Memorial to require Medicare patients to enroll in Advantage plan by 2020
In the letter, Memorial CEO
This move would also allow Memorial primary care providers "to serve the greatest number of Medicare patients possible, while maintaining a sustainable clinic practice," the letter said.
A Memorial spokesman said the hospital was not immediately able to comment further on the change. It was not immediately clear how many people the change will affect.
Medicare Advantage differs from what is known as the original Medicare plan as it is sold and administrated by private insurance companies, rather than the federal government. More patients have opted to switch to Medicare Advantage because it offers additional benefits, such as prescription coverage. Under original Medicare coverage, patients have to pay for a separate prescription plan.
Patients have until
Those who opt not to switch will have to find a doctor outside of Memorial's provider network that accepts Medicare. In the letter, Myers wrote that Memorial can assist in a transfer to another primary care provider.
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