October is here which also means it’s the Medicare Open Enrollment.
Starting today, October 15th until December 7th you will be able to make changes to some of your Medicare plans.
If you are happy with your Medicare plans, there is nothing you need to do. Your plans will automatically renew for 2019.
However, if you are interested in shopping, the plans you will be able to switch during this time will be:
1. Part D Prescription Plans – If the prescriptions you are taking have changed or if you’ve been notified by your current Part D carrier that any prescriptions you are taking will be moved tiers for next year, you may want to consider contacting us to see if there are any other plans available that would be more cost effective. If you would like us to shop your Part D, please respond to this email or email me at Elliott@WeRetireSmart.com and I’ll send you our 2019 Drug Analysis form.
2. Part C Medicare Advantage – If you are interested in switching your Medicare Advantage plan (mostly HMOs) or joining a Medicare Advantage plan, open enrollment is the time to do it. Give us a call so we can make sure the plan you choose will coordinate with your doctors, specialists and prescriptions.
Many of our clients have Medicare Supplement (aka Medigap) plans. In California, the best time to switch these plans will be during your birthday month using the “Birthday Rule”. By using this rule, you would have a “Guarantee Issue” period which is not available during the open enrollment. Starting on your birthday and for the following 30 days we can help you switch between carriers and plans. Mark your calendars for your birthday and set reminder to call or email us if you are interested in seeing what other Supplement plans are available.
If you have any questions about Open Enrollment give us a call at 800-464-4941 or email me at Elliott@WeRetireSmart.com.
Also, if you have any friends or family that need help with their Medicare choices, we would be glad to help them. Remember, there is no cost for our services!
If you would like more information on Medicare, request a copy of The Nuts & Bolts of Medicare book here and we will mail it out to you.
Thanks for reading!
