Medicare Plan Options
It is the time of year when:
- If you are not currently enrolled in either a Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C) or a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (Part D) you can enroll, and you cannot be declined.
- If you are already enrolled in a plan you can switch to a different plan or company.
Please note with Medicare Advantage (Part C) there are no restrictions regarding pre-existing conditions.
Medicare is Medical Insurance for people age 65 and above and certain people who have been receiving Social Security Disability Insurance for longer than 2 year.
If you are happy with your current plan unless you’ve received specific notification from your Insurance Company there is nothing for you to do, your coverage will automatically renew.
However, if you have not already, I encourage you to review your Annual Notice of Changes (ANOC). Every year plans make many changes and it is important that you are aware of these changes, no one likes to be surprised.
Did you know that there will be plans that cover Massage, Acupuncture, Naturopaths and Chiropractic? Or plans with $0 PCP copays, transportation benefits, offer Over-the-Counter Items, and Silver Sneakers.
There are also changes to Doctor networks, and Drug formularies, so it is important that you take a few minutes to review these changes.
Every year I am required to go thru considerable training and recertification to explain these plan changes, and I’ve been helping people since 1993, so I have the expertise to answer your questions.
If you have friends, relatives or neighbors that have questions regarding their Medicare Benefits please share my name with them and ask them to give me a call. I will be happy to help.
Since I am a broker, I am not tied to any one company so I can offer you advice based on your particular needs and concerns.
Here is brief synopsis of some of the plan options available
Has done some great plan changes –
- a. Added the Primary PPO with a $38/mth premium and they also lowered the premiums on the other PPO plans they offer. They also offer some very competitive HMO plans
- b. Get up to 18 Alternative Care visits can be used for Chiropractic, Acupuncture, or Naturopath.
- c. Massage is now available (6 visits pcy with $20 copay) not available in Whatcom County
They offer 4 plans options 2 HMO and 2 PPO. Plans include coverage for Naturopathic and Chiropractic. They offer generous dental not restricted to 2 cleanings. For snowbirds they offer a very attractive travel benefit.
Has remained a strong provider of coverage. Always one of my favorite providers.
- $0 copay for PCP Office Visits
- $0 copay for 90 days’ supply of mail order generic drugs
- Acupuncture
- Naturopath
- Chiropractic
- Vision
- Hearing
- Silver Sneakers
- $75 every 3 months for Over the Counter Drugs
You can’t go wrong with Premera a welcome name in the Pacific Northwest. Offering 7 plan choices and one of the largest provider networks they are a strong provider
Many are in love with the simplicity of vertical integration. Offering 4 plans with prescription drug coverage and one without.
Most Medicare plans are very similar, only the additional benefits vary. Amerigroup offers many additional benefits that make them different than the others. Here are a few:
- Vision
- OTC coverage
- Personal Emergency Response System
- Hearing
- SilverSneakers®
- Prescription Drugs
- LiveHealth Online
- Routine Physical Exam
Has entered Washington state with a couple of exciting plan option with a very generous benefits. They also offer a $0 premium PPO for people that don’t like to get referrals
- Dental Services – The dental benefits on this plan include coverage of preventive and comprehensive services up to $1000, including but not limited to cleanings, x-ray(s), oral exams, fluoride treatments, fillings, dentures or a bridge or a crown and a root canal.
- Hearing Services -The hearing benefits on this plan cover, but are not limited to, routine hearing exams, hearing aid fittings and evaluations, and up to $2000 for 2 hearing aids per year with a maximum of $1000 per ear.
Medicare Supplement / Medigap Plans
Medicare Supplement’s are not Medicare Advantage Plans.
- They often have lower out of pocket maximum cost than Medicare Advantage Plan.
- They do not have provider networks, so your doctor is never out of network
- However, they do not include Prescription Drug Coverage or many of the extra benefits provided in Medicare Advantage
- Typically, they have higher monthly premiums than Medicare Advantage.
Plan F – all medical/doctor cost are paid, you pay nothing.
Plan G – As of January 1, all medical/doctor cost are paid except the Medicare Part B deductible of $226
High Deductible Plan F – all medical/doctor cost are paid after you pay $2,700 deductible.
Rates vary by company, would you like a quote?
Medicare Part D
Medicare prescription cost can vary widely. Why not send me your list of drugs to determine if you are with the best plan? Click here to send list
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options. If you would like to find more information about the Medicare program please visit the Official U.S. Government Site for People with Medicare located at http://www.medicare.gov
This is a proprietary website and is not associated, endorsed or authorized by the Social Security Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services or the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. This site contains decision-support content and information about Medicare, services related to Medicare and services for people with Medicare.
