Medicare and the Health Care Marketplace

Seniors are asking some good questions about the new Health Care Marketplace and how it will impact them. The questions I hear most often are:

“Do we have to sign up like some people are saying?”
and
“Does the new program change my Medicare or my Medicare Advantage plan?

Frankly, the government hasn’t been very clear about seniors and the new national health care program. This is because the Health Care Marketplace will not influence how people age 65 and older and younger people with disabilities already on Medicare access health care.

“We want to reassure Medicare beneficiaries that they are already covered, their benefits are not changing and the marketplace doesn’t require them to do anything,” said Michele Patrick, Medicare’s Deputy Director for Communications.

Medicare beneficiaries will still have some decisions to make this fall. You should review your Annual Notice of Change information when you receive it this month. Seniors can change to a Medicare Advantage Plan, change their current plan, choose a Prescription Drug plan or buy supplemental Medigap plan during the Annual Open Enrollment Period between October 15 and December 7.

If you have questions on any of this, please contact me at 440-255-5700 or 888-951-6201