing event. You want an idea of how many people to expect, so you would like to request RSVPs. What should you keep in mind? - CORRECT ANSWER You may request RSVPs, but you are not permitted to require contact information. Agent Antonio is preparing for a presentation on Medicare and Medicare Advantage before a local senior citizen civic group where he hopes to enroll some attendees. Which of the following steps should he take in order to be in compliance with Medicare marketing rules? - CORRECT ANSWER Antonio should include on the invitation a statement that a salesperson will be present with information and applications. You have set up an appointment for an in-home sales presentation with Mrs. Fernandez, who expressed interest in the Medicare plans you represent. In preparation for the sales presentation, what must you do? - CORRECT ANSWER Prior to conducting the presentation, obtain, and document having obtained her permission to visit, along with her interest in the specific products you will present. Mrs. Lu is turning 65 in November and called to ask for your help deciding on a Medicare Advantage plan. She agreed to sign a scope of appointment form and meet with you October 15. During the appointment, what are you permitted to do? - CORRECT ANSWER You may provide her with the required enrollment materials and take her completed enrollment application. While making an appointment to discuss Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D plans with a potential enrollee, you are asked to describe other types of insurance products that your client might wish to purchase. What additional types of insurance can you present during the MA and Part D marketing appointment? - CORRECT ANSWER You can present only health care related lines of business, but must obtain the beneficiary's permission to do so before the presentation occurs and document that you have obtained that permission. A Medicare beneficiary has walked into your office and requested that you sit down with her and discuss her options under the Medicare Advantage program. Before engaging in such a discussion, what should you do? - CORRECT ANSWER You must have her sign a scope of appointment form, indicating which products she wishes to discuss. You may then proceed with the discussion. You are meeting with Mrs. Hall in her home. On her scope of appointment form she asked to discuss Medicare Advantage plans. During the meeting, she asks to discuss a stand-alone prescription drug plan. She is leaving the next day to visit her family for a week in another state, so it is important to her to make a decision before she leaves. What must happen before that additional discussion can take place? - CORRECT ANSWER Since Mrs. Hall specifically asked that you discuss the stand-alone Part D plan, you may do so, as long as she signs a new scope of appointment form first, indicating that she wants to discuss the Part D plan. Which of the following statements best describes how business reply cards (BRCs) may be employed in the marketing of Medicare Advantage products? - CORRECT ANSWER A BRC may be used to document a beneficiary's scope of appointment agreement provided it has been submitted to CMS for approval and includes a statement informing the beneficiary that a salesperson may call. Ordinarily, you obtain referrals from a third-party that initiates contact with potential clients and usually sets up appointments for you. How would the guidelines for marketing Medicare Advantage and Part D plans apply to this practice? - CORRECT ANSWER Third parties may not make unsolicited calls, visits, or emails to Medicare beneficiaries in order to set up such appointments, or for any other reason related to the marketing of Medicare Advantage or Part D plans. You market many different types of insurance and ordinarily you spend time each evening calling potential clients. To be in compliance with requirements for marketing Medicare Advantage and Part D plans, what must you do about contacting potential clients to market those plans? - CORRECT ANSWER You will have to avoid calling any potential client, unless he or she initiates contact with you and specifically asks that you give him or her a call. Agent Martinez wishes to solicit Medicare Advantage prospects through e-mail and asks you for advice as to whether this is possible. What should you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER Marketing representatives may initiate electronic contact through e-mail but the subject line must say "marketing" and an opt-out process must be provided. Winthrop Brokerage wishes to place an advertisement in the local newspaper that says: "We offer Medicare Advantage plans offered by AB Health and Top Choice Health. Contact us if you would like to learn more." Which of the following best describes the obligation(s) of Winthrop Brokerage regarding the advertisement? - CORRECT ANSWER Winthrop Brokerage does not need to submit the advertisement to CMS for prior approval because it does not include Mr. Edwards, a marketing representative of the ACME Insurance Company, scheduled a marketing event and expects about 40 people to attend. He has hired a magician at a cost of $200 to entertain attendees. Can he do this in a way that complies with guidance from the Medicare agency? - CORRECT ANSWER He can do this, because the estimated number of attendees is based on the venue size and response rate and the value of the gift does not exceed $15. You will be holding a sales event in the near future, at which you would like to offer door prizes to attendees. Under guidelines from the Medicare agency, what types of gifts or prizes would not be allowed in this situation? - CORRECT ANSWER Gift cards or gift certificates of $15 or less that can be readily converted to cash. You are scheduled to give a sales presentation at a local senior center. At the beginning of the presentation, which of the following must you do? - CORRECT ANSWER Clearly state that no obligation exists to enroll if a gift or prize is being provided. Ordinarily, you ask your clients for referrals to people they think would benefit from the products you offer. When selling Medicare Advantage or Part D products, how might you solicit referrals? - CORRECT ANSWER You may solicit referrals from current MA and Part D enrollees and provide one thank