Medicare is the federal health insurance program for people 65 years of age or older, some people under age 65 with disabilities, and people with End Stage Renal Disease (permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant). CMS is the federal agency in charge of the Medicare program. CMS stands for Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. CMS contracts with and regulates Medicare Health Plans (including Verda Health Plan of Texas) and Medicare Private Fee-for-Service organizations.
Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) to ask questions or get free information booklets from Medicare. You can call this national Medicare helpline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048. Calls to these numbers are free.
Use a computer to look at www.medicare.gov, the official government website for Medicare information. This website gives you a lot of up-to-date information about Medicare and nursing homes and other current Medicare issues. It includes booklets you can print directly from your computer. It has tools to help you compare Medicare Advantage Plan and Prescription Drug Plans in your area. You can also search the “Helpful Contacts” section for the Medicare contacts in your state. If you do not have a computer, your local library or senior center may be able to help you visit this website using their computer.