The Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI) established the Senior Issues page to assist seniors looking for help with purchasing insurance, comparing policies that supplement Medicare and making decisions on planning and paying for long-term care.

Medicare is constantly changing. In 1999, significant changes were made to the federal Medicare program. Medicare beneficiaries will need to make choices about continuing with their current health care arrangement or selecting a new plan from a wide range of delivery systems under the Medicare Advantage program.

Medicare Part D is the new program created by the federal Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act (MMA) of 2003 to provide some assistance for Medicare beneficiaries to pay for outpatient prescription drug costs. It is an optional program available to Medicare beneficiaries eligible for Medicare Part A and/or enrolled in Part B. The MMA was created and is regulated by the federal government. The State of Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI) does not have jurisdiction regarding Medicare, Medicare-approved drug discount cards, Medicare Part D, or Medicare Advantage plans.

Planning for long-term care allows seniors to make informed decisions on what is best for them, based on their own individual needs, preferences, financial status and family situation. Long-term care insurance is one way for individuals to protect their assets against the potentially catastrophic cost of extended long-term care.

Congress passed a law in 1996 that allowed for the deduction of all or part of the premium of a long-term care insurance policy. Policies must meet certain federal standards before the premium can be deducted. These policies are called tax-qualified long-term care insurance contracts. In addition, benefits received from a qualified long-term care policy are generally not taxable as income.

OCI developed this Web site to assist senior citizens understand and make wise choices regarding long-term care, Medicaid, Medicare, Medicare Advantage and Medigap insurance. OCI is also using this Web site to alert seniors to possible unscrupulous activity that could seriously affect them. We call these Consumer Alerts for Seniors.

Consumer Alerts for Seniors (Updated: May 2008)
News Articles, Press Releases, and Testimony (Updated: November 2008)
Long-Term Care
Medicare
Medicare Advantage Plans
Medigap - Medicare Supplement Insurance
2010 Medicare Premiums and Deductibles
Medicare Prescription Drug Program
Commonly Used Acronyms
Glossary of Insurance Terms
Glossary of Long-Term Care Insurance Terms
Glossary of Medicare, Medicare Advantage and Medigap Insurance Terms
Consumer Publications
Other Sources of Help