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Show 111 &jsh II Q. Our 15-year-old son has permanent kidney failure. We know Medicare will cover his dialysis and other major services. serv-ices. What services are not covered? A. Some of the services Medicare does not cover are ambulance or other transportation transporta-tion costs to a facility for routine outpatient maintenance dialysis; dialysis aides' services to assist in home dialysis, except ex-cept under certain conditions; inpatient hospital and skilled nursing facility costs when the stay is solely for maintenance dialysis; and lodging costs when an outpatient dialysis facility is not near your home. For detailed information, ask for Medicare coverage of kidney dialysis and kidney transplant services-A supplement to Your Medicare Handbook at any social security office. Q. I've heard that it would be to my advantage if my doctor accepts assignment of the Medicare medical insurance payment. What dlfference.does it make whether he gets the medical insurance payment or I do? A. When doctors (or suppliers) accept the assignment method of payment, they also must accept ac-cept the Medicare reasonable charge as their total charge. They can bill you only for 20 percent of the reasonable charge (plus any part of the deductible de-ductible you haven't met). If you file the claim for payment, the doctor can bill you for his or her actual charge, even if it is more than the Medicare reasonable charge. 1 |