JOE VACCARELLI Sep 7,
2018
Thousands
of Medicare patients recently received a letter from the Centers for Medicare
and Medicaid Services, informing them that their Medicare cost plan through
Rocky Mountain Health Plans would not be available next year and they needed to
take action before Dec. 31.
But for
most of the approximately 16,000 people who received the letter, it was sent in
error, including 7,250 people in Mesa County.
The
letter was actually intended for about 250 RMHP Medicare members, mostly in
Elbert and Clear Creek counties on the Front Range. RMHP was required to halt
the cost plan in those counties due to federal regulations. The cost plan will
continue to be offered in 48 counties, including on the Western Slope, in 2019.
Leanne
Hart, director of marketing and communications for Rocky Mountain Health Plans,
said the error was due to a communication issue between Rocky Mountain Health
Plans and CMS. Rocky Mountain is working to notify all members who received the
letter in error.
"We're
working really hard to correct the error and doing a large outreach effort with
local providers and members and following up with phone calls," Hart said.
Hart
said the HMO's office in Grand Junction has received many calls and people have
stopped in for clarification.
The
letter states that the member's Medicare cost plan won't be available in 2019,
meaning their medical and/or drug coverage will end Dec. 31. It also states
that if the member does not take any action, they will only have
"original" Medicare starting Jan. 1.
The
letter also outlines two options, including moving to a different Medicare plan
or sticking with original Medicare, which allows beneficiaries to visit a
provider that accepts Medicare.
Colorado
PERA retirees using RMHP also received the notice. Hart said that PERA has
chosen to discontinue offering Rocky Mountain Health Plans to PERA retirees
next year. She said PERA will provide additional information on member options
soon. Approximately 1,100 PERA retirees in Mesa County are using Rocky Mountain
Health Plans.
Local
members can expect to receive a letter and a phone call about the matter within
the next week and members who received the original letter in error do not need
to take any action.
Additionally,
Medicare members will receive their annual notice of change letter, which
details information on 2019 coverage, at the end of September.
Any
members who have questions are encouraged to contact Rocky Mountain's customer
service team at 888-282-1420.
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