Time to review your Medicare coverage

Each year, as a Medicare beneficiary, you are given a chance to change your Part C and Part D Plans. The time period for this change is called the Annual Open Enrollment Period (AOEP). This year the Annual Open Enrollment Period will occur Oct. 15Dec. 7, with changes to become effective Jan. 1. Around Oct. 1 you will begin to receive materials for Part C Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, PPO, PFFS) or Part D Prescription Drug Plans in which you are enrolled. The information that you receive is called the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) and will include formulary, benefit and cost changes to your plan for 2017. If you have coverage through a retiree plan, you must be provided written notice by Sept. 30 that your coverage is creditable. Your former employer will also provide information on any benefit and cost changes to your plan, including instructions for making changes to your coverage.

As you begin to get your Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) and other marketing mailings for the AOEP, take time to read them carefully. Compare any costs and benefits with your current coverage. When you evaluate Medicare Advantage Plans, check the provider network of doctors, hospitals, outpatient rehabilitation centers and outpatient surgery centers. It is critical to look into how much it will cost per day in the hospital or skilled care facility, and the cost for each doctor visit. Possible changes for your Part D Plan may include the formulary (list of covered medications or changes in drug tier which impacts your copay) and pharmacy networks. Once a year all plans can change the monthly premium and deductible. Some plans may even be discontinued for 2017.

Along with mailings about your Medicare Advantage Plan or your Prescription Drug Plan, you may receive mailings regarding “Extra Help” (Part D assistance for qualifying beneficiaries), Social Security Part B “Income Related Medicare Adjustment Amount” (IRMAA), PACE/ PACENET, and a new Medicare and You handbook. If you already have Extra Help you will receive notice telling you if you still qualify and how much help you will receive toward your Part D premium for 2017. Save all of this information after reading it carefully. If you are asked to complete some forms to continue your coverage, do that promptly so that your benefits will not be terminated. If you need help understanding it or do not know what to do about it, make an appointment for one-on-one counseling with an APPRISE counselor. It will be important to bring all of these mailings to your meeting with the counselor. You may be new to Medicare and do not know about Extra Help or other assistance programs for beneficiaries. APPRISE counselors can help you determine if you are eligible for Extra Help with pre-

scription costs and can also help you apply for this benefit.

Medicare Supplement Plans, also known as Medigap Plans, are not affected by the AOEP. You can change your Medigap Plan any time during the year, as it is private insurance and not a part of Medicare; however, you may encounter medical underwriting that would preclude you from making a change. It is recommended that Medigap changes be made when you are healthy or if you encounter a Special Election Period. Beneficiaries with a Medigap Plan probably have a Part D Stand-Alone Prescription Plan. Stand-Alone Part D Plans are not attached to a medical plan and these Part D plans can be changed during the AOEP. It is highly advisable to evaluate your current plan to make sure that it will give you the best benefit for 2017. You may want to meet with an APPRISE counselor to discuss your options for change with either Medigap Plans or Part D Drug Plans.

APPRISE counseling is free, unbiased, personal, informative and confidential. Counselors can work with you by phone, email, or in person at a counseling site. Working with a counselor will help you to decide if there is a plan that will provide better value than your current plan. Counselors often find ways to help beneficiaries save money on prescriptions and premiums. Do not let the AOEP pass without an evaluation. The counseling sessions are by appointment at area senior centers, libraries, some township buildings, or other local sites. To schedule an appointment during this enrollment period (or for help throughout the year) call your local senior center or the Department of Aging at 610-3445234. You can also call the APPRISE Help Line at 610344-5004 or contact us by email apprisechesco@outlook.com

The Chester County Department of Aging, through its APPRISE program of trained Medicare counselors, helps Medicare beneficiaries to understand Medicare, related programs, and insurance plans. This article has been prepared, specifically, to help you understand the Annual Open Enrollment Period and your options.