There’s Still Time to Change Your Medicare Benefits During Medicare’s Annual Enrollment Period
November 30 2015 - 2:00PM
Business Wire
Aetna urges Medicare beneficiaries to shop
around, compare plans and select the Medicare plan that best fits
their needs
Medicare’s Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) is winding down. But
it’s not too late to evaluate your current plan to make sure your
2016 Medicare plan best meets your needs.
The Medicare AEP lasts until December 7. This is the time for
Medicare beneficiaries, including those 65 and older and those with
certain disabilities, to make changes to their Medicare coverage.
It’s also a great opportunity to take stock of your current health
needs, how they may have changed over the last year, and decide if
you need to make adjustments to get the most out of your plan.
“It may seem like a daunting task to research Medicare plans,"
said Nancy Cocozza, president of Aetna Medicare. “But taking the
time to explore your options will ensure that you will end up with
a plan tailored to your health care needs and budget. It pays to
consider your health conditions, the providers you use and the
medication you take, and do your best to find a plan that fits
you.”
According to Avalere Health, a private health care consulting
firm, in 2016 the average Medicare Advantage premium will actually
decline by one percent and 81 percent of MA beneficiaries will have
a $0 premium option. In addition, beneficiaries in most states will
still have 25 or more prescription drug plans to choose from in
2016.
“If you have a prescription drug plan, you may find that
switching to a different plan and using a different pharmacy may
save you money,” said Cocozza. “We encourage Medicare beneficiaries
to carefully review their medication needs and compare their
options, because they may pay less in premiums or out-of-pocket
costs if they elect certain plans.”
Aetna’s advice for Medicare’s AEP
The Medicare AEP is the time to think about the year ahead and
get the most out of your health benefits. Take a few minutes to ask
yourself these three questions and follow these tips:
Three questions to ask yourself
- What changes have there been to your
health conditions that you will need to manage or address in the
year ahead? What does your current plan cover?
- What regular medications do you need?
Will the costs change if you switch plans? Do you need more
coverage for any new medications?
- Do you have relationships with current
providers that you would like to maintain? Will you be able to do
this on a new health plan?
Three tips for getting the most out of Medicare’s AEP
- List all the benefits your current plan
offers and take stock of which ones you used this year and which
ones you didn’t. You may be able to adjust your benefits based on
how your needs have changed. It’s important to make sure you still
have coverage for prescription medications.
- Check on the preventive services
offered by your current health care plan and the other plans you
are considering. Do they provide additional perks such as discounts
on exercise equipment or classes? If so, take advantage of these
services. This can save you money by keeping you healthy and
preventing illness. And it helps you recover quicker if sickness or
injury occurs.
- Know your options. We encourage you to
be informed before you change or add any coverage. There are a
number of resources to help you review your current benefits and
consider if other options might work better for you.
-
Visit http://www.medicare.gov/find-a-plan to
compare your current coverage with all of the options that are
available in your area and enroll in a new plan if you decide to
make a change.
- Call 1-800-MEDICARE
(1-800-633-4227) 24-hours a day, seven days a week, to find out
more about your coverage options. TTY users should call
1-877-486-2048.
- Review the Medicare & You 2016
handbook. It was mailed to Medicare beneficiaries in September. You
can also view it at http://www.medicare.gov.
- Get one-on-one help from a local State
Health Insurance Information Program (SHIP). SHIP information is
available by state at
http://www.seniorsresourceguide.com/directories/National/SHIP/.
Aetna, a market leader in Medicare Advantage plans, designed its
2016 Medicare health and prescription drug plans to provide
exceptional value to Medicare beneficiaries by offering a choice of
affordable plans to help them achieve more healthy days while
maximizing their savings.
Aetna Medicare Advantage or Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug
Plans are offered in 32 states and Washington D.C. Aetna
Prescription Drug Plans are available in all 50 states and
Washington D.C.
Medicare beneficiaries can enroll in Aetna 2016 Medicare
Advantage plans during the annual enrollment period, which began
October 15, 2015 and ends December 7, 2015. These enrollments will
be effective on January 1, 2016.
Complete plan details about Aetna’s 2016 Medicare offerings are
available at www.aetnamedicare.com or by calling toll-free
1-888-247-1028 (TTY: 711). Hours are from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.,
local time, seven days a week. Complete plan details about
Coventry’s 2016 Medicare offerings are available at
http://coventry-medicare.coventryhealthcare.com/ or by
calling toll-free 1-877-988-3589 (TTY: 711). Hours
are from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., local time, seven days a week.
About Aetna
Aetna is one of the nation's leading diversified health care
benefits companies, serving an estimated 46.5 million people with
information and resources to help them make better informed
decisions about their health care. Aetna offers a broad range of
traditional, voluntary and consumer-directed health insurance
products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental,
behavioral health, group life and disability plans, and medical
management capabilities, Medicaid health care management services,
workers' compensation administrative services and health
information technology products and services. Aetna's customers
include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time
and hourly workers, health plans, health care providers,
governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups and
expatriates. For more information, see www.aetna.com and
learn about how Aetna is helping to build a healthier world.
@AetnaNews
Aetna Medicare is a PDP, HMO, PPO plan with a Medicare contract.
Our SNPs also have contracts with State Medicaid programs.
Enrollment in our plans depends on contract renewal. See Evidence
of Coverage for a complete description of benefits, exclusions,
limitations and conditions of coverage. Plan features and
availability may vary by location.
NR_0009_6863 11/2015
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Media Contact:AetnaKendall Marcocci,
717-540-6746kmarcocci@aetna.com
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