Page 3 - Senior Times South Central Michigan October 2023 - 30-10

Senior Times - October 2023 Page 3
ARE YOU IN THE BEST PART D MEDICARE PLAN FOR PRESCRIPTIONS?
By: Rebecca de Finta, Calhoun County Senior Services
Medicare is confusing. You probably thought that when you first signed up for Medicare you were finished having to think about it again, right? Well actually, an annual review is always a good idea to make sure you have the right plan for you. Plans change, as do prescriptions, so you may end up with higher co-pays.
Open enrollment for Medicare Part D and Advantage plans occur each year from October 15 through December 7. Any changes made become effective on January 1. This is the time to review your current Medicare drug coverage.
pharmacy can be significant. Call your insurance provider to make sure you are using the best phar- macy. Pharmacy location is a factor is choosing the best plan for you.
many parts and can be very confusing. Medicare Part A is for hospital insurance and Part B is health insurance.
Eligible beneficiaries who have limited income may qualify for a federal government program that helps pay for Medicare prescription drug costs. Medicare beneficiaries receiving the Low-Income Subsidy get assistance in paying for their Part D or Medicare Advantage monthly premium, annual deductible, and copayments.
Be aware that, with certain exceptions, there are late-enrollment penalties for not signing up
for Medicare when you are first eligible. If you do not sign up for Medicare Part B when you are first eligible, you may need to pay a late enrollment penalty for as long as you have Medicare. Your monthly Part B premium could be 10% higher for every full 12-month period that you were eligible for Part B but didn’t take it.
If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan or a Part D plan, you should have already received
an Annual Notice of Change and/or Evidence of Coverage from your plan. Review these notices for any changes in the plan’s costs, benefits, and/or rules for the upcoming year.
The Medicare/Medicaid Assistance Program (MMAP) provides high quality, unbiased Medicare and Medicaid benefits counseling without charge. Trained staff and volunteers are available to offer their expertise to help seniors make informed deci- sions about healthcare and prescription benefits. Counselors have received extensive training in Medicare and Medicaid laws and regulations, and relevant health insurance products. Benefits coun- selors are not connected with any insurance com- pany and are not licensed to sell insurance. They are not going to sell you any products but will help you compare policies to select the best policy that covers the prescriptions that you have and your individual situation.
Medicare Part D, which covers prescription medications, also has a penalty if you do not
sign up in time when you are first eligible. One exception is if you have health coverage through an active employer health plan or through your spouse’s employer plan, you can delay Medicare Part B and D enrollment without paying a late-en- rollment penalty. Consult a Medicare/Medicaid Assistance Program counselor a few months before you turn 65 to make sure you understand what parts you need to sign up for, and how to make
Even if you are satisfied with your current Medicare coverage, looking at other Medicare options may better suit your individual needs.
For example, check to see if there is another plan that will offer you better drug coverage at a more affordable price. Research shows that people with Part D could lower their costs by shopping among plans each year. There could be another Part D plan that covers the drugs you take with fewer restrictions and/or lower prices. The amount of money you might be able to save with a different plan that better suits your individual situation might surprise you.
the most cost-effective decisions for your unique situation.
We have also seen several small independent pharmacies close leaving customers making snap decisions on where to get their prescriptions filled. To make the best use of your prescription cover- age, it is important that you use the preferred phar- macy that your insurance provider recommends. The discounts provided for using a preferred
If you are not yet 65, it is important to know that your Initial Enrollment Period starts three months before your birth month, the month you turn 65, and three months after your birth month.
If you are already drawing Social Security benefits, you should be automatically enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B. If you are not yet draw- ing Social Security benefits, you will need to sign up for Parts A and B through the Social Security Administration – but can continue to delay Social Security retirement benefits. Medicare consists of
MMAP Counselors are a wealth of knowl- edge. The Benefits Counseling Program is one of the valuable community programs that Calhoun County Senior Millage funds for all seniors in the county. Counselors understand the difficulty in making health insurance decisions and the frus- trations that may be encountered when comparing many different plans. Call today to make your ben- efits counseling appointment at one of the numbers listed in the table.
Call to make an appointment for benefits counseling: Calhoun County Senior Services – Marshall, (269) 781-0846; CareWell Services – Battle Creek, 800-803-7174; Forks Senior Center – Albion/Homer, (517) 629-3842.
ARE YOU TURNING 65 OR NEW TO MEDICARE?
Medicare information and enrollment—I can help
Let’s discuss Medicare Advantage and how it fits into your life
If you’re new to Medicare, I can help you make sense of it.
Or maybe you have Medicare now and you’re looking for a new plan—or a new premium. Maybe you want to add coverage,
such as a prescription drug plan or a Humana Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan. I’ll listen to you and put information together.
We’ll find the right plan for you
Then we can discuss how that information may become real in a Humana Medicare Advantage plan that fits your needs. One with everything Original Medicare has—and that may have benefits you might not get with Medicare Part A and Part B.
Let’s talk. Whatever you’d like to know about Medicare, whatever choices you make about it, I can help.
Call a licensed Humana sales agent
Alexander Brand 269-908-2208 (TTY: 711) Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. abrand2@humana.com
A more human way to healthcareTM
At Humana, it is important you are treated fairly. Humana Inc. and its subsidiaries comply with applicable Federal Civil Rights laws and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, ancestry, marital status or religion. English: ATTENTION: If you do not speak English, language assistance services, free of charge, are available to you. Call 1-877-320-1235 (TTY: 711). Español (Spanish): ATENCIÓN: Si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-877-320-1235 (TTY: 711). 繁體中文 (Chinese): 注意:如果您使用繁體中文 ，您可以免費獲得語 言援助服務 。請致電 1-877-320-1235 (TTY:711) 。
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