Keep abreast of Medicare changes

Press-Republican (Plattsburgh, NY)

Dec. 05--PLATTSBURGH -- The door closes on Medicare Open Enrollment season this Friday.

"In Clinton County, I think open enrollment went great because HIICAP (Health Insurance Information Counseling and Assistance Program) is New York statewide, and we are part of the federal State Health Insurance Program (SHIP)," said Marisa Pers, HIICAP coordinator in Clinton County.

"In New York state, the program is called HIICAP."

Open enrollment started on Oct. 15 and concludes on Dec. 7.

SPECIAL ENROLLMENT

"It's not quite over, but it's almost over," Pers said.

"I have to say many people are not held to that Dec. 7 date. So, the people that wouldn't be held to Dec. 7 can actually have an income $75,000 for single and $100,000 for married. In our neck of the woods, lots of people will have a special enrollment," she said.

Those whose income falls below those figures are eligible for the Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage (EPIC) program.

"EPIC helps you with your prescription drug plan benefit," she said.

If a person is already an EPIC member, he or she has a special enrollment outside of Open Enrollment season to change his or her plan anytime of year, once a year.

"For people that are having issues with their prescription drug plans it's a really good thing because we can usually help them," Pers said.

CHANGE IS CONSTANT

She, her staff and RSVP volunteers conducted six Medicare Open Enrollment Clinics.

"We extended the daily hours, and what that meant is we could accommodate more people within a one-day period."

She estimates they saw foot traffic of between 150 and 200 people.

There are 10 certified health-insurance counselors in Clinton County who help people on a daily basis beyond the clinics.

"Everybody really should look (at coverage) during this time of year because the plan has the right to change the details," Pers said.

"So, what kind of details do they change? They change their monthly premium. They change their deductible. They change their network of pharmacies."

A plan can also change its formulary or medication list.

"When they change the formulary list, they could take your medicine off the formulary, and so if you don't do your homework during open enrollment, you could walk into the pharmacy at the beginning of the next calendar year and you could find out that you have to pay full price for that medication because the plan doesn't have it on the list anymore," Pers said.

"That's really the No. 1 reason why everybody should at least be looking. And by using the HIICAP program, we're not insurance agents, so there's never, ever any pressure to change. We just want to educate you on the benefits. We don't want to pressure you to change plans if it doesn't make sense."

NOT TOO LATE

People who have questions should call JCEO Senior Outreach or the Clinton County Office for the Aging to make an appointment.

"We do have some plans ending this year," Pers added.

"You have until Dec. 31 to change into a different plan (if yours is ending)," she said. "If you have the Extra Help Program, you have until Dec. 31, along with EPIC. So, you've got three ways to do it after Dec. 7."

For more information, call JCEO Senior Outreach at 518-561-6310 or Clinton County Office for the Aging at 518-565-4620.

Reach Essex County Office for the Aging at 518-873-3695 and Franklin County Office for the Aging at 518-481-1526.

Email Robin Caudell:

[email protected]

Twitter:@RobinCaudell

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