you gift per member per year of up to $15, based on retail purchase price for the item, although you may not inform enrollees of the availability of the gift in your letter soliciting referrals. When soliciting referrals from current members of an MA or Part D plan, what may you do? - CORRECT ANSWER You may request names and mailing addresses. Several agents you work with are planning sales events in your area. One plans on giving door prizes worth $5, refreshments valued at $8 per anticipated attendee, and coupon books with discounts worth $10. Since no gift or prize exceeds the $15 limit he believes his plan is acceptable. What should you tell them? - CORRECT ANSWER He can give away more than one gift during a single event, but the aggregate retail value cannot exceed $15. You have approached a hospital administrator about marketing in her facility. The administrator is uncomfortable with the suggestion. How could you address her concerns? - CORRECT ANSWER Tell her that Medicare guidelines allow you to conduct marketing activities in common areas of a provider's facility. You would like to market an MA plan at a neighborhood pharmacy. What should you keep in mind to comply with the marketing requirements for MA plans? - CORRECT ANSWER You must set up your table, make marketing presentations, and accept enrollment applications only in common areas outside of where the patient waits for services from the pharmacist. Your friend's mother just moved to an assisted living facility and he asked if you could present a program for the residents about the MA-PD plans you market. What could you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER You appreciate the opportunity and would be happy to schedule an appointment with anyone at their request. ABC is a long-term care facility provider. What steps may it take to inform residents of the Medicare options available to them? - CORRECT ANSWER ABC may provide residents that meet the I-SNP criteria an explanatory brochure, reply card, and phone number for additional information for each I-SNP with which it contracts. You have sought permission from a hospital to place brochures for your product in their gift shop and cafeteria. The hospital administration expresses some hesitation about allowing marketing in a health care facility. What should you tell them? - CORRECT ANSWER Marketing in health care facilities is an acceptable practice, as long as it takes place in common areas where patients are not receiving or waiting to receive health care and as long as the hospital displays materials for all plans that provide them to the hospital. Plan sponsors may undertake the following marketing activities with current Medicare Advantage plan members? - CORRECT ANSWER Market non-Medicare health-related products, such as dental insurance, to current members as permitted by HIPAA Privacy Rules. This year you have decided to focus your efforts on marketing to employer group plans. One employer provides you with a list of their retirees and asks you to contact them to explain the characteristics of the plan they have selected. What should you do? - CORRECT ANSWER You may go ahead and call them. Next week you will be participating in your first "educational event" for prospective enrollees. In order to be sure that you do not violate any of the applicable guidelines, in what activities should you plan to engage? - CORRECT ANSWER You should plan to ensure that the educational event is a social event, and must not conduct a sales presentation or distribute or accept enrollment forms at the event. If you are to be in compliance with Medicare's guidance regarding educational events, which of the following would be acceptable activities? - CORRECT ANSWER You may distribute business cards to individuals who request information on how to contact you for further details on the plan(s) you represent. You are working with a number of plans and community organizations to sponsor an educational event. When putting together advertisements for this event, what should you do? - CORRECT ANSWER You must ensure that the advertisements indicate it is an educational event, otherwise it will be considered a marketing event. You plan to participate in an educational event sponsored by a large regional health care system. One of your colleagues suggests that you do a presentation on one of the Medicare Health plans you market, and modify it to include information about preventive screening tests showcased at the event. How should you respond to your colleague's suggestion? - CORRECT ANSWER You should tell your colleague no because participation in an educational event may not include a sales presentation. Agent Mary Jennings makes a presentation on Medicare advertised as an educational event. Agent Jennings distributes materials that are solely educational in nature. However, she gives a brief presentation that mentions plan-specific premiums. Is this a prohibited activity at an event that has been advertised as educational? - CORRECT ANSWER Yes. When an event has been advertised as "educational," discussing plan-specific premiums is impermissible. Another agent you know has engaged in misconduct that has been verified by the plan she represented. What sort of penalty might the plan impose on this individual? - CORRECT ANSWER The plan may withhold commission, require retraining, report the misconduct to a state department of insurance or terminate the contract. Which of the following statements best describes how business reply cards (BRCs) may be employed in the marketing of Medicare Advantage products? - CORRECT ANSWER A BRC may be used to document a beneficiary's scope of appointment agreement provided it has been submitted to CMS for approval and includes a statement informing the beneficiary that a salesperson may call. During a sales presentation, your client asks you whether the Medicare agency recommends that she sign up for your plan or stay in Original Medicare. What should you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER Tell her that the Medicare agency does not endorse or recommend any plan. You will be holding a sales event in the near future, at which you would like to offer door prizes to attendees. Under guidelines from the Medicare agency, what types of gifts or prizes would not be allowed in this