New app displays what original medicare covers

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services launched a new app that gives consumers a modernized Medicare experience with direct access on a mobile device to some of the most-used content on Medicare.gov.

The new “What’s Covered” app lets people with original Medicare, caregivers and others quickly see whether Medicare covers a specific medical item or service.

Consumers can use their mobile devices to more easily get accurate, consistent Medicare coverage information in the doctor’s office, the hospital or anywhere else they use their mobile device.

“E-Medicare is one of several initiatives focused on modernizing Medicare and empowering patients with information they need to get the best value from their Medicare coverage,” said Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma.

The centers created the app to meet the needs of the growing population of people with Medicare.

The Medicare population is projected to increase almost 50 percent by 2030 — from 54 million beneficiaries in 2015 to more than 80 million beneficiaries in 2030. As of 2016, about two-thirds of Medicare beneficiaries indicate they use the internet daily or almost daily (65 percent).

Questions about what Medicare covers are some of the most frequent inquiries that CMS receives. There are approximately 15 million page views annually for coverage-related content on Medicare.gov and 1-800 MEDICARE receives over 3 million coverage-related calls each year.

CMS launched the eMedicare initiative in 2018 to empower beneficiaries with cost and quality information. Other new tools in the eMedicare suite include:

>> Enhanced interactive online decision support to help people better understand and evaluate their Medicare coverage options and costs between Medicare and Medicare Advantage.

>> An online service that lets people quickly see how different coverage choices will affect their estimated out-of-pocket costs.

>> Price transparency tools let consumers compare the national average costs of certain procedures between settings, so people can see what they’ll pay for procedures done in a hospital outpatient department versus an ambulatory surgical center.

>> A webchat option in the Medicare Plan Finder.

The eMedicare initiative expands and improves on current consumer service options. People with Medicare will continue to have access to paper copies of the Medicare & You handbook and Medicare Summary Notices.

The “What’s Covered” app is available for free in both Google Play and the Apple App Store. The app is available in Google Play at play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=gov.medicare.coverage, and is available in the Apple App Store at itunes.apple.com/us/app/whats-covered/id1444143600?mt=8.