Former mayor Nutter is selling Medicare. Should his plan be yours?
In an
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"The problem," Nutter wrote, "is that not enough of our seniors sign up for Medicare Advantage."
Specifically, he touted the Medicare Advantage offerings of
With the annual Medicare open enrollment starting
"Medicare Advantage may or may not be the right choice for seniors, including low-income seniors. It really depends on their individual needs and circumstances," said
Nutter said in an interview that he just wanted to tell people about the option.
"There's a ton of information out there. Everyone's personal circumstance and situation is different," Nutter said. "I think everyone should at least check out Medicare Advantage and if you are interested in Medicare Advantage, I think
He learned about
Some Medicare enrollment specialists, however, think his column failed to emphasize that choosing a Medicare plan is a complex decision that depends on your preferences, location, health, income, the specialists you need, even the prescription drugs you take.
"It's just so important for people to choose the right plan. It's a personal decision and there are a lot of factors to consider," said
Medicare Advantage plans are sold by private insurance companies as an alternative to original Medicare. They typically include prescription drug coverage and may offer other benefits, such as vision and dental.
Many do not have a monthly premium, which can make them seem like a better deal -- and for some seniors, they may be the best choice.
But Medicare Advantage plans manage their costs by giving customers access to a more limited network of doctors than traditional Medicare, which can be used anywhere in the country. Co-pays and other co-insurance costs also vary by plan.
"You can't assume just because it's zero premium that it's the best plan," said
"I would never tell someone one is better than the other because it's circumstantial," she said.
People with traditional Medicare may also buy a supplemental plan to cover out-of-pocket costs and a prescription drug plan. Those can be costly.
But many low-income seniors are eligible for federal subsidies that reduce co-pays for medications and, in some cases, cover the cost of premiums and deductibles entirely, which means that the more flexible option of traditional Medicare could actually be more affordable, Neuman said.
During the annual open enrollment period for Medicare, insurers pump lots of money into marketing to try to attract new members or get people to switch plans, so seniors need to read carefully before signing up.
A strong campaign is especially important for companies that are new to a competitive market, said
"Getting mentioned in an op-ed in a paper -- that's good publicity," Melville said.
Clover has about 30,000 members in
The company declined to discuss enrollment goals for
It's not unethical or uncommon for former public officials to endorse health-care products, said
"He has to be a little cautious in how he moves on to selling health-care products to older people. They're likely to trust him as objective, when he may, in fact, be making money," Caplan said.
Nutter declined to disclose his financial terms with Clover.
Nutter was a natural partner for the company's expansion effort because he "has spent his entire career in public service advocating for better access to quality healthcare for all of
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