situation? - CORRECT ANSWER Gift cards or gift certificates of $15 or less that can be readily converted to cash. Mr. Murphy is an agent. A neighbor invited him to discuss the Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D plans he sells at the regular Tuesday brunch the neighbors have for senior citizens. What should Mr. Murphy tell his neighbor about the kinds of food that can be provided to potential enrollees who attend the sales presentation? - CORRECT ANSWER The neighbors may not provide a meal, but light snacks would be permitted. Another agent working for your agency claims that because you are not employed by the Medicare Advantage plans that you represent, you are not subject to the same requirements as the plans themselves. How should you respond to such a statement? - CORRECT ANSWER Your coworker is not correct. Marketing on behalf of a plan is considered marketing by the plan and requires that all contracted and employed agents comply with all Medicare marketing rules. During a sales presentation to Ms. Daley for a Medicare Advantage plan that has a 5-star rating in customer service and care coordination, and received an overall plan performance rating of a 4-star, which of the following would be the correct statement to say to her? - CORRECT ANSWER The Medicare Advantage plan received a 5-star rating in customer service and care coordination with an overall performance rating of 4-stars. This year you have decided to focus your efforts on marketing to employer group plans. One employer provides you with a list of their retirees and asks you to contact them to explain the characteristics of the plan they have selected. What should you do? - CORRECT ANSWER You may go ahead and call them. Mrs. Walters is entitled to Part A and has medical coverage without drug coverage through an employer retiree plan. She is not enrolled in Part B. Since the employer plan does not cover prescription drugs, she wants to enroll in a Medicare prescription drug plan. Will she be able to? - CORRECT ANSWER Yes. Mrs. Walters must be entitled to Part A or enrolled in Part B to be eligible for coverage under the Medicare prescription drug program. Mr. Sanchez is entitled to Part A, but has not enrolled in Part B because he has coverage through an employer plan. If he wants to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan, what will he have to do? - CORRECT ANSWER He will have to enroll in Part B. Mr. Kelly wants to know whether he is eligible to sign up for a Private fee-for-service (PFFS) plan. What questions would you need to ask to determine his eligibility? - CORRECT ANSWER You would need to ask Mr. Kelly if he is enrolled in Part A and Part B and if he lives in the PFFS plan's service area. Mr. Gonzalez is entitled to Part A, but has not yet enrolled in Part B. If he wants to enroll in a Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plan, what will he have to do? - CORRECT ANSWER He will have to enroll in Part B prior to enrolling in the PFFS plan. Mrs. Berkowitz wants to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan that does not include drug coverage and also enroll in a stand-alone Medicare prescription drug plan. Under what circumstances can she do this? - CORRECT ANSWER If the Medicare Advantage plan is a Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plan that does not offer drug coverage or a Medical Savings Account, Mrs. Berkowitz can do this. Mrs. Roberts has Original Medicare and would like to enroll in a Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plan. All types of PFFS plans are available in her area. Which options could Mrs. Roberts consider before selecting a PFFS plan? - CORRECT ANSWER A Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MA-PD) PFFS plan that combines medical benefits and Part D prescription drug coverage, a PFFS plan offering only medical benefits, or a PFFS plan in combination with a stand-alone prescription drug plan. Which of the following individuals is most likely to be eligible to enroll in a Medicare Advantage or Part D Plan? - CORRECT ANSWER Jose, a grandfather who was granted asylum and has worked in the United States for many years. Mr. and Mrs. Nunez attended one of your sales presentations. They've asked you to come to their home to clear up a few questions. During the presentation, Mrs. Nunez feels tired and tells you that her husband can finish things up. She goes to bed. At the end of your discussion, Mr. Nunez says that he wants to enroll both himself and his wife. What should you do? - CORRECT ANSWER As long as she is able to do so, only Mrs. Nunez can sign her enrollment form. Mrs. Nunez will have to wake up to sign her form or do so at another time. You are visiting with Mr. Tully and his daughter at her request. He has advanced Alzheimer's and is incapable of understanding the implications of choosing a Medicare Advantage or prescription drug plan. Can his daughter fill out the enrollment form and sign it for him? - CORRECT ANSWER Mr. Tully's daughter can do so only, if she is authorized under state law as a court-appointed legal guardian, has durable power of attorney for health care decisions, or is authorized under state surrogate consent laws to make health decisions. You are meeting with Ms. Berlin and she has completed an enrollment form for a MA-PD plan you represent. You notice that her handwriting is illegible and as a result, the spelling of her street looks incorrect. She asks you to fill in the corrected street name. What should you do? - CORRECT ANSWER You may correct this information as long as you add your initials and date next to the correction Phiona works in the IT Department of BestCare Health Plan. Phiona is placed in charge of BestCare's efforts to facilitate electronic enrollment in its Medicare Advantage plans. In setting up the enrollment site, which of the following must Phiona consider? I. If a legal representative is completing an electronic enrollment request, he or she must first upload proof of his or her authority. II. All data elements required to complete an enrollment request must be captured. III. The process must include a clear and distinct step that requires the applicant to activate an "Enroll Now" or "I Agree" type of button or tool. IV. The mechanism must capture an accurate time and date stamp at the time the applicant enters the online site. - CORRECT ANSWER II and III only. forget about turning it in. