What is Medicare Open Enrollment?
It’s very important to get the most out of your Medicare health benefits; to do so, you’ll need to understand how and when you can make a plan change. Every fall, each enrollee is offered a period of time in which you can manage and change plans. This is called Open Enrollment.
Open Enrollment period is almost upon us. We want to give you some information to help you make the best decision to fit your needs.
If you are currently enrolled in a managed Medicare plan, you can choose to opt-out and re-enroll in Medicare during the Open Enrollment period. This yearly time frame runs from October 15 to December 7. During this time, anyone can change their Medicare health and prescription drug coverage for the following year. If you have questions regarding your Medicare coverage, you can call Medicare directly at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
Why choose to opt back into a traditional Medicare plan?
Many believe that the traditional Medicare plan remains the gold standard for health care benefits. The amount of coverage and/or care you receive is directed by your physician, hospital, or other provider – and not by a managed insurance company. This means you have the option to select your doctors, while the other plans may require you to get your health care from providers directly within the plan’s network. Always remember if you need emergency care, with either plan you can go to any doctor or hospital without being turned away.
What is meant by the Gold Standard?
Gold has several meanings but most associate it with the best and greatest value. We all want the best. The traditional Medicare plan is considered by most doctors, hospitals, and Medicare recipients as the gold standard of coverage.
Always review the informational materials you receive throughout the year about Medicare health or prescription drug plans. Make sure to pay attention to sections such as the “Evidence of Coverage” (EOC) and “Annual Notice of Change” (ANOC). This is how you will be notified if your coverage has changed. During this Open Enrollment period, you can switch from traditional Medicare to a managed Medicare plan or from one managed care plan to another managed care plan.
Please know we want you to make the best decision to benefit your needs. If you are pleased with your current plan and it fits your needs, be sure to check that your plan does automatically enroll you into another plan each year. Oftentimes, MyCare plans will automatically enroll if you do not elect to opt out. However, if you need assistance or additional information regarding your Medicare plan, don’t hesitate to call us at 440-808-5500, select one of our homes, and ask to speak an administrator.