Medical Mutual Offers Medicare Advantage Tips To Ohioans on Finding the Best Plan

Business Wire

CLEVELAND--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- As Medicare open enrollment gets under way, Medical Mutual is reminding eligible Ohioans to do their research to find out which plan is best for their personal healthcare needs.

During the Annual Election Period (AEP), which runs through Dec. 7, 2016, more than 2.1 million Medicare-eligible Ohioans have access to Medical Mutual Medicare Advantage plans. Medical Mutual reminds consumers to consider the following factors when enrolling:

You need to be on Medicare A (hospitals) and B (providers) before you can enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan.
Consider all of your health needs, including cost, and how much you pay in monthly premiums. There are often $0 premium plans available with Medicare Advantage.

The cost is different with each plan. There are Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO) that feature more provider options at a slightly higher cost. Also, there are Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO) available at a lower cost.

Is your doctor in the Medicare Advantage Plan? If you have a doctor you would like to see, make sure he or she is part of the plan’s network.
Do your research for prescriptions, too. Be sure the plan’s formulary, or drug list, includes the medications you take.

Medical Mutual offers Medicare Advantage plans in 80 Ohio counties and provides an array of Medicare Advantage options in each of these counties. Medicare-eligible Ohioans can chose among five different Medical Mutual Medicare Advantage plans, including three Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO) plans and two less expensive Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) options.

Premiums can vary depending on where you live in Ohio. All of Medical Mutual’s Medicare Advantage plans provide medical and prescription drug benefits and include basic dental, vision and the popular Silver Sneakers fitness program at no additional costs. Other benefits include Weight Watchers, tobacco cessation and home-delivered meals following a hospital stay.

“Last year, approximately 14,000 new members chose Medical Mutual’s Medicare Advantage plans during the Annual Election Period, making us the top choice for new plans in the country,” said Nathan Hui, Medical Mutual’s vice president of government programs. “Our goal again for 2017 is to offer a wide array of plans for any Medicare-eligible Ohioan regardless of their income or health status.”

To find out which plan is right for you, visit the federal government’s official Medicare.gov website that has a helpful tool called “Medicare Plan Finder,” which helps you estimate your annual health and drug costs based on the Medicare Advantage plan you choose.

Enrollment in a Medical Mutual Medicare Advantage plan is easy, and there are several convenient ways to get more information and sign-up. Call (866) 406-8777 and our licensed insurance agents can answer your questions. You can also visit MedMutual.com/Medicare, to compare plans and enroll with a safe and secure online application. Also, by calling 866-406-8777 (or TTY 711 for the hearing impaired) you can schedule a face-to-face consultation with one of our licensed and certified agents. You can also fill out an enrollment application and mail it to: Medical Mutual P.O. Box 94563 Cleveland, Ohio 44101.

About Medical Mutual of Ohio – Founded in 1934, Medical Mutual of Ohio is the oldest and largest health insurance company based in Ohio. For more than 80 years, the company has served customers with high-quality, affordable group and personal health insurance plans, and third-party administrative services to self-insured group customers. As a mutual health insurance company, Medical Mutual is unique in that it operates for the benefit of its members. Unlike publicly-traded insurance companies that must maximize their financial return, Medical Mutual does not answer to stockholders or Wall Street analysts. For more information, visit the company’s award-winning web site at MedMutual.com.

MedMutual Advantage HMO and PPO plans are offered by Medical Mutual of Ohio under a contract with Medicare. Enrollment in these plans depends on contract renewal. Benefits, premiums and/or copayments/coinsurance may change on January 1 of each year. This information is not a complete description of benefits. Contact the plan for more information. Limitations, copayments and restrictions may apply.