Medicare Mailings to Look for During Annual Open Enrollment

Health and drug plans can make changes each year- things like cost, coverage, and what providers and pharmacies are in their networks. You can change your Medicare health plan and or Medicare drug coverage from October 15-December 7. Before the Medicare Open Enrollment, you will get notices in the mail about changes to your coverage for the coming year. You should always review the materials from Medicare and your plan.

Mailings to Look For

Medicare & You Handbook, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) mails this to you and comes in late September or early October. On the inside cover, a summary of what’s new and important will be highlighted. In the back of the book, a list of available health and drug plans in your state will be listed. In between those pages will be a summary of Medicare benefits, rights, protections, and answers to frequently asked questions. The handbook comes in a variety of formats: online PDF, other languages, large print, e-book, audio, and braille at Medicare & You | Medicare.

Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) Letter will be provided from your current health plan. This notice also comes in September or early October. The letter provides information about upcoming changes such as monthly premiums, annual deductible, coinsurance costs, and more. If you do not get this important document, contact your plan. Some of the changes that may be noted in your ANOC include:

Coverage

• • New benefits being added

• • Current benefits being removed

• • Changes to the amount of coverage being offered for a service or item

Costs

• • Changes to the plan premiums or in the way they are paid

• • Changes in deductibles, copayments or coinsurance

• • Changes to the annual-out-of-pocket limit

Network

• • New health care providers or pharmacies added to the list of participating providers

• • Current providers who will be leaving the plan network

Drug Formularies

• • Medications that have been added to the list of drugs covered by the plan (also called the plan formulary)

• • Drugs on the current formulary that are set to be removed

• • Drugs that have been reassigned to a different tier on the formulary

Reviewing changes can help you decide whether the plan will continue to meet your needs in the next year. Some important questions to consider may include:

• • Can I still use my regular doctor or the pharmacy you prefer?

• • Is the plan still affordable? Is there a more cost-effective plan?

• • Is my medication still covered by my plan?

Assistance is Available

Did you know Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansans (SHICK) are here to help? They can:

• • Answer Your Questions

• • Understand Medicare benefits

• • Sort options to find the best for your situation

• • Complete the enrollment process

The service is free.