Practical information on the Medicare system--how it works, how to cope with it successfully, and how to fill in the gaps it leaves, including buying supplemental insurance and financing long-term care. Includes a substantial resource section. Annotation(c) 2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
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Library Journal Review
``Medicare has evolved into one of the most complex government programs in the world.'' This book is an admirable attempt to make Medicare understandable to the millions of older Americans who depend upon it for health coverage. Vierck, a consultant to the Senate Special Committee on Aging, offers concise discussions of Parts A and B, collecting benefits, appealing denied claims, supplemental policies, and long-term care, amply illustrated with tables, charts, and sample forms. Almost half the book is devoted to resource materials: directories of pertinent organizations, a glossary, who's who in health care, and an extensive annotated bibliography of books, pamphlets, and periodicals. Nicely presented with lots of white space, easy-to-read type, and frequent subheadings, this work deserves a place next to Charles B. Inlander and Charles K. MacKay's Medi care Made Easy ( LJ 4/1/89).-- Karen McNally Bensing, Benjamin Rose Inst. Lib., Cleveland (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
CHOICE Review
Books in the "Choices and Challenges: An Older Adult Reference Series" are composed of two parts, a narrative section, written on a basic level, that includes both an overview of the topic and specific information, and an annotated resource section noting relevant organizations and information materials. Vierck, a consultant with the US Senate's Special Committee on Aging and also the editor of the series, provides a guide to Medicare programs and discusses how various kinds of health-care costs are and are not covered by Medicare, other public programs, and private insurance. Chapters 1 through 3 discuss Medicare programs. The next four chapters examine paying for and collecting payment from Medicare; appealing Medicare decisions; supplementing Medicare through such options as private health insurance, Medicaid, and HMOs; and financing long-term care. Vierck also gives consumer tips for saving health care dollars. The last three chapters describe resources, including the variety of health-care providers (and whether their care is covered by Medicare), organizations, and assorted reference materials. A glossary and index are provided; the print is attractive; writing is clear. The recency, the two-part format, and the inclusion of some discussion of general issues make this a valuable resource. The primary audience will be older adults and general readers concerned with financial aspects of their health care, but the book could be used with lower-division undergraduates as a basic introduction to the topic. -C. Dobson, Iowa State University
