October 15th marks the beginning of the Medicare open enrollment period, when Americans 65 and older can review their coverage and make changes to their health care plan to best suit their needs in the coming year.

Even if your healthcare needs have not changed significantly over the course of the year, the specific terms in your existing plan may be set to change, meaning all Medicare recipients should spend a few minutes considering their options before open enrollment ends on December 7th.

Managing changes in your Medicare coverage

Medicare recipients are required by law to be notified of changes in their plan coverage on or before September 30th. This notification is provided via documents called Medicare Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) and Evidence of Coverage (EoC) letters. If you have not received these documents, it is important to contact your coverage provider and request replacement copies.

After receiving these documents, it is important to review them thoroughly and consider any changes in plan pricing, and ensure that you still live within a geographic area covered by the plan.

When reviewing changes to your plan, have a copy of your current prescription medications on hand and check if they are still covered by your plan, as well as if they have been moved to a different pricing tier.

As you review your ANOC packet, ask yourself the following questions:

• Will the new plan continue to cover your important medications?
• Are there new coverage restrictions for those medications, like quantity limits or new prior authorization requirements?
• Are prices significantly changed for generic and name-brand drugs?
• If applicable, has the Part D drug deductible increased?

Planning for the next year

Any new coverage or pricing changes will go into effect on January 1st of the following year, meaning the open enrollment period is an important opportunity to review medical spending in the last year and consider how your changing health may impact your needs.

Getting into the habit of scheduling an annual wellness check shortly before the open enrollment period is a great strategy for ensuring you go into this process with the clearest possible picture of your needs in the coming year. This is also a great time to check if you have any additional annual benefits you want to use prior to the end of the calendar year and beginning of your new coverage terms.

When considering adding new coverage or changing plans, ask yourself the following:

• How much have I spent on out-of-pocket medical expenses in the last year? Would an alternate plan decrease how much I am spending?
• Are there any signs from my last check up that my medical needs could increase in the coming year?
• Are there any major medical procedures I may expect to undergo (like knee or hip replacement surgeries) in the coming year that could present a major expense if I am not properly insured?

Researching and picking the optimal Medicare plan

Choosing if and how to change your plan can feel overwhelming, but with more than 67.5 million medicare beneficiaries in the country, you’re far from alone.

While there is lots of written material available online, many find working with a medicare counselor to be the best strategy for developing a plan that suits your unique needs.

The AARP offers chat support through their help center and offers counseling by telephone at 888-687-2277 between 8am and 8pm EST Monday through Friday (call early for shorter wait times!)

Additionally, the Medicare Rights Center offers a very thorough interactive Medicare guide as well as a national helpline at 800-333-4114 for those who prefer speaking to an individual.

SelectCare’s team of home health care experts wants every member of our community to be aware of their medical rights. While we do not accept direct payments from Medicare or Medicaid, we help you access services such as Physical and Occupational Therapies that are covered under your Medicare policy in order to support you in your home.

To learn more about home health care services with SelectCare, contact us today, read our client testimonials, or request a free in-home care guide.