Be careful with Medicare calls

Recently there was a Sound Off call about Medicare insurance calling to sign you up for benefits. Be very careful of these calls because they are not promoting U.S. government original Medicare; they are promoting Medicare Advantage Plans which are private insurance companies who are licensed to offer health insurance to Medicare eligible people. These plans are quite different from original Medicare as they operate like an HMO. You must stay within the network of providers for each plan or the cost becomes very high. They are usually not portable, in that if you live in another state for part of the year, a Florida Medicare Advantage Plan will not have in-network services in your second state. Also, if you need specialized treatment or surgery, you may not be able to use the doctor or hospital you prefer. Medicare Advantage Plans may be cheaper up front but they come with limitations subscribers need to be aware of before enrolling.

The people who are calling are salespeople and they receive high commissions if they convince you to enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan. Their prime objective is not to offer you more benefits but to make money.

Because it is now open season to pick a different or new Medicare plan, the sales people are out in force to sign you up and make the money. The October issue of the AARP Bulletin offers a good overview of Medicare Advantage Plans and how it compares to regular Medicare.

Mary Lynn

Homosassa