Medicare’s open enrollment period, Oct 15th through Dec 7th this year. For those of you already on Medicare, this is your opportunity to see what the various plans are going to look like starting Jan 1 2016.
- During this period, you can switch from original Medicare to Medicare Advantage. If you already have a Medicare Advantage plan, you can use this time to switch back to Original Medicare for 2016. You can also switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another, or from one Medicare Prescription Drug (PART D) plan to another.
Why is this important? Because Medicare Part D and Medicare Part C(Medicare Advantage) plans can change. Some people pick a plan based on the company, its customer service, and the experience they have had with them. Others may decide on a plan because it saves them money, something more on the mind of baby boomers these days. The point is, regardless of which reason is important to you, know how your plan looks for 2016, and check your options.
- The easiest way to check for yourself, if not talking to your local agent, is going to www.medicare.gov, after October 1st, and selecting “FIND A PLAN”. You will need your medications in front of you, so you can plug them into the online form. Once that is done, you can see how the various Part D plans look, specific to your medications in your area.
- Going to www.medicare.gov after October 1st can also give you information on various Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage) plans that are coming out and effective Jan 2016. Now there is a lot of information there, so you may want to talk with someone that can provide some clarity. To learn more about Medicare Part C, you can check out “Things to Know” from Medicare’s website.
Here in California, there is the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) that you can reach by calling 1-800-434-0222. They can put you in touch with a local HICAP office. HICAP is a service provided free of charge by the state of California.