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER You must tell him you are not permitted to take the form. If he sends the form directly to the plan, the plan will process the enrollment on the day the Annual Election Period begins. Mrs. Goodman enrolled in an MA-PD plan during the Annual Election Period. In mid-January of the following year, she wants to switch back to Original Medicare and enroll in a stand-alone prescription drug plan. What should you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER During the MA Open Enrollment Period, from January 1 - March 31, she may disenroll from the MA-PD plan into Original Medicare and also may add a stand-alone prescription drug plan. Mrs. Young is currently enrolled in Original Medicare (Parts A and B), but she has been working with Agent Neil Adams in the selection of a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan. It is mid- September, and Mrs. Young is going on vacation. Agent Adams is considering suggesting that he and Mrs. Young complete the application together before she leaves. He will then submit the paper application prior the start of the annual enrollment period (AEP). What would you say If you were advising Agent Adams? - CORRECT ANSWER This is a bad idea. Agents are generally prohibited from soliciting or accepting an enrollment form prior to the start of the AEP. Ms. Gonzales decided to remain in Original Medicare (Parts A and B) and Part D during the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP). At the beginning of January, her neighbor told her about the Medicare Advantage (MA) plan he selected. He also told her there was an open enrollment period that she might be able to use to enroll in a MA plan. Ms. Gonzales comes to you for advice shortly after speaking to her neighbor. What should you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER There is a MA Open Enrollment Period (OEP) that takes place between January 1 and March 31, but Ms. Gonzales cannot use it because eligibility to use the OEP is available only to MA enrollees. Mrs. Schmidt is moving and a friend told her she might qualify for a "Special Election Period" to enroll in a new Medicare Advantage plan. She contacted you to ask what a Special Election Period is. What could you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER It is a time period, outside of the Annual Election Period, when a Medicare beneficiary can select a new or different Medicare Advantage and/or Part D prescription drug plan. Typically the Special Election Period is beneficiary specific and results from events, such as when the beneficiary moves outside of the service area. Mr. Garcia was told he qualifies for a Special Election Period (SEP), but he lost the paper that explains what he could do during the SEP. What can you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER If the SEP is for MA coverage, he will generally have one opportunity to change his MA coverage. Mr. Wendt suffers from diabetes which has gotten progressively worse during the last year. He is currently enrolled in Original Medicare (Parts A and B) and a Part D prescription drug plan and did not enroll in a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan during the last annual open enrollment period (AEP) which has just closed. Mr. Wendt has heard that there are certain MA plans that might provide him with more specialized coverage for his diabetes and wants to know if he must wait until the next annual open enrollment period (AEP) before enrolling in such a plan. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER If there is a special needs plan (SNP) in Mr. Wendt's area that specializes in caring for individuals with diabetes, he may enroll in the SNP at any time under a special enrollment period (SEP). Which of the following individuals are likely to qualify for a special enrollment period (SEP) for both MA and Part D due to a change of residence? I. Edward (enrolled in MA and Part D) moves to a new home within the same neighborhood in his existing plan's service area. II. Fiona (enrolled in MA and Part D) moves cross-country to an area outside her existing plan's service area. III. Gilbert moves into a plan service area where there is now a Part D plan available to him from a service area where no Part D plan was available. IV. Henry makes a permanent move providing him with new MA and Part D options. - CORRECT ANSWER II, III, and IV only. Mr. Rockwell, age 67, is enrolled in Medicare Part A, but because he continues to work and is covered by an employer health plan, he has not enrolled in Part B or Part D. He receives a notice on June 1 that his employer is cutting back on prescription drug benefits and that as of July 1 his coverage will no longer be creditable. He has come to you for advice. What advice would you give Mr. Rockwell about special enrollment periods (SEPs)? - CORRECT ANSWER Mr. Rockwell is eligible for a SEP due to his involuntary loss of creditable drug coverage; the SEP begins in June and ends September 1 - two months after the loss of creditable coverage. Ms. Lee is enrolled in an MA-PD plan, but will be moving out of the plan's service area next month. She is worried that she will not be able to enroll in another plan available in her new residence until the Annual Election Period. What should you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER She is eligible for a Special Election Period that begins either the month before her permanent move, if the plan is notified in advance, or the month she provides notice of the move, and this period typically lasts an additional two months. Mr. Yoo's employer has recently dropped comprehensive creditable prescription drug coverage that was offered to company retirees. The company told Mr. Yoo that, because he was affected by this change, he would qualify for a Special Election Period. Mr. Yoo contacted you to find out more about what this means. What can you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER It means that he qualifies for a one-time opportunity to enroll into an MA-PD or Part D prescription drug plan. Mrs. Schneider has Original Medicare Parts A and B and has just qualified for her state's Medicaid program, so the state