Because older Americans are vulnerable to COVID-19, Seema Verma, Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a statement on how CMS is helping Medicare beneficiaries during the pandemic.

Administrator Verma warns that scammers may try to use this emergency to steal Medicare numbers or other personal information, and she advises that beneficiaries only give their Medicare numbers to their trusted doctors, pharmacists, or other health care providers. She also reminds beneficiaries that Medicare never calls its beneficiaries to ask for or to "verify" Medicare numbers.

Administrator Verma also states that Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans cover all the costs of COVID-19 testing if ordered by a doctor and all medically necessary hospitalizations. Once a vaccine for COVID-19 becomes available, Medicare will cover that as well. Finally, she reminds beneficiaries that Medicare has expanded its coverage of telehealth services to make it easier to access your doctor without having to travel to an office.  

For tips for caregivers on how to care for a loved one during the COVID-19 pandemic please visit alz.org/covid19