For Medicare Beneficiaries

The Illinois Foundation for Quality Health Care (IFQHC) serves as a primary resource for Medicare beneficiaries in Illinois. Our beneficiary activities are designed to provide Medicare beneficiaries with the information they need to make informed decisions about their health and the health care they receive.

An important part of Medicare's Health Care Quality Improvement Program (HCQIP) is educating Medicare beneficiaries about their rights and responsibilities and the importance of preventive health care services, which are paid for by Medicare.

For more detailed information about IFQHC's work view the annual report

IFQHC's mission is accomplished in a number of ways, including.

HelpLine
To assist Illinois Medicare beneficiaries, IFQHC provides a Medicare Consumer HelpLine. Knowledgeable HelpLine representatives are available to answer questions about nursing home, home health, hospital, physician office and other concerns regarding the quality of health care Medicare beneficiaries have received.
The HelpLine is staffed from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT. Monday through Friday.
The HelpLine telephone number is 1-800-647-8089.

Beneficiary Complaint Information and Form

Newsletter
Previous issues of Medicare Today are available free of charge from the IFQHC Online Catalog. Issues also can be downloaded from the Publications section of this Web site.

Online Tool for Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently unveiled an online tool for beneficiaries to compare plans under the new Medicare prescription drug benefit. The tool, allows you to select plans by state or territory and also view information such as the monthly premium and annual deductible.

To access the online tool, select the link to Find a prescription drug plan.

My Health, My Medicare
To assist Medicare beneficiaries with enrolling and getting the most of their Medicare prescription drug coverage, CMS launched the "My Health, My Medicare" campaign. The program is designed to provide new tools for beneficiaries to use to take advantage of the open enrollment period for Medicare prescription drug plans and to help people understand and take advantage of the many services and resources available through Medicare.

For information on a new online tool to help you manage your Medicare coverage click here.

For information on changes in qualifying for extra financial help in 2007 click here.

Welcome to Medicare Physical Exam
New Medicare beneficiaries are encouraged to take advantage of the Welcome to Medicare Physicial Exam, a one-time preventive physical review that can be scheduled within the first six months of your Medicare coverage. The exam includes a thorough review of your health, along with education and counseling about the preventive services you need. It's a great way to get up-to-date on important screenings and shots and to talk with your doctor about your family history and how to stay healthy.

Click the following link for more information on the Welcome to Medicare Physical Exam.