is now paying her Part B premium. Will gaining eligibility for this program affect her ability to enroll in a Medicare Advantage or Medicare Prescription Drug plan? - CORRECT ANSWER Yes. Qualifying for this state program gives Mrs. Schneider access to a Special Election Period that allows her to make changes to her MA and/or Part D enrollment at any time. If Mr. Johannsen gains the Part D low-income subsidy, how does that affect his ability to enroll or disenroll in a Part D plan? - CORRECT ANSWER He can enroll in or disenroll from a Part D plan at any time and the subsidy will apply to the plan he chooses. Mrs. Ridgeway enrolled in Original Medicare and Medigap coverage following her retirements several years ago. Four months ago, Mrs. Ridgeway dropped her Medigap policy to enroll in a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan for the first time. Unfortunately, Mrs. Ridgeway has found that many of her providers are not in the MA plan's network. She has come to you for advice? What should you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER She qualifies for a special enrollment period (SEP) that will allow her to make a one-time election to return to Original Medicare and she also has a guaranteed eligibility period to rejoin her Medigap plan. Mr. Chen is enrolled in his employer's group health plan and will be retiring soon. He would like to know his options since he has decided to drop his retiree coverage and is eligible for Medicare. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER Mr. Chen can disenroll from his employer-sponsored coverage to elect a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan within 2 months of his disenrollment, but he should revaluate if he really wants to drop his employer coverage. Mary Samuels recently suffered a stroke while visiting her daughter and grandchildren. As a result, Mary has been admitted to a rehabilitation hospital where she is expected to reside for several months. The rehabilitation hospital is located outside the geographic area served by her not available where he is moving. He doesn't know what he should do. What can you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER Because he is moving outside of the service area, the plan must automatically disenroll him. He will have a special election period to select a new plan. Mr. Robinson was quite ill recently and forgot to pay his monthly premium for his MA-PD plan. He is worried that he will lose his coverage now when he needs it the most. He is certain his plan will disenroll him because that is what happened to a friend of his in a similar type of plan. What can you tell Mr. Robinson about his situation? - CORRECT ANSWER Plan sponsors have the option to disenroll members who do not pay their premiums, but they must first provide each member with a grace period of not less than 2 months. Mrs. Valentino is currently enrolled in a Medicare Cost plan. This plan is no longer meeting her needs, but it is now mid-year and past the annual election period (AEP). What would you say to Mrs. Valentino regarding her options? - CORRECT ANSWER Mrs. Valentino can submit a written request to Medicare to be disenrolled from the Cost plan and enroll in Original Medicare. If Mr. Johannsen gains the Part D low-income subsidy, how does that affect his ability to enroll or disenroll in a Part D plan? - CORRECT ANSWER He can enroll in or disenroll from a Part D plan at any time and the subsidy will apply to the plan he chooses. Ms. O'Donnell learned about a new MA-PD plan that her neighbor suggested and that you represent. She plans to switch from her old MA HMO plan to the new MA-PD plan during the Annual Election Period. However, she wants to make sure she does not end up paying premiums for two plans. What can you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER She only needs to enroll in the new MA-PD plan and she will automatically be disenrolled from her old MA plan. Mrs. Young is currently enrolled in Original Medicare (Parts A and B), but she has been working with Agent Neil Adams in the selection of a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan. It is mid- September, and Mrs. Young is going on vacation. Agent Adams is considering suggesting that he and Mrs. Young complete the application together before she leaves. He will then submit the paper application prior the start of the annual enrollment period (AEP). What would you say If you were advising Agent Adams? - CORRECT ANSWER This is a bad idea. Agents are generally prohibited from soliciting or accepting an enrollment form prior to the start of the AEP. Mr. Block is currently enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan that includes drug coverage. He found a stand-alone Medicare prescription drug plan in his area that offers better coverage than that available through his MA-PD plan and in addition has a low premium. It won't cost him much more and, because he has the means to do so, he wishes to enroll in the stand-alone prescription drug plan in addition to his MA-PD plan. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER If Mr. Block enrolls in the stand-alone Medicare prescription drug plan, he will be disenrolled from the Medicare Advantage plan. Mrs. Kumar would like her daughter, who lives in another state, to meet with you during the Annual Election Period to help her complete her enrollment in a Part D plan. She asked you when she should have her daughter plan to visit. What could you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER Her daughter should come in November. Agent Armstrong is employed by XYZ Agency, which is under contract with ABC Health Plan, a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan that offers plans in multiple states. XYZ Agency maintains a website marketing the MA plans with which it has contracts. Agent Armstrong follows up with individuals who request more information about ABC MA plans via the website and tries to persuade them to enroll in ABC plans. What statement best describes the marketing and compliance rules that apply to Agent Armstrong? - CORRECT ANSWER Agent Armstrong needs to be licensed and appointed in every state in which beneficiaries to whom he markets ABC MA plans are located. Mrs. Kendrick is six months away from turning 65. She wants to know what she