Medicare open enrollment ends tomorrow

Medicare open enrollment season ends Monday, Dec. 7. If you are currently on Medicare, there are several things that you should do today, if you have not yet done them.

Check your current coverage. Medicare basic coverage under Part A, which most people 65 and older have without cost, includes protection for hospitalization. Medicare Part B covers some, but not all, of your visits to other health care providers. Most people purchase Medicare supplement policies, Part D drug plans, or Medicare Advantage programs to cover much of the costs not included in Parts A and B.

Things that can change in your additional coverage include the benefits you receive, your premiums, which doctors are included in your plan, and which drugs are covered. You should have received a mailing from your insurer listing changes in your current policies.

If you received this update, review it to see what the changes may have been. Most mailings from the insurance programs supplementing Medicare at comprehensive, but difficult for most people to understand. What you need to find is your “Annual Notice of Changes for 2016.”

Things to check –

The changes to your benefits and the costs associated with those benefits to make sure they will continue to work for you in the coming year.

Whether, or not, the drugs you take are covered by your Part D drug plan, or your Medicare Advantage plan. Plans have the right to change what is covered at any time. First, check to make sure the drugs you take are still covered by the plan. Pay attention to changes in your co-pay, the deductible of the plan, and what “tier” the drugs are in. Co-pays are set by the tier, and a change from one tier to another can cost you a lot of money each month.

Check to see if your providers and hospitals are included in the network that your plan uses. The doctor you have seen for years may no longer be included, and if your doctor is not, you won’t be covered for the cost of visits.

Most plans have comprehensive websites that, with a little effort, can answer all these questions. If not, you can call your plan to check on these items.

If you are considering changing your plan, or if your review convinces you a change is needed, you can shop for other plans at www.Medicare.gov. This website is one of the best, most useable sites on the internet. You pick your area, enter the prescription drugs you use, and then see displayed all the plans in your area that are available. Summaries of coverage and estimates of annual cost for each plan are included, as well as a link to the plan’s website.

You can enroll in new coverage on the website. If you don’t have access to a computer, you can call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) for help. If you use TTY, call 1-877-486-2048. You can also get help from your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). You can find their number in your phone providers Yellow Pages, or by calling the Medicare number (1-800-633-4227), or by calling 411.

Every person covered by Medicare should review their coverage each year, to be sure it meets their needs. Most people don’t do this, but shopping can often save you a significant amount of money over the next year.

The Gayly – December 6, 2015 @ 7:25 a.m.