Fewer Medicare Drug Coverage Plans to Choose from This Fall

Medicare is reducing the number of drug coverage plans people can choose from. Why make the change when according to an independent research study, the cutbacks will cause 3 million people on Medicare to search for new prescription drug plans during open enrollment this fall? The study suggest that this will cause major disruptions for people not expecting to make new choices.

Medicare’s response is that the reductions are intended to streamline quality and lessen confusion for people who have had to compare plans that may just be subtly different from each other, if at all. There will be 30 drug plans rather than 40. The number of health plans will not change.

Get the Facts on Medicare

Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius says in a blog post on White House.gov, that people on Medicare will see major improvements to their drug-plan coverage, including lower costs. This fall, beneficiaries will be able to review their options, at www.medicare.gov. They will also get a mailing in October to explain coverage options.

Changes to Medicare are important to know about if you have filed for disability benefits from the Social Security Administration. After your Freedom Disability Advocate helps to get you approved, you will be eligible for Medicare coverage 24 months after you start receiving benefits.

We recommend these sources to get the real facts about Medicare: www.cms.gov; www.medicare.gov and www.healthcare.gov, especially if you want to understand how the Affordable Care Act is helping to strengthen Medicare for the future.

Medicare Options for Our Customers

When you become eligible for Medicare, we also recommend visiting Freedom Square, our exclusive location online that provides resources and other benefits for our customers.  When you’re ready to choose a Medicare healthcare plan, you can go there to access an expert Medicare counseling service that will help you make a smart choice in a plan that meets your specific disability needs.