Medicare: Callers Can Access 1-800-MEDICARE Services, But Responsibility Within CMS for Limited English Proficiency Plan Remains Unclear

Kathleen M. King

qer 2009 · DIANE Publishing

Rreth këtij libri elektronik

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is responsible for providing beneficiaries timely and accurate information about Medicare. Receiving nearly 30 million calls in 2007, 1-800-MEDICARE, operated by a contractor, is the most common way members of the public get program information. The help line provides services both to English-speaking and limited English proficiency (LEP) callers. This report describes: (1) the extent to which access performance standards and targets have been met by the current contractor; (2) the efforts by CMS to provide LEP callers access to help line services and wait times experienced by these callers; and (3) CMS's oversight of callers' access to 1-800-MEDICARE and the information's accuracy. Illus.