Ask Colleen King

There aren’t too many things more complicated that the collection of Medicare Advantage plans available to our Medicare population. There used to be Medicare HMOs and Medicare Supplements. Well Medicare Supplements are still around and serve a great purpose; they work similarly to a PPO health insurance plan because you can go to any doctor. You also pay a monthly premium for these.

Medicare Advantage plans include Medicare HMOs, Regional PPOs and Private Fee for Service plans (PFFS). Yikes! Remember last year when you were deluged with Medicare commercials, after surviving the political commercials? “Sign up now before open enrollment ends!” Well, for existing Medicare Advantage plan members, January 1 through March 31is your LAST last chance to make a change to a comparable Medicare Advantage plan for 2009. And the great thing about these is they have little or no premium cost to join. None of this date and change related information applies to Medicare Supplement members.

So if your friends or parents or some other relative hasn’t been happy with their Med Advantage plan, now’s the time to change or forever hold your peace. Until NEXT November 15 through December 31. Then it starts again! Tell them to contact the insurance company they want to change to or contact their friendly local insurance agent for help and recommendations.

Be well!

Tags:   Medicare Advantage plans · Medicare HMOs · Medicare supplementsNo Comments