Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has created the What’s Covered App since two thirds of Medicare patients use the Internet daily. The What’s Covered App gives consumers access to the most used information of the website (Medicare.gov).

CMS released a statement saying, “Consumers can now use their mobile device to more easily get accurate, consistent original Medicare coverage information in the doctor’s office, the hospital, or anywhere they use their mobile device.”

Tools on the app include:

• Interactive online support to help beneficiaries and their caregivers understand their coverage options and costs between Medicare and Medicare Advantage.
• Online services that allows people to quickly and conveniently see how different coverage decisions will affect their estimated out-of-pocket costs.
• Price transparency tools that compares national average costs of certain procedures, so consumers can see what they would pay for a certain procedure done in a hospital outpatient department versus an ambulatory surgery center.
• Webchat option in the Medicare Plan Finder
• Surveys for consumers to give feedback to CMS to let them know what they would like to see on the What’s Covered App to their needs

By the year 2030, CMS estimates the Medicare population will increase to more than 80 million beneficiaries. Currently there are 54 million beneficiaries. CMS’ website has 15 million views and 3 million phone calls related to coverage per year. The What’s Covered App lets Medicare A and B beneficiaries and their caregivers see if Medicare covers a medical item or service.

This app could also be a handle tool for medical coders and billers to use in order to submit more accurate claims to CMS and explain to patients or coworkers why some items or services are not covered.