will have to do to enroll in a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan as soon as possible. What could you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER She may enroll in an MA plan beginning three months immediately before her first entitlement to both Medicare Part A and Part B. Mrs. Reynolds just signed up for a Medicare Advantage plan on the second of the month. She is leaving for vacation in two weeks and wants to know if her new coverage will start before she leaves. What should you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER Plan sponsors have the option to disenroll members who do not pay their premiums, but they must first provide each member with a grace period of not less than 2 months. Mr. Robinson was quite ill recently and forgot to pay his monthly premium for his MA-PD plan. He is worried that he will lose his coverage now when he needs it the most. He is certain his plan will disenroll him because that is what happened to a friend of his in a similar type of plan. What can you tell Mr. Robinson about his situation? - CORRECT ANSWER II, III, and IV only. Which of the following individuals are likely to qualify for a special enrollment period (SEP) for both MA and Part D due to a change of residence? I. Edward (enrolled in MA and Part D) moves to a new home within the same neighborhood in his existing plan's service area. II. Fiona (enrolled in MA and Part D) moves cross-country to an area outside her existing plan's service area. III. Gilbert moves into a plan service area where there is now a Part D plan available to him from a service area where no Part D plan was available. IV. Henry makes a permanent move providing him with new MA and Part D options. - CORRECT ANSWER II, III, IV Mrs. Lu is turning 65 in November and called to ask for your help deciding on a Medicare Advantage plan. She agreed to sign a scope of appointment form and meet with you October 15. During the appointment, what are you permitted to do? - CORRECT ANSWER You may provide her with the required enrollment materials and take her completed enrollment application. Mr. Denton is 52 years old and has recently been diagnosed with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and will soon begin dialysis. He is wondering if he can obtain coverage under Medicare. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER He may sign-up for Medicare at any time however coverage usually begins on the fourth month after dialysis treatments start. Mrs. Kelly, age 65, is entitled to Part A, but has not yet enrolled in Part B. She is considering enrollment in a Medicare health plan (Part C). What should you advise her to do before she will be able to enroll into a Medicare health plan? - CORRECT ANSWER In order to join a Medicare health plan, she also must enroll in Part B. Mrs. Park is an elderly retiree. She has a low, fixed income. What could you tell Mrs. Park that might be of assistance? - CORRECT ANSWER She should contact her state Medicaid agency to see if she qualified for one of several programs that can help with Medicare costs for which she is responsible. Mrs. Roberts has Original Medicare and would like to enroll in a Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plan. All types of PFFS plans are available in her are. Which options could Mrs. Roberts consider before selecting a PFFS plan? - CORRECT ANSWER A Medicare Advantage Agent Roderick enrolls retiree Mrs. Martinez in a medical savings account (MSA) Medicare Health plan. The MSA plan does not offer prescription drug coverage, so Agent Roderick also enrolls Mrs. Martinez in a standalone prescription drug plan (PDP). What CMS compensation rules apply to this situation? - CORRECT ANSWER This situation is considered a "dual enrollment" and CMS compensation rules are applied to the two plans at once and independently of each other. Mrs. Tanner is enrolled ina Medicare Advantage HMO that offers a point of service option. This allows Mrs. Tanner to do which of the following? - CORRECT ANSWER Mrs. Tanner can go to non-plan doctors for certain services without receiving prior approval. Mrs. Wellington is enrolled in Parts A and B of Original Medicare. A friend recently told her that there is an excellent Medicare Advantage (MA) plan with a five-star rating serving her area. On January 15 she comes to you for advice as to what option, if any, she has. What should you say regarding special enrollment periods (SEPs)? - CORRECT ANSWER Mrs. Wellington is eligible for a SEP that may be used once until November 30 to enroll in the five- star plan. Mr. Chen has heard about Medical Savings Account (MSA), but wants to know if it is just about saving money, or if he will get insurance coverage for his health care expenditures as well. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER Under the Medicare Advantage program. an MSA plan involves the combination of high deductible health plan and savings account for health expenses. Medicare will make contributions to this savings account to help him pay his health care expenses while in the deductible. Mrs. Redding requested that you call her to discuss a Part D plan she is interested in learning about to determine if she wants to enroll, However, she is concerned about identity theft and does not want ot give you her Social Security number. What should you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER When you call her, you should indicate that she is not required to provide any information to you, and failure to do so will not affect her membership in the plan. Mrs. Gardner is currently enrolled in a MA-PD plan. However, she wants to dis-enroll from the MA-PD plan and instead enroll in a Part D only plan and go back to Original Medicare. According to Medicare's enrollment guidelines, when could she do this? - CORRECT ANSWER She may make such a change during the Annual Election Period that runs from Oct. 15 to December 7, or during the MA Dis enrollment period that runs from January 1 to February 14 each year Mr. Moreno invited his neighbor, Agent Tom Smith, to discuss Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D plans that Agent Smith sells at the regular Tuesday brunch the neighbors have for senior citizens. What should Agent Tom Smith tell Mr. Moreno about the kinds of food that can be provided to