The complete idiot's guide to social security and Medicare
By: by Lita Epstein
Edition: 3rd ed.
Series: Complete idiot's guide; Complete idiot's guide
Publisher: Alpha Books
Published: 2010
Place of publication: Indianapolis, IN
Language: eng
Number of pages: 322
ISBN-13: 9781615640126
Subjects: Health insurance; Medigap; Medicare; Social security; Handbooks, manuals
Other titles: Social security and Medicare
Description: Completely revised and updated with the latest 2008 statistics by an expert in the field, this guide incorporates the latest information on these important social programs--how they work, how they are changing with the current administration, and what the future holds.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: pt. 1. Hatching the nest egg; title: 1. Letting the chicks out; title: Roosevelt to the rescue; title: A Declaration of Security; title: A Civil Idea; title: Designing the safety net; title: Passing the rules: 1935 Social Security Act; title: spreading the word; title: 2. Social security grows up; title: Implementing the plan; title: Finding the folks: U.S. Postal Service to the rescue; title: Crafting accounts; title: Paying the bucks; title: The 1939 amendments; title: A growing family; title: Getting an early start; title: More benefits = more costs; title: The 1950 windfall; title: Help for the disabled; title: Medicare to the rescue; title: Facing a money crunch; title: 3. Today's security; title: Looking at Social Security's bottom line; title: Paying the bill; title: Workers' and employers' bills; title: Entrepreneurs' payouts; title: Who doesn't pay; title: Feeding the trusts; title: Trust money rules; title: Trust funds and the budget; title: Weathering the Baby Boom storm; title: pt. 2. Getting your share; title: 4. It's all about me; title: Something to live on; title: Money for your spouse; title: Support your kids; title: Protecting yourself if you can't work; title: 5. Following the rules; title: Your out-of-pocket costs; title: If you're employed by someone else; title: If you're self-employed; title: Your time commitment; title: Retirement requirements; title: Disability dues; title: Survivors and benefits; title: Meeting Medicare requirements; title: Credit poor; title: When older is better; title: Starting the paper trail; title: Correcting errors; title: Getting your statement; title: didn't get a statement?; title: 6. Counting your cash; title: Cracking the payout rules; title: Why you might get less; title: Planning your strategies; title: Collecting your stash; title: Making contact; title: Gathering the right documents; title: 7. Timing your exit; title: Your date to escape; title: Your life span determines your income; title: Early arrival; title: Late to the party; title: What timing is best for you?; title: pt. 3. Cracking open your nest egg; title: 8. Picking up the pieces; title: Dealing with the loss of a spouse, divorce, or disability; title: Protecting your assets; title: Making the right moves; title: Protecting yourself from scams and frauds; title: Suspicions of theft; title: Fixing the mess; title: Changing numbers; title: 9. Partings not so sweet; title: Social security and divorce; title: Timing is everything; title: Spousal benefits; title: Survivor's benefits; title: No peeking; title: Multiple marriages; title: The remarriage trap; title: Changing numbers; title: Changing names; title: 10. After the death of a spouse; title: Timing your actions; title: Your benefit options; title: Married with children; title: Remarriage hurts; title: Benefit options; title: Government pension offset; title: Making changes; title: Women's differences; title: Women's bigger benefit; title: Women's future benefit; title: 11. Children's share; title: Dough for the kids; title: Getting kids' money; title: Benefits for a disabled child over age 18; title: Supplemental income for disabled kids; title: Meeting the criteria; title: Continuing reviews; title: New rules at 18; title: Applying for SSI benefits; title: Medical care; title: 12. Dependent parents' slice; title: Learning the rules; title: Caregiving resources; title: Taking leave from work; title: Finances and your dependent parents; title: 13. Collecting disability; title: Passing the test; title: Establishing a work history; title: Applying for benefits; title: Determining disability; title: Special rules if you are blind; title: Collecting your money; title: What if you are rejected?; title: Avoiding benefit loss; title: Staying in touch; title: going back to work; title: How going back to work affects benefits; title: Trial work period; title: Extended period of eligibility; title: Expedited reinstatement of benefits; title: Continuation of Medicare; title: Impairment-related work expenses; title: Recovery during vocational rehabilitation; title: 14. Supplementing income; title: SSI: assisting the poor and disabled; title: Rules for supplementing income; title: Applying for help; title: Collecting benefits; title: Appealing the decision; title: Reporting changes; title: Reviewing your case; title: Going back to work; title: Getting a PASS; title: Other help you can get.; title: pt. 4. Living right; title: 15. Making ends meet; title: Keeping your head above water; title: getting COLAs; title: Stretching y our bucks; title: Track and rate your expenses; title: Live frugally (before you need to); title: Seeking community support; title: Sharing your living space; title: 16. Working again; title: I don't want to quit; title: Scouting the rules; title: Using the formulas; title: What counts as income?; title: Special rules for the self-employed; title: Reporting earnings; title: Benefits of going back to work; title: 17. Using your assets; title: Identifying assets; title: Integrating assets; title: Using your investments; title: Tapping your home equity; title: Selling your house and moving; title: Home equity line of credit or a new mortgage; title: The reverse mortgage option; title: 18. Minimizing the tax bite; title: Tax rules in retirement; title: Putting worksheets to work; title: Overearning; title: Adding children's benefits to the mix; title: Withholding taxes from your benefits; title: What is taxed?; title: Retirement plan distributions; title: Tax on early distributions; title: Purchased annuities; title: Railroad retirement benefits; title: Military retirement pay; title: pt. 5. Staying healthy; title: 19. Getting Medicare coverage; title: Medicare: starting coverage; title: Already collecting Social Security; title: Not collecting Social Security; title: Buying into Medicare; title: Should you apply if you still working?; title: What's in Part A; title: It's not free; title: Benefit periods; title: Your costs; title: What's in Part B; title: Preventive care coverage; title: Don't forget those ugly exclusions; title: Privatizing Medicare: Medicare Advantage plans; title: Sorting out the plans; title: Determining what's best for you; title: Why all the Medicare changes?; title: Medicare rights; title: Detecting and preventing fraud and abuse; title: The future of Medicare; title: 20. Paying for drugs; title: What the Medicare Prescription-Drug Plan covers; title: Who is eligible?; title: You're eligible, but take action carefully!; title: Don't fall prey to slick marketers; title: Are your drugs covered?; title: Figuring out formularies; title: Testing out the tiers; title: Limiting your drug use; title: Getting an exception; title: Drugs excluded by law; title: Finding a plan that covers your drugs; title: Picking a pharmacy; title: Understanding the costs; title: Is buying from Canada cheaper?: Not anymore; title: Generics will save you money; title: Does the plan make sense if you don't use many drugs?; title: How to enroll in Medicare Part D; title: How to pay; title: Getting help if you can't afford to pay; title: Making a change; title: Conducting a yearly review of your options; title: 21. What's missing from Medicare; title: Long-Term Care drain; title: Home Care services; title: Affordable health care for the poor; title: 22. Closing the gaps; title: Closing the gap with Medigap; title: Long-Term Care options; title: Buy early and save; title: Choosing coverage; title: Your coverage options; title: Continuous-care communities: are they for you?; title: pt. 6. What's next for the nest egg; title: 23. Running out of money; title: The multitrillion-dollar question; title: Future speculation; title: What are the trusts?; title: Who are the trustees?; title: Draining the trust funds; title: Medicare's troubles; title: Social Security shortfall; title: Long-range outlook for the funds; title: After the trusts; title: 24. Modernizing medicine; title: Dealing with the shortfall; title: The battle to add prescription-drug coverage; title: New bill causes increases in Medicare premiums; title: Preventing hospital readmissions; title: Improving information management; title: Working with an outdated system; title: Better cost control by private insurers; title: Disease-management programs; title: Demonstrations for modernization; title: 25. Rescuing Social Security; title: Setting the stage; title: The crisis isn't immediate; title: The trust funds are real; title: Key players; title: The pro-privatization side; title: The fence straddler; title: The antiprivatization side; title: Private parts; title: The cost of privatization; title: Administering the accounts; title: International players; title: Chile; title: Looking at the UK; title: Next steps; title: 26. Following the changes; title: Monitoring the Government; title: The Administration; title: Congress; title: Tracking private advocacy groups; title: Key research studies and websites you shouldn't miss; title: Your role in Social Security and Medicare's future.