Medicare Open Enrollment Period Is Here! Get In Touch With The Team At Hallandale Medical Center To Prepare

During the Open Enrollment Period, recipients eligible for Medicare will have the opportunity to revisit their current plan and decide whether or not it is the right plan for them. As our healthcare needs change over time, the services needed to best care for ourselves or our loved ones, may need to be revisited. Open Enrollment is the time to start looking at what health plans are available, as well as the services, costs and copays associated with these plans. “Straight Medicare” Plans tend to only cover medical expenses and typically do not entitle an insured to dental, eyeglass, hearing aids, or other benefits. If a “Straight Medicare” insured patient wants dental benefits, they would have to purchase a separate policy which then adds additional expense to the insured. Whereas, some Medicare Advantage Plans not only include medical coverage, but also include dental coverage as well as other benefits as part of the package.

CarePlus Medicare Advantage Plans, as an example, will include medical coverage, but may also include routine dental, vision, and hearing coverage as well as provide a monthly allowance for over-the-counter medicines. Another benefit to some of these Medicare Advantage Plans is that they may offer $0 copays for primary care and specialist visits.

Knowing which plan is best for you is important to ensure you have the proper coverages for your healthcare needs and at a price that is affordable. While some folks choose to stay with their current plan, there are those that may realize their current plan is not giving them the coverage they need at the price they can afford. Doing your due diligence during open enrollment is very important to ensuring you are maximizing your benefits and getting the most for your money.

For those interested in enrolling into Straight Medicare or a Medicare Advantage Plan, Hallandale Medical Center accepts a wide range of plans including most major insurance plans. As Hallandale Medical Center offers geriatric medicine they work hard to try and contract with most Medicare Advantage plans, including CarePlus and Humana Medicare Advantage Plans. Since Hallandale Medical Center offers primary care, behavioral health, podiatry and dental services, they try to contract with insurers to allow their patients to utilize all the services under one roof. According to Randy Kirshbaum, Chief Operating Officer at Hallandale Medical Center, “we do our best to ensure that our patients can utilize all our services under the roof. For example, our CarePlus and Humana Medicare Advantage patients have access to medical, dental and behavioral health services to ensure we are doing our best at providing a 360-degree approach to their healthcare.” In 2023, some CarePlus and Humana Medicare Advantage Plans will offer a wide array of benefits including dental crowns, root canal, complete or partial dentures, as well as many other services all at a $0 copay to their insured patients. While Hallandale Medical Center accepts Medicare Advantage Health Maintenance Organization plans (HMO) Plans, they also accept Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) Plans.

While Medicare Open Enrollment offers an opportunity for current Medicare participants to review and change their plans, those of you soon to turn 65 are also encouraged to prepare. To stay up to date we strongly recommend you carefully review any Medicare correspondence you receive in the mail. Every year people enrolled in a Medicare health or drug plan receive materials from their plans like the “Evidence of Coverage” (EOC) and “Annual Notice of Change” (ANOC). These notices are important to review because they include crucial information regarding price and coverage changes. For additional information, current and prospective patients can also contact Hallandale Medical Center to be connected with a licensed insurance agent who is able to answer any questions regarding Medicare Benefits.

Medicare Advantage Plan premiums are expected to see a decline in average premiums. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the projected average premiums will drop by nearly 8% to $18 per month next year. In recent years Medicare Advantage plans have experienced a sharp increase in popularity with almost 32 million estimated enrollees as of next year. Many people are drawn to Medicare Advantage plans because they offer additional benefits not covered in traditional Medicare, including vision, hearing and dental benefits.

While Medicare Advantage Plans continue to grow in popularity it is important to do your research to find the plan that fits your needs and budget. To better serve our patients, and assist them in maneuvering the Medicare landscape, Hallandale Medical Center helps patients get in contact with licensed insurance agents who can answer any questions they may have regarding the different plans available.

We hope this information helps you make the right choices during the Medicare Open Enrollment Period. For additional information on Medicare, or Medicare Advantage Plans, you can call: 1-800-Medicare, or visit Hallandale Medical Center where we will help you get in touch with a licensed insurance agent. To learn more about Hallandale Medical Center, or its other Centers: Delray Medical & Dental and Coral Springs Medical & Dental, you can visit their website at: https://hgdoctors.com.