Taking The Mystery Out Of The Medicare Program - A Book About Medicare Coverage

Taking the Mystery out of the Medicare Program by Sharon Johnson, BSW, is a detailed yet understandable overview of Medicare coverage, including tips for choosing the best Medicare option for you and working effectively with Medicare providers.

In Taking the Mystery out of the Medicare Program, Sharon Johnson, BSW, warns readers that Medicare coverage is anything but simple: "It's difficult to navigate through this system, especially since you'll receive different answers to the same questions, depending upon whom you ask," she writes.

But in this 55-page booklet, Johnson does a good job explaining how the Medicare program works and how to make the most of your Medicare benefits. Topics include:

• What is Medicare?
• Medicare eligibility
• Qualifying as a disabled person
• Choosing the right Medicare plan
• Original Medicare Parts A and B
• Medicare Part A for Skilled Nursing Facilities
• Medicare Supplemental Policies (Medigap)
• Medicare Part C - Medicare Advantage Plans
• Medicare Part D - Prescription Drug Coverage
• Other Medicare issues

Johnson updates this booklet annually to reflect current Medicare policies and procedures.

For families dealing with Alzheimer's disease, it would have been helpful to offer a section on how the Medicare program covers medical care and other types of services specific to the disease.

However, most families dealing with Alzheimer's or another kind of dementia will almost certainly deal with Medicare, unless the individual has early-onset Alzheimer's that occurs before the age of 65. This reality makes Taking the Mystery out of the Medicare Program an excellent resource for caregivers and individuals recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's who are preparing for an increased need for medical services.