potential enrollees who attend the sales presentation? - CORRECT ANSWER A meal cannot be provided, but light snacks would be permitted. Ms. Levi often travels to visit relatives and is concerned that she may need emergency care outside of her plan's service area. What should you tell her about coverage of emergency care? - CORRECT ANSWER Plans are required to cover out-of-network emergency care. Ms. Lewis understands that Medicare prescription drug plans may use various methods to control the use of specific drugs. She has heard about a technique called "step therapy" and is wondering if you can explain what that is. What should you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER Step therapy involves using one or more lower priced drugs before trying a more expensive drug when all are used to treat the same condition. During a sales presentation in Ms. Sullivan's home, she tells you that she has heard about a type of Medicare health plan known as Private Fee-For-Service (PFFS). She wants to know if this would be available to her. What should you tell her about PFFS plans? - CORRECT ANSWER A PFFS plan is one of various types of Medicare Advantage plans offered by private entities and she may enroll in one if it is available in her area. Mr. Polanski likes the cost of an HMO plan available in his area, but would like to be able to visit one or two doctors who aren't participating providers. He wants to know if the Point of Service (POS) option available with some HMOs will be of any help in this situation. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER The POS option might be a good solution for him as it will allow him to visit out-of-network providers, generally without prior approval. However, he should be aware that it is likely he will have to pay higher cost-sharing for services from out- of-network providers. Ms. Gardner is currently enrolled in a MA-PD plan. However, she wants to disenroll from the MA-PD plan and instead enroll in a Part D only plan and go back to Original Medicare. According to Medicare's enrollment guidelines, when could she do this? - CORRECT ANSWER She may make such a change during the Annual Election Period that runs from Oct. 15 to December 7, or during the MA Open Enrollment Period which takes place from January 1 - March 31 of each year (beginning in 2019) Agent Willis had several clients who disenrolled from the plans he represents during the AEP to try new Medicare Advantage plans, Agent Willis believes that the choices they made are not ideal for them and would like to get their business back during the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (MA-OEP). What can agent Willis do? - CORRECT ANSWER He can e- mail them in January and ask them to let him know if they are not happy with their new plans. Mr. James has end-stage renal disease (ESRD). He has been covered under Original Medicare but would like to know if he can enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER He will not be able to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan because he has end-stage renal disease unless a special needs plan for beneficiaries with ESRD is available in his service area. Mr. Perry is entitled to Medicare Part A but has not yet enrolled in Part B, even though he is 69 years old. He would like to enroll in a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan but is concerned that he will have to sign up for Part B as well in order to qualify for enrollment in a Part D plan. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER He is eligible for the Part D prescription drug benefit because he is entitled to Part A and he does not have to be enrolled in Part B Agent Chan is conducting a sales presentation on senior issues where he hopes to enroll some attendees in the Medicare Advantage (MA) plans he represents. What action(s) may Agent Chan take during the event? - CORRECT ANSWER Discuss plan specific information such as premiums and benefits. Eleanor takes several high-cost prescription drugs. She would like to enroll in a standalone Part D prescription drug plan that is available in her area. In what type of Medicare Health Plan can she enroll in she also wishes to enroll in the standalone Part D plan? - CORRECT ANSWER A Cost Plan that does not offer drug coverage or a Cost Plan that does offer drug coverage if she chooses not to enroll in it. Last year Agent Melanie Meyers marketed and enrolled several clients in Medicare Advantage (MA) health plans. This year she has decided to focus on non-MA products. What advice would you give Melanie if she wishes to continue to receive renewal fees? - CORRECT ANSWER Melanie must remain trained, tested, licensed, and appointed, regardless of whether she is actively selling MA products. Mrs. Wu was primarily a homemaker and employed in jobs that provided taxable income only sporadically. Her husband worked full-time throughout his long career. She has heard that to benefits and would like you to explain why there is such a range in premiums. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER Some prescription drug plans ay have higher operating costs and/or may offer enhanced coverage in return for an additional premium amount. He could look at plan designs to see if one of the enhanced plans would serve his needs better than a plan based on the standard design. Ms. Brooks has an aggressive cancer and would like to know if Medicare will cover hospice services in case she needs them. What should you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER Medicare covers hospice services and they will be available for her. Mrs. Davenport enrolled in the ABC Medicare Advantage (MA) plan several years ago. Her doctor recently confirmedf a diagnosis of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). What options does Mrs. Davenport have in regard to her MA plan during the next open enrollment season - CORRECT ANSWER She may remain in her ABC MA plan or enroll in a Special Needs Plan (SNP) for individual suffering from ESRD if one is available in he area. Ms. Stuart has heard about a special needs plan (SNP) that one of her friends is enrolled in and is interested in that product. She wants to be sure she also has coverage for prescription drugs. Would she be able to obtain drug coverage if she enrolled in the SNP? - CORRECT