Medicare Open Enrollment is October 15th to December 7th.
During the Medicare Open Enrollment Period, people can change their Medicare Advantage plan or their Part D plan. Their new plan begins on January 1, 2017.
There are some important changes to Advantage plans in Tucson for 2017 that might cause people to change their plan.
Plan changes:
- Currently, only one Medicare Advantage plan includes Banner-University Medical Center in their network. But as of 2017, two other plans will also be contracted with Banner-UMC.
- One Advantage plan in Tucson currently has a $210 deductible in its drug coverage and that will go away in 2017.
Gym Membership Change:
One plan is changing its free gym membership from Silver Sneakers to Silver & Fit – and that could be a game changer (plan changer) for some folks.
The Silver Sneakers gym network includes the Tucson Racquet Club and the Jewish Community Center (JCC) while Silver & Fit does not. I have clients whose choice of a Medicare Advantage plan is based on being able to go to these two facilities for no charge.
I already received a call from a client who said he wants a plan that will allow him to use the JCC at no cost because he’s currently spending $500 for his membership there.
****Sorry, I can’t name names lest someone think I am promoting certain plans. Call or email me to get the details.****
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Medicare Open Enrollment Period also applies to Part D plans.
People who have a Medicare supplement also pay for a “stand-alone” Part D plan.
Most Part D plans are raising their premium in 2017. One company is actually lowering its premium!
Most Part D plans will have a $400 deductible in 2017. That’s up from $360 in 2016.
Many people are in the wrong Part D plan and are paying too much. That’s because they enrolled in a plan several years ago and never noticed the premium kept going up and up.
The Medicare Open Enrollment Period is the time to look at your Part D plan and your Medicare Advantage plan.
Make sure your drug coverage has not changed substantially. And look at the premium!
Medicare requires Medicare Advantage plans and Part D plans to send you an Annual Notice of Change each year at this time. So look over that material.
I tell my clients that their Medicare supplement is a “get it and forget it plan”. But Medicare Advantage and Part D should be reviewed during the Medicare Open Enrollment Period every year.