For Medicare Consumers

The Iowa Foundation for Medical Care (IFMC) serves as a resource for Medicare consumers in Iowa. Our activities are designed to provide Medicare consumers with the information they need to make informed decisions about their health and the care they receive.

An important part of Medicare's Health Care Quality Improvement Program (HCQIP) is educating consumers about their rights and responsibilities and the importance of preventive health care services, which are paid for by Medicare.

Under Medicare your rights include:

• Being admitted to the hospital when medically necessary.
• Staying in the hospital until it is medically safe to leave.
• Receiving quality health care.

As a Medicare consumer you are responsible for:

• Talking with your doctor and learning as much as you can about your medical care.
• Understanding your Medicare coverage, including your rights, which preventive services are available, and who to call to answer your questions.

HelpLine 1-800-752-7014
IFMC's efforts to improve the quality of care for Medicare consumers and address individual complaints include the Medicare Consumer HelpLine. Knowledgeable HelpLine representatives are available to answer questions about nursing home, home health, hospital, physician office and other concerns regarding the quality of health care Medicare consumers have received.

The HelpLine is staffed from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT. Monday through Friday.

The HelpLine telephone number is 1-800-752-7014.

Select the following links for further information on topics important to Medicare consumers:
Beneficiary Complaint Information and Form
Discharge Appeals
Quality of Care Complaints
Alternative Dispute Resolution

Information on the above topics can also be found on our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Links to additional resources for Medicare Consumers can be found here.