ANSWER Yes. All SNPs are required to provide Part D coverage for prescription drugs. Julia Harris is turning 66 in July, at which time she will retire. She has contacted your office and requested a meeting so that she can learn about Medicare and the products you represent. How should you respond? - CORRECT ANSWER Tell Julia that you will meet with her to explain Medicare and should she be interested you can accept and submit an enrollment request, since this is an initial enrollment qualifying he for a special enrollment period. Mr. Chan is one of your clients and in excellent health. He is enrolled in a Medicare prescription drug plan that you represent. He recently heard about a Medication Therapy Management (MTM) prgram in which his friend is enrolled. What should you tell him? - CORRECT ANSWER To be eligible for a MTM program, a Medicare beneficiary must have multiple chronic diseases, be taking multiple Part D prescription drugs, and likely to incur considerable drug costs. Alice is enrolled in a MA-PD plan. She makes a permanent move across the country and wonders what her options are for continuing MA-PD coverage. What would you say to her in regard to a special enrollment period (SEP)? - CORRECT ANSWER She is likely to qualify for a SEP. She can choose an effective date of up to three months after the month in which the enrollment form is received by the new plan, but the effective date may not be earlier than the date of her permanent move. Ms. Hernandez has marketed several different types of insurance products in her home state and has typically sought approval for her materials from her State Department of Insurance. What would you advise her regarding seeking such approval for materials she uses to market Medicare Advantage plans? - CORRECT ANSWER Materials for marketing Medicare health plans to individuals are subject to Medicare's uniform national requirements. They do not need to be reviewed by the state, but the company she represents must obtain approval from the Medicare agency (CMS) for any materials she uses. Richard is a licensed agent who represents Spartan Health Plan and its Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. Richard has several clients who have recently come to him for help who are in their initial coverage election period (ICEP) and are interested in enrolling in one of Spartan Health Plan's MA plans. Alice will soon turn 65 and retire. Alice has coverage through Spartan Health Plan offered by her employer. Bob had health coverage through Spartan but dropped the coverage when he retired early to travel overseas. Bob, who has just turned age 65, is now back in the United States. Charlotte, who will turn 65 next month, has coverage through Athena Health plan - a company Richard also represents. Who qualifies for the opt-in simplified enrollment mechanism? - CORRECT ANSWER Alice because she will not have a break between her non-Medicare and Medicare coverage though Spartan Health Plan. Mrs. Patterson is a new enrollee in the HealthBest Medicare Advantage (MA-PD) plan. She is new to this type of coverage and asks you what materials, if any, she should receive. How would you reply? - CORRECT ANSWER She should expect either the pharmacy directory in hard copy or a distinct and separate notice (in hard copy) describing where she can find the pharmacy directory online and how to request a hard copy. Ms. Lopez is an independent agent under contract with MarketCo, a third-party marketing organization. MarketCo has a contract with BestCare health plan, a Medicare Advantage (MA) organization, to offer marketing services through its contracted agents and agencies. Ms. Lopez returns calls to individuals who contact MarketCo in response to its mailers promoting BestCare health plan. Which of the following best describes the responsibilities of Ms. Lopez? - CORRECT ANSWER Ms. Lopez is considered a marketing representative of BestCare and thus is obligated to comply with CMS marketing requirements, including those regarding using only approved call scripts. Mr. Albert has heard about something called the Star Rating system for Medicare Advantage plans. He asks you to explain it to him since he is interested in enrolling in a plan that is newly available in his area. After you explain that it is the way for consumers to judge plan performance, what else would you say? - CORRECT ANSWER New plans and Part D sponsors that do not have any Star Rating are not required to provide Star Rating information until the next contract year. Mrs. Roberts has just received a new Medicare Identity card in the mail. She is concerned that it is a forgery since it does not have her Social Security number on it. What should you tell her? - CORRECT ANSWER The card she received is valid, the change has been made to protect Medicare beneficiaries from identity theft, and she should now destroy her old card. One of your colleagues argues that it is better focus your time and energy exclusively in neighborhoods with single family homes. He further argues that their older owners are more likely to have higher incomes and purchase the Medicare Advantage products you represent compared to those living in apartments complexes. How should you respond? - CORRECT ANSWER This could be considered discriminatory activity and a prohibited practice. Mrs. Duarte is enrolled in Original Medicare Parts A and B. She has recently reviewed her Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) and disagrees with a determination that partially denied one of her claims for services. What advice would you give her? - CORRECT ANSWER Mrs. Duarte should file and appeal of this initial determination within 120 days of the date she received the MSN in the mail Any person who knowingly submits false claims to the Government is liable for five times the Governments damages caused by the violator plus a penalty. - CORRECT ANSWER False These are examples of issues that should be reported to a Compliance Department: suspected Fraud, Waste, and Abuse (FWA): potential health privacy violation, and behavior/employee misconduct. - CORRECT ANSWER True Bribes or kickbacks of any kind for services that are paid under a Federal health care program (which includes Medicare constitute fraud by the person making as well as the person receiving them. - CORRECT ANSWER True