Medicare Enrollment

Posted on Oct 17, 2011 in Patient Care | 0 comments

Medicare Extends Open Enrollment Period

Offers seniors more benefits, better choices, and lower costs.

You may want to share the following information from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) with your older patients.

The Medicare Open Enrollment period has been expanded from October 15 through December 7, 2011, offering seniors and people with disabilities more time to compare and find the best plan that meets their unique needs. Throughout the open enrollment period, representatives from Health and Human Services will be holding events across the country to inform and educate Medicare beneficiaries about the various available options.

With more benefits, better choices, and lower costs, CMS is encouraging people with Medicare and their families to begin reviewing drug and health plan coverage options for 2012. As a result of the Affordable Care Act, people with Medicare can now obtain certain preventive services for free and can get more affordable prescription drugs. Open enrollment is seniors’ opportunity to review their Medicare choices and pick the plan that works for them or keep the plan they currently have.

Beginning on October 15, people with Medicare can begin reviewing the 2012 quality ratings for Medicare Advantage health plans (Part C) and prescription drug plans (Part D) for the upcoming year.

This year CMS is highlighting plans that have achieved an overall quality rating of 5 stars with a high performer or “gold star” icon so people with Medicare can easily find high quality plans. People with Medicare can switch to an available 5-star plan at any time during the year. 

Using Medicare’s Plan Finder, people will see the enhanced star ratings for 2012. In addition to the enhanced star ratings for 2012 and new “gold star” icon, users will be able to see an icon showing which plans received a low overall quality rating for the past three years.

In 2012, the Affordable Care Act will provide additional benefits to people with Medicare including lower prescription drug costs through a 50% discount on covered brand name drugs in the coverage gap (also referred to as the “donut hole”), wellness checkups, and access to certain preventive care with no copayments—a benefit that all Medicare Advantage plans will offer starting in 2012.

Resources for Medicare Beneficiaries

People with Medicare and their families can review and compare current plan coverage with new plan offerings, using many proven resources, including—

• Visiting www.medicare.gov/, where they can get a personalized comparison of costs and coverage of the plans available in their area. The popular Medicare Plan Finder tool has been enhanced for an efficient review of plan choices. Spanish Open Enrollment information is available.
• Calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) for around-the-clock assistance to find out more about coverage options. TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048. Multilingual counseling is available.
• Reviewing the 2012 Medicare & You handbook. It is also accessible online at www.medicare.gov/publications/pubs/pdf/10050.pdf —and it has been mailed to the homes of people with Medicare.
• Getting one-on-one counseling assistance from the local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). Local SHIP contact information can be found—
• At www.medicare.gov/contacts/organization-search-criteria.aspx 
• On the back of the 2012 Medicare & You handbook
• By calling Medicare (contact information above)
• Through a listing of national stand-alone prescription drug plans and State specific fact sheets can be found at www.cms.hhs.gov/center/openenrollment.asp

People with Medicare who have limited incomes and resources may qualify for Extra Help paying for their prescription drug costs. There is no cost to apply for Extra Help, also called the low-income subsidy. Medicare beneficiaries, family members, trusted counselors or caregivers can apply online at www.socialsecurity.gov/prescriptionhelp or call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY users should call 1-800-325-0778) to find out more.

Protecting Against Fraud and Identity Theft 

During this Open Enrollment Period, Medicare recommends that people treat their Medicare number as they do their social security number and credit card information. People with Medicare should never give their personal information to anyone arriving at their home uninvited or making unsolicited phone calls selling Medicare-related products or services. Beneficiaries who believe they are a victim of fraud or identity theft should contact Medicare (contact information above). More information is available at www.stopmedicarefraud.gov/.

Published October 17, 2011