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Health & Fitness

Cape Seniors: Be Careful of Bad Advice about Medicare... from Medicare

If you live in Massachusetts, there is information appearing in most of the small-city dailies that is very wrong despite the fact that the writer claims to be the head of Medicare in New England. I usually find the information from Medicare (like the Medicare and You booklet) to be very accurate and helpful. Clearly this guy or his PR flunky just sent out something he thought applied to every place he is the boss of. His name is Ray Hurd and the article says he is Medicare's regional administrator for Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Vermont and the Virgin Islands. Do not take his advice.

The letter says:
  • "Open Enrollment for Medicare Advantage (Part C) health and prescription drug (Part D) plans began on Oct. 15 and ends on Dec. 7. "

First, this not  "open enrollment" for Parts C and D in the sense most people who have ever had insurance use that term. You are not eligible for this insurance unless you already have Medicare Parts A and B first. If you don't already have A and B (and are not just now turning 65), open enrollment is from January to March in 2014 and the coverage goes into effect in July. Then you can buy a C or D supplement.

Second, this October 15-December 7 time period does not affect about 40% of you, those of you getting supplemental insurance from a former employer. Your annual enrollment period for Medicare supplemental insurance is whenever your former employer says it is. Even if you get a letter from your former employer now, check it quickly since you might only have a few days to respond, rather than until December 7.

Find out what's happening in Barnstable-Hyanniswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Then the Medicare guy says:

  • "The opportunity to make changes to your plan only comes once a year..."

Third, in Massachusetts at least, for about 50% of us that buy our Medicare supplemental insurance as individuals (separately from a former employer), it is not true that "the opportunity to make changes to your plan only comes once a year."

Find out what's happening in Barnstable-Hyanniswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

  • If you are on Social Security Extra Help/LIS you can change every month if you want.
  • If you are on the Massachusetts state pharmaceutical assistance program Prescription Advantage (see chart in image) but not on Extra Help, you can still change your plan one other time during the year in addition to now (see NOTE).

If you are not on one of those two plans, check them out. Like I said 50% of you are eligible.

NOTE: I think the mass.gov web site that I linked to is out of date but the 800AGEINFO telephone number will get you to someone who can help.

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