By KARI BENSON Nov 11, 2018
While
Medicare open enrollment is an important time for beneficiaries every fall,
this year brings the most significant changes in the enrollment process since
the Medicare Part D drug benefit was introduced in 2006.
Minnesota
is especially impacted because Cost Plans, a type of Medicare plan very popular
in our state, will no longer be available in much of the state for 2019 due to
a change in federal law. This means about 375,000 Minnesotans will need to
change their Medicare coverage.
As
leaders of our state agencies, we have a unique perspective on the health of
Minnesotans and what it takes to maintain healthy communities. Medicare and
other health care coverage play an important part. We want to make sure
Minnesotans on Medicare are aware of the timelines for the open enrollment
process and of the help available to them along the way.
Most of
the one million Minnesotans with Medicare are not affected by the Cost Plan
change, and beneficiaries in 21 counties will be able to keep their Cost Plans
in 2019 because of limited Medicare options where they live. But the majority
of Cost Plan beneficiaries will have to choose new coverage for 2019 or risk
returning to Original Medicare, which could be very costly. They were notified
of this change by Medicare and their Cost Plan insurers earlier this fall.
The
2019 Medicare open enrollment period has already begun. We encourage
beneficiaries to review their Medicare options to make sure the plan they are
considering for 2019 is both affordable and provides access to the doctors,
clinics, hospitals and pharmacies they want and need.
The
Minnesota Board on Aging’s Senior LinkAge Line can help. The free information
and assistance service now and every year helps Minnesotans on Medicare weigh
their plan options by providing them with free, comprehensive, unbiased
Medicare counseling. This year, Senior LinkAge Line is extending its business
hours and will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 8
a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Friday. You can contact specialists at 1-800-333-2433 and
via chat at SeniorLinkAgeLine.com.
Also
new this year is a Medicare Advantage Enrollment Period in 2019 during which
someone with a Medicare Advantage plan can:
·
Switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan
·
Drop their Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original
Medicare; and
·
Add or drop a standalone Part D prescription drug plan.
Key
dates for Medicare-related events in the next few months are:
·
Oct. 15-Dec. 7, 2018-Medicare Open Enrollment for 2019, when any
Medicare beneficiary can choose a new plan.
·
Until March 4, 2019-Beneficiaries who lost their Cost Plan and
switched to Original Medicare for 2019 can buy a Medigap policy without any
health screening.
·
Dec. 8, 2018-Feb. 28, 2019-Beneficiaries who lost their Cost
Plan can choose a Medicare Advantage Plan and/or Part D prescription drug plan.
·
Jan. 1, 2019-Medicare beneficiaries whose Cost Plan ends Dec.
31, 2018, and who did not enroll in a new plan will return to Original Medicare
(Parts A & B only) and will have large cost-sharing amounts.
·
Jan. 1-March 31, 2019-The Medicare Advantage Enrollment Period,
new for 2019, starts. This allows someone with a Medicare Advantage plan to:
1.
Switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan; or
2.
Drop their Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original
Medicare; and/or
3.
Add or drop a stand-alone Part D prescription drug plan.
We want
Minnesotans on Medicare to navigate these changes successfully for a healthy
2019 and beyond, knowing that excellent resources are available to help them.
Benson
is executive director of the Minnesota Board on Aging. She authored this column
with Jessica Looman, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Commerce; Jan
Malcolm, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Health; Emily Piper,
commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Human Services.
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