28 options for Ohio seniors seeking drug coverage in 2020

Ohio seniors who are shopping for a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan can choose from 28 plans for 2020.

The annual open enrollment for optional Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug plans started Tuesday and continues through Dec. 7 for coverage beginning Jan. 1. Supplemental plans also are available for Medicare enrollees, though there is not an annual open enrollment period for these options.

Part D plans

This year, there are two more Part D prescription plans in Ohio than last year. Unlike Medicare Advantage plans, which vary by county, Part D plans are available statewide.

Part D plans cover prescription drugs for consumers who are not on a Medicare Advantage plan, which usually includes prescription drug coverage.

The cheapest monthly premium is with the Humana Walmart Value RX Plan, which is $13.20 a month. However, similar to Medicare Advantage plans, experts caution about choosing a plan based solely on the price. Make sure to check whether your prescription drugs are covered and at what cost to do a thorough analysis.

And remember: Just because a plan was good last year does not mean the costs and benefits will be the same.

Get more information by calling the plans directly or by going to Medicare.gov.

Supplemental plans

Nationally, about 24.4 million consumers will sign up for Medicare Advantage plans out of the approximately 60 million enrolled in Medicare.

That's about 40% of all enrollees, which means 60% of enrollees are using only traditional Medicare, receiving additional coverage through a retiree plan or buying private Medicare Supplemental coverage, often called MediGap plans.

Supplemental plans are private insurance plans that cover out-of-pocket costs under traditional Medicare only, said Francine Chuchanis, director of entitlement rights for Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging, who reviews the Medicare Advantage plans offered in several area counties and statewide Part D plans yearly.

Some consumers like MediGap plans because they have no network, which allows "freedom to go to whatever provider, which is a great benefit to many," said Chris Reeg, director of the Ohio Department of Insurance's Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program (OSHIIP). No prior approval for visits or procedures is necessary, either, Chuchanis said.

Some cover emergency medical expenses outside the U.S., which also makes them popular, she said. A person cannot cannot have a supplement plan if they are on Medicare Advantage.

Unlike Medicare Advantage, supplemental plans do not offer additional coverage for hearing, vision, dental of long-term care services, Chuchanis said.

Supplemental plans typically have higher premiums than Medicare Advantage plans, she said. "Costs for these plans can go up as you age. The best time to purchase a supplemental plan is during the first six months after enrolling in Medicare Part B, because you have guaranteed issuance rights and plans cannot ask you anything about your health."

Also in 2020, beneficiaries new to Medicare will not be able to purchase popular Medicare Supplemental Plans C and F. Those already enrolled will be grandfathered into the plans and those who were already enrolled into any Medicare plan in 2019 can still purchase those plans.

Some consumers think Medicare Advantage plans are enticing because they typically have cheaper premiums, Reeg said.

Relatively healthy individuals and those who are newer Medicare enrollees, who are used to employer managed-care plans, tend to be comfortable with Advantage plans, she said.

Both Direction Home and Ohio Department of Insurance's OSHIIP program's offer free workshops or the state's free toll-free consumer hotline can provide assistance to consumers trying to decide between a Medicare Supplemental plan, which would require a Part D prescription plan, and a Medicare Advantage plan. The state hotline -- 800-686-1578 -- can provide individualized assistance with shopping and enrollment from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

___

(c)2019 The Repository, Canton, Ohio

Visit The Repository, Canton, Ohio at www.cantonrep.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.