Pest control, service dog’s food — host of new benefits await Medicare Advantage customers
Pest control, food for a service dog, pharmacy staples such as aspirin and toothpaste, in-home personal care to help with dressing and bathing, acupuncture and therapeutic massage treatments, sessions with nutritionists and assistive devices such as shower stools are among the new supplemental health benefits that privately run versions of the government's Medicare program could be offering starting in 2020. Enrollment for plans runs from
"If you address issues that affect health, such as meals and support for care givers, it goes a long way toward improving overall health," she said. "That can save the program more money."
Medicare Advantage plans already offer extras such as dental benefits, vision coverage or gym memberships that regular Medicare doesn't provide. But Medicare Advantage can restrict access to a network of doctors or hospitals. Medicare doesn't have those restrictions.
About a third of the people on Medicare opt for Medicare Advantage plans, according to the nonprofit
The federal government is giving Medicare Advantage plans more leeway to pay for things they'd ordinarily never cover. The new supplemental benefits aim to help people with chronic diseases or certain health issues stay healthy when they aren't seeing a doctor or receiving care.
"Medicare has made a concerted effort to innovate more health and wellness programs," said
But the items may not be available to all Medicare Advantage enrollees. The pest control, for example, might be available only to customers with chronic conditions that are made worse by bedbugs. Meetings with nutritionists to help develop a healthy diet are only covered if the person has a qualified condition, such as diabetes. In-home personal care is available for people with conditions that limit their daily living activities.
These new benefits will only be available through Medicare Advantage plans, not regular Medicare, and insurers are not required to offer them. Whether they do can depend on what they think their customers need to stay healthy.
Aside from these supplemental offerings, many plans also will provide telemedicine benefits to help patients connect remotely with doctors and other care providers.
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Consumers need to do their homework when they are looking at the wide range of new benefits, said
"Some of these extras are not offered to every single individual, so you need to do research and make sure you meet the qualifications," she said.
And while some of the new services are useful and can help a patient feel better, they need to be weighed against the other factors that go into choosing a Medicare Advantage plan, such as prescription coverage and if your doctor is included in the network, Dufrene said.
Seniors with any questions about Medicare Advantage plans can call the
Insurers started marketing their Medicare Advantage plans last week. Customers still have about a week to learn about any coverage changes or added benefits before the
After that, Medicare Advantage customers who regret their decision can make one change in the first three months of 2020. That second window applies only to those who already have a Medicare Advantage plan.
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