The Obstacle Course

The Medicare Quiz

Medicare provides health coverage to approximately 50 million beneficiaries ages 65 and older and younger people with permanent disabilities. Medicare remains a hot topic in Washington and around the country as political leaders and other policy makers weigh potential changes to the program. How much do you know about Medicare, the people it serves, the benefits it covers, and its financial status?

Test Your Knowledge (Source: Kaiser Family Foundation (2013). Medicare Quiz.)

Approximately what share of the federal budget goes toward Medicare, the federal program that provides health insurance to elderly and disabled Americans across all income levels?

a. 5%

b. 15%

c. 25%

d. 30%

What share of all Medicare beneficiaries lived on incomes of less than $22,000 in 2010, including income from Social Security and all other sources?

a. 15%

b. 30%

c. 50%

d. 70%

Which one of the following services is not typically covered by Medicare?

a. Prescription drugs

b. Long-term care services and supports, such as a nursing home stay

c. Preventive services, such as mammograms and prostate cancer screening

d. Surgery

What share of Medicare beneficiaries has three or more chronic conditions, such as diabetes, arthritis, or osteoporosis?

a. 15%

b. 30%

c. 45%

d. 60%

Is the following statement true or false?

Like most large employer health plans, the fee-for-service Medicare program protects enrollees from extraordinarily high medical bills by placing an annual limit on out-of-pocket costs.

True

False

Is the following statement true or false?

All Medicare beneficiaries pay the same premium for coverage of physician and outpatient services, regardless of their income.

True

False

Is the following statement true or false?

Medicare spending is expected to grow FASTER than private health insurance spending on a per person basis.

True

False

What share of the total Medicare population is enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, such as a Medicare HMO or PPO, rather than the traditional fee-for-service Medicare program?

a. 10%

b. 15%

c. 25%

d. 40%

Is the following statement true or false?

The health reform law closes the Medicare prescription drug benefits "doughnut hole", or coverage gap, so seniors no longer have to pay the full cost of their medications when they reach the gap.

True

False

Under current law, how soon is Medicare's Hospital Insurance Trust Fund projected to become insolvent, meaning it will not have enough money to pay the full cost of a beneficiary's hospital care?

a. In the next 5 years

b. In 10-15 years

c. In 25-30 years

d. In >30 years

The Medicaid Quiz

Medicaid, the nation's publicly funded health coverage program for low-income Americans, is a primary source of coverage, access, and health care financing, as well as a key component of the expansion of coverage in the Affordable Care Act. How much do you know about Medicaid, the role it plays in the lives of many Americans, how program dollars are spent and how Medicaid eligibility will change under health reform? (Source: Kaiser Family Foundation (2013). Medicaid Quiz)

Medicaid fills in gaps in the availability of health insurance for which of the following groups?

a. Covering all people below the poverty line

b. Covering just low-income children

c. Covering certain groups of low-income people

d. Covering just low-income adults

Approximately what percent of Americans receive health insurance coverage through Medicaid at some point during the year?

a. 5%

b. 10%

c. 20%

d. >30%

Is the following statement true or false? The Medicaid program is uniform across all states.

True

False

Of the nearly 63 million people served by Medicaid each year, approximately how many are children?

a. 10%

b. 25%

c. 50%

d. 66%

Which of the following group accounts for most Medicaid spending?

a. Children under age 19

b. Unemployed adults

c. Elderly and disabled adults

How does the recent growth in Medicaid spending per person compare to the growth in private health insurance premiums per person?

a. Medicaid spending grew faster than private health insurance premiums.

b. Medicaid spending grew slower than private health insurance premiums.

c. Medicaid spending grew at the same rate as private health insurance premiums.

Which type of coverage is the primary payer for long-term care services and supports for elderly and disabled individuals?

a.  Medicaid

b. Medicare

c. Private insurance

d. Employer sponsored insurance

What types of assistance does Medicaid provide for Medicare beneficiaries?

a.  Medicaid pays for Medicare premiums and copays for low-income beneficiaries.

b.  Medicaid pays for health care services not covered by Medicare, such as home and community-based services.

c. Both A and B are true.

d. Neither A nor B is true.

Is the following statement true or false?

Medicaid beneficiaries more likely than people with private health insurance to go to the emergency room for non-emergency care.

True

False

Who will become eligible to gain Medicaid coverage starting in 2014 through the Affordable Care Act?

a. Children up to age 18

b. Children up to age 26

c. Many low-income adults

d. Undocumented immigrants

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