Medicare cost savings during open enrollment available
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News from Western Montana Area VI Agency on Aging
You may be paying more than necessary for your Medicare Prescription Plan or Advantage Plan. We encourage all Medicare beneficiaries to use the Medicare.com Planfinder tool to evaluate whether you have the most economical prescription drug plan or advantage plan for you for 2015. Every year insurance companies change their coverages and set the rates for the coming year. During Open Enrollment (Oct. 15-Dec. 7) you have the opportunity to change plans. If you find a cheaper plan you can enroll online, and your new plan will be effective Jan.1, 2015. Your old plan will automatically be terminated Dec. 31, 2014.
Area VI Agency on Aging SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program) Counselors can enter your prescriptions in the Planfinder program for you and enroll you in a new plan online if you choose to do so. If you choose to stay with the same plan you don’t have to do anything, except pay the new premium rate and drug costs. Last year many clients found they could save considerable amounts in 2014 by simply changing plans.
Also several insurance companies have either dropped or added Advantage plans for 2015 in our four county area. You may have to choose a new plan. We can run the Planfinder with your prescriptions and help you choose your plan, then enroll you online.
Open Enrollment is a very busy time for our office. Please call for an appointment. If you just walk in the door it’s unlikely a SHIP counselor will be available right then. The phone number of our office in Polson is 883-7284. We have SHIP counselors in Mineral, Sanders, and Lincoln counties as well. Call 1-800-551-3191 for contact information on those counselors. It only takes a half hour or so to compare plans on the computer. It’s definitely worth the time to see if you can save some money in 2015.
