Reminder regarding Medicare Open Enrollment

If you're signing up for Medicare for the first time -- or changing to another plan or provider, don't forget to ascertain whether your hospital of choice (Middlesex Hospital--or any other hospital) is accepting payments via the plan you intend to choose.

Some plans are not accepted at Middlesex Hospital -- United Healthcare's AARP MedicareComplete Choice, a Medicare Advantage Plan, is one of them.

Medicare "Open Season" ends on December 7, 2011, a week from this coming Wednesday. Don't be the deer caught in the headlights: Check with the hospital before signing on the dotted line.

If You're 64: A Medicare Advantage Alert

Middlesex Hospital Not Accepting
AARP Medicare Advantage Plans

If you are of a certain age, a member of AARP, and researching possibilities for Medicare enrollment, you may have received AARP literature on some the many AARP insurance and health care plans. If so, proceed with caution.

AARP Medicare Advantage coverage, available through UnitedHealthCare, is not viable at Middlesex Hospital. At present, Middlesex Hospital doesn’t have a contract to service people who enroll in AARP Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. That means if you are enrolled in an AARP Medicare Advantage plan and happen to land at Middlesex Hospital, you will be treated, but you will need to foot a larger portion of the hospital bill, as reimbursement from the AARP MA plan will be minimal.

Medicare Advantage plans, also known as Medicare Part C, offer comprehensive or "complete care" and focus on preventive care and seem to be offered at lower cost (see * below).

While Middlesex Hospital accepts coverage from all Medicare Supplement plans (a different type of coverage--MediGap), including AARP Medicare Supplement plans, Middlesex accepts only the following Medicare Advantage plans:

ConnectiCare Medicare Advantage plans (www.connecticare.com/medicare)
Blue Cross Medicare Advantage plans (www.anthem.com/medicare)

Medicare is a complex program and bears looking into carefully. Medicare.gov and provider websites noted above are a good place to start.

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*Medicare Advantage (Medicare Part C) plans offer comprehensive coverage that focuses on preventive care. They seem to be offered at lower cost than other coverage and some Medicare Advantage plans offer important coverage at low or no additional or "co-payment" cost: Preventive care, routine annual health exam, routine testing, laboratory procedures, and some annual inoculations, like flu shots, along with other options, such as routine dental and eye-care coverage, gym or health club membership, and the like. Be sure to check Medicare.gov and insurance plan websites for further information. Note that this author is not a health care or Medicare authority, and you need to research any Medicare matters carefully for yourself.