Medicare denial

[califsealion]

I'm filing a medical claim for my mom from a cruise and she only has Medicare with no supplemental.  I have to get the denial from Medicare for her travel insurance to consider covering it.  Just wondering, do they send a denial letter by snail mail or electronically?  I was looking on Medicare's website and found how to file the claim but unsure how the denial of gets sent.

 

Thanks!

[iamtrustworthy]

On 11/15/2019 at 8:26 PM, califsealion said:

I'm filing a medical claim for my mom from a cruise and she only has Medicare with no supplemental.  I have to get the denial from Medicare for her travel insurance to consider covering it.  Just wondering, do they send a denial letter by snail mail or electronically?  I was looking on Medicare's website and found how to file the claim but unsure how the denial of gets sent.

 

Thanks!

I don't know for sure, but I'd guess it'as via the USPS

[coevan]

Medicare A & B do NOT cover foreign travel and why we specifically chose a supplement which does cover foreign travel. 

[Jersey42]

58 minutes ago, coevan said:

Medicare A & B do NOT cover foreign travel and why we specifically chose a supplement which does cover foreign travel. 

Yes, Medicare A & B do NOT cover foreign travel.  Unfortunately a Medicare supplement (Medigap) plan that does cover foreign travel is too limited for some people. 

• $250 annual deductible (not a big deal)
• 80%/20% cost sharing, so you still must pay 20% of the costs. (can start to get expensive)
• $50K lifetime maximum (one incident could use up all of your coverage forever)

This is why many people with a medicare supplement still take some additional travel medical insurance.

 

Unfortunately, I do not have an answer for the original poster.

[coevan]

There are many different supplement companies which offer a variety of foreign services. Our plan is more extensive. We still always buy trip insurance, saved our bacon twice big time.

[Elaine5715]

On 11/15/2019 at 9:26 PM, califsealion said:

I'm filing a medical claim for my mom from a cruise and she only has Medicare with no supplemental.  I have to get the denial from Medicare for her travel insurance to consider covering it.  Just wondering, do they send a denial letter by snail mail or electronically?  I was looking on Medicare's website and found how to file the claim but unsure how the denial of gets sent.

 

Thanks!

In the mail

[califsealion]

On 11/23/2019 at 3:44 PM, Elaine5715 said:

In the mail

 

Thank you!  I will be keeping my eye out for it, though they say it can take 60 days. 😮

[califsealion]

I figured I'd follow up here in case anyone else searches this out for information.  I just got the medicare denial in the mail yesterday, so it well and truly took the 60 days to get the answer.  I'm sure all the holidays didn't help.  Now just have to wait to see if the travel insurance is going to cover it or not. 

[klfrodo]

14 hours ago, califsealion said:

I figured I'd follow up here in case anyone else searches this out for information.  I just got the medicare denial in the mail yesterday, so it well and truly took the 60 days to get the answer.  I'm sure all the holidays didn't help.  Now just have to wait to see if the travel insurance is going to cover it or not. 

Thanks for updating and sharing your experience.

[JodiandFrank]

I am following this carefully.  I sent claims in to Medicare for both my husband and myself from Shipboard services (the Ovation) in December.  They were mailed several weeks ago.  I have not heard anything so I called Medicare today and was told I would not hear anything for at least 60 days.  Then it could take up to an additional 150 days (!) to receive a denial or payment.  We took out additional medical insurance knowing Medicare won't pay.  I never realized one had to file through Medicare first before filing via our travel insurance.  Really annoying, to say the least!

[Jersey42]

24 minutes ago, JodiandFrank said:

I am following this carefully.  I sent claims in to Medicare for both my husband and myself from Shipboard services (the Ovation) in December.  They were mailed several weeks ago.  I have not heard anything so I called Medicare today and was told I would not hear anything for at least 60 days.  Then it could take up to an additional 150 days (!) to receive a denial or payment.  We took out additional medical insurance knowing Medicare won't pay.  I never realized one had to file through Medicare first before filing via our travel insurance.  Really annoying, to say the least!

Wow, it is a shame that it takes so long. As long as you can wait it out, you should eventually be reimbursed.  It doesn't help you now, but next time look for a plan with "primary" instead of "secondary" medical coverage.  Sometimes, but not always, they cost a little bit more, but you can file medical claims directly with the travel insurance company and not need to get a denial from medicare.  

[JodiandFrank]

Thank you, Jersey42!  Great advice....  I will do just that the next time I book anything outside the US.  I’m now going to check the insurance I bought two weeks ago for some upcoming travels.