As someone who hates making phone calls, I don't think I could put up with a Medicare Advantage plan. At first the TV ads were obviously targeting new people to Medicare, and those with Medigap insurance. Lately they seem to be targeting prior Medicare Advantage enrollees, in order to get them to switch to their company. I know the insurance companies have to bid for Medicare funds every year for the Advantage plans. They are now being more transparent about the number of changes possible every year. They make it sound like a real hassle now. Call to see if: -your doctor is still in your network -they still offer dental coverage (or hearing, or whatever is your favorite) -your copays have changed -your deductibles have changed. -the insurance company is still in your area? -they will still add money back to your checking account this year (subsidize the Medicare part B premium, and by how much) How could you ever keep track of what you really owe? My mother, who loved to shop for bargains, would have liked this, except she hated making phone calls even worse than I do. I suspect if you don't threaten to change plans periodically they will take advantage (no pun intended) of you, like the homeowner insurance does.
Our Aetna Advantage plan sends us a letter and a thick benefits booklet each year, explaining any changes to coverage. Since our plan is negotiated by the corporation we retired from, there's very little for us to do and we make zero phone calls. We also have online access to our benefits/coverage/ status of claims/etc. But speaking of dreading phone calls... our Comcast contract has expired this month and I need to call them. I'd rather have a tooth pulled than deal with that.
You do not have to do ANY of that on the phone, @Nancy Hart ; you can do all of that online. At least I can with my Humana insurance. 1. They have an app, and I can look and see what doctors take Humana, and where they are located, and if they are accepting new patients. We have a huge list of doctors here, as well as all kinds of specialists, chiropractors, etc. I did have to call the new doctor to give them my information and make an appointment for the first office visit, since we are changing doctors for next year. 2.My Humana card shows that I have vision and dental benefits, and the app has all of the physicians that are in those plans also. 3.Every year, they send me information about how the plan has changed and any new benefits I will have in the upcoming year. 4. If there are changes in co-pays and deductibles, that is included in the new information they send me, and is also online in the Humana app. It also shows if I owe anything and what it is owed for. 5. It would be very unlikely, but if Humana were to not be available, my insurance agent would be going through the available plans to see which would be the best plan for me that was available. Like everyone else, we are bombarded with mail trying to get us to look at a different insurance company; but they just go in the trash. Our agent has done an excellent job anytime we needed to make a change for any reason, and I am completely satisfied with the Humana coverage and have had it for several years now, and have no intention of changing. It is not like a cable/internet company that keeps raising the rates on you each year, so there has never even been a reason for me to consider threatening to change plans. I hate being on the phone (on hold or pushing buttons ) exactly like you do, Nancy, and I love that I can take care of everything online , at my convenience.
Isn't it odd they never mention you can do all this online? I don't doubt for a minute you can. It just seems like they are also targeting people who aren't too savvy about doing things online. Which would be a lot of older people in the Medicare age range. "Call or go online" has become a standard catch phrase now. COGO
I am firmly of the opinion that a person should find a good health insurance agent that is a broker for all companies. Our agent gets information about all of the new plans well before the enrollment period starts, and by fall, he is ready to help people who need to find the best plan for them. I think that a lot of the tv advertisements are for a specific company, so if you call, they are only going to tell you about what their policy covers, but a broker can look at all of the companies and see which ones are the best. The ads on TV are pretty misleading, which makes me distrust the company offering the insurance, too. Many of those benefits that they say you might have “in your zip code”, have nothing to do with that even. The zip code just tells the company if you are in an area where they are licensed to sell insurance. Some of the benefits are only for people who have medicaid; but they don’t tell you that in the advertisement.
I contacted our plan early on we were moving and would have to get new insurance. I will send email again as requested around 12-1 to which is suppose to give us some sort of grace period on enrolment . Not sure how that works, but will need it with us moving out of state.
I have an Advantage plan but it didn't involve telephone calls. I receive notices in the mail about any changes.