January 2017 Fraud Prevention Fact
Medicare Advantage Disenrollment Period is here
Open enrollment for Medicare is finished for regular Medicare recipients, but if you have a private Medicare Advantage Plan, you still have an opportunity to switch out of it. The Medicare Advantage Disenrollment Period is January 1 through February 14. You can add or drop drug coverage when you are switching to Original Medicare.
If you’re enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan, most Medicare services are covered through the plan and aren’t paid for under Original Medicare. Most Medicare Advantage Plans offer prescription drug coverage. Medicare Advantage plans are annual contracts subject to change. Plans may change benefits, increase premiums, and increase copayments annually. Your doctors or hospitals may not be network providers or may not agree to accept the plan’s payment terms.
During the disenrollment period, you can make changes only if you have a Medicare private health plan. Also, you can only change to Original Medicare and a Part D plan – not to another Medicare Advantage Plan.
If you need help with these services, contact Senior Medicare Patrol in Paducah at 1-270-442-8993. If you suspect you are the victim of Medicare fraud or abuse, call Senior Medicare Patrol. We can help you understand your Medicare statements and provider bills to identify errors and possible abuse.
SMPs are funded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living, Administration on Aging, in Kentucky through Louisville Metro Health Department.
Senior Medicare Patrol and the Purchase Area Development District Area Agency on Aging will be holding regular Medicare learning sessions with individual education/discussions for Medicare beneficiaries the third Friday of each month beginning in February at the Benton Branch of the Marshall County Library at 9:30 am. The library will be helping us increase awareness of this service through their social media and other channels, but we would like to enlist your support as well. I will also be running some radio ads through WCBL and WCCK in late January and early February and will be on Coffee Call on February 9.
