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Review your 2008 Medicare Health Plan options, since most private health plans’ costs and benefits change from year to year, Medicare Rights Center advises

New York, NY – Everyone who is enrolled in a Medicare private health plan is advised to review their health coverage options for next year, since most private plans will change their costs and benefits.

People have the right to change Medicare health plans for 2008 from November 15 through December 31. Most people can change their health plans only once, between January 1 and March 31; they are then locked into their health plan for the rest of the year.

“No one in a Medicare private health plan is free from the complex task of having to review all of the plan options all over again for 2008,” said Robert M. Hayes, president of the Medicare Rights Center (MRC), a national consumer group. “A private Medicare health plan that worked well for someone this year could be much more costly and offer different health benefits next year.”

Americans with Medicare can choose to receive their health benefits through Original Medicare, the public program that allows you to see virtually any doctor anywhere in the country. Four out of five people with Medicare keep Original Medicare.

Medicare private health plans, another option, are available through private insurance companies, and are generally managed care plans where rules and restrictions apply. Many offer Part D drug coverage as part of their benefits package. Medicare health plan choices vary by county but usually include health maintenance organizations (HMOs), preferred provider organizations (PPOs), and private fee-for-service plans (PFFS).

Some things to consider when deciding whether to join a Medicare private health plan are:

·                                 Will I be able to use my doctors?

·                                 Which specialists, hospitals, home health agencies and skilled nursing facilities are in the plan's network?

·                                 Do I have to pay a plan premium?

·                                 How much will it cost to see my primary care physician? A specialist?

·                                 How much will I pay for a hospital stay?

·                                 What service area does the plan cover?

·                                 What kind of coverage will I have if I am traveling outside of the service area?

·                                 Are my prescription drugs on the health plan's formulary (list of covered drugs)?

Other things you should know when choosing a health plan are:

·                      If you choose Original Medicare, it is advisable to purchase a “Medigap” plan to lower your out-of-pocket costs, unless you have supplemental coverage from a current job, a spouse’s job or retiree health coverage.

·                                 If you have retiree health coverage, be sure to find out if it works with a Medicare private health plan. If you join a private health plan you may lose your retiree health benefits and never get them back.

·                                 People enrolled in Medicare private health plans must generally get their drug coverage through the private plan.

·                                 People with Original Medicare can get drug coverage through a “stand-alone” Medicare private drug plan, or if they have it, from a current job, a spouse’s job or retiree health coverage.

People with Medicare need to be on guard against private health plan marketing abuse and fraud. Unscrupulous sales agents have been known to take advantage of people’s confusion and enroll them in health plans they never intended to join.

“‘Read the fine print’ is easier said than done when one is facing stacks of glossy brochures or listening to a sales pitch,” said Hayes. “Our free resources will guide you through the decision-making process step by step in consumer-friendly language.”

The Medicare Rights Center offers the following resources, at no charge, to help people make a health plan choice that best meets their needs:

·     Medicare Interactive:  www.medicarerights.org/help.htmll

MRC’s free, web-based counseling tool provides consumer-friendly information about Medicare benefits, rights and options, including:

o       state-specific health care information;

o       a chart on how to compare your Medicare health plan options;

o       explanations of the different types of Medicare private health; plans

o       questions to ask before joining a Medicare private health plan;

o       tips on how to avoid marketing fraud;

·        Telephone Counseling

Consumers who prefer to speak with a counselor can call the Medicare Rights Center’s toll-free hotline at 1-800-333-4114. Counselors are available Monday through Friday, 9AM – 1PM (Eastern Time