As previously published, Universal Health Care plans in Texas terminated 5-1-2013. For those members that were enrolled in one of these plans, there is an important deadline approaching. These members have until 6-30-2013, to have a Special Election Period to enroll in another Medicare Advantage plan, or have a Guranteed Issue opportunity to purchase a Medicare Supplement, or Medigap plan. If you or someone you know was enrolled in one of these plans, please call 877-740-8683, to discuss your options before the deadline.
Tag: guaranteed issue
Medigap Plan F for Convenience
While we as an agency have been gravitating toward Plan G for our Medicare Supplement (or Medigap) customers, there is still a strong case to be made for the Plan F. For years the Plan F has been the most popular choice among seniors, for good reason. With Original Medicare and a Plan F Medicare Supplement, you have virtually no out-of-pocket costs for Medicare Services. There are no deductibles, no co-pays, and no co-insurance. It is a great feeling to know you can go to the doctor and walk out without paying a cent. You don’t even have to ask if the doctor accepts Assignment. As long as he accepts Medicare, you are good to go. There are also times that a Plan F Medigap policy is the best choice for a Guaranteed Issue situation. If you are the kind of person that really likes convenience, the Plan F may be the way to. To find out if you have the best price for your current Medicare Supplement, please give us a call at 877-740-8683, or visit www.emedigap411.com , for a no obligation comparison.
Update on Universal Health Care Plan Termination in TX
We published an article last month, Medigap Guaranteed Issue-Plan Termination, that had valuable information for anyone who was affected by the Universal Health Care plan terminations in FL, and several other states. At the time, the Universal Health Care HMO plans in TX and NV were not included in the plan termination. Since then those entities have terminated their contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services(CMS), by “mutual consent”. In addition, the Texas HMO has also been placed in receivership. The members that were enrolled in these plans lost their coverage on 5-1-2013, and were returned to Original Medicare. The good news for these members is that they will have a Special Enrollment Period until June 30th 2013. During this time, they will be able to choose a new Medicare Advantage plan that is available in their service area. More importantly, this will trigger a Guaranteed Issue opportunity for these members to purchase a Medicare Supplement, also known as a Medigap policy, without having to answer any health questions. A lot of these people have had health conditions that would have made them unable to purchase a Medigap policy in the past, so it is very important to know the options, and deadlines, so they don’t miss this opportunity. If you or someone you know has been affected by any of these plan terminations, Please call 877-740-8683, or visit www.emedigap411.com for more information.
Reminder: Anyone that was involved in the earlier plan termination on 4-1-2013, will have a deadline of May 31st 2013.
Medicare Disability Medigap Policy
Many people who are under 65 and on Medicare Disability are unaware that they could be eligible for a Medicare Supplement, or Medigap, policy. That has meant that a lot of people on Medicare Disability have thought their only option was a Medicare Advantage Plan. While not all states have requirements that Insurers offer under 65 Medicare Supplements, if your state has these requirements, it can be a great option. The people we have found that benefit the most from having an under 65 Medigap policy are those that have higher out-patient costs. Even a Plan A Medigap policy(which is often the only choice under 65) will pay the 20% Part B co-insurance. This can be a life saver for people that have high Part B drug costs. It is also important to know that if your state does have under 65 requirements, you have many of the same Medigap protections, such as Open Enrollment within 6 months of Part B effective date, Guaranteed Issue if your plan terminates, etc. To find out if your state has under 65 requirements, and find the best price in your area, call 877-740-8683, or visit www.emedigap411.com
Medigap Guaranteed Issue-Plan Termination
We recently received notification that a certain Medicare Advantage Carrier(units of Universal Health Care) had gone into receivership. Since Medicare Advantage plans are not Guaranteed Renewable, this means that the members in those plans no longer have coverage. The members were automatically switched back to Original Medicare. While this could cause a lot of disruption for those members, especially those currently undergoing treatment, there is a silver lining. The members will have a Special Election Period for 2 months, during which time they can choose another Medicare Advantage plan. More importantly, this also triggers a Guaranteed Issue opportunity to purchase Medicare Supplement. During this 2 month time period, you can’t be turned down for a Medigap Plan F (or A, B, C, K, or L), regardless of your health conditions. When we find someone in this situation, that doesn’t have a health condition that would require a Guaranteed Issue, we can usually save them the most money by applying for an underwritten Plan G Medicare Supplement. It is an important time, and a person in this situation really needs to know their rights, so they can make the best decision for their future coverage. If you or someone you know is in this or a similar situation please call 877-740-8683, or visit www.emedigap411.com , and speak to a licensed Insurance Agent.