SHOPPER'S GUIDE TO HEALTH INSURANCE FOR COLORADO SENIORS

IN COLORADO, MANY OF THE 260,000 OLDER ADULTS WHO ARE MEDICARE BENEFICARIES SUFFER FROM A LACK OF KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE OPTIONS AND CONSEQUENCES OF SPECIFIC HEALTH CARE PLANS. AS CAPITATION SYSTEMS FOR PAYMENT OF HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS GROW, AND THE CATASTROPHIC HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM IS APPROVED. THERE IS AN INCREASING NEED FOR OLDER ADULTS TO UNDERSTAND THE COVERAGES OF THEIR HEALTH CARE PLANS. IN PHASE I, INFORMATION ASSOCIATES INC. WILL DEVELOP AN OUTLINE FOR A "SHOPPER'S GUIDE" DESCRIBING MEDICARE, THE NEW CATASTROPHIC HEALTH CARE BENEFIT AND THE VARIABLES WHICH NEED TO BE CONSIDERED BY OLDER ADULTS WHEN PURCHASING SUPPLEMENTAL INSURANCE. IN PHASE II THE SHOPPER'S GUIDE WILL BE DEVELOPED, PRINTED AND DISTRIBUTED. IN ADDITION, A SOFTWARE VERSION OF THE GUIDE WILL BE DEVELOPED TO ENABLE CONTINUAL UPDATING. IN PHASE III THE GUIDE WILL BE UPDATED AND A POST-TEST WILL BE CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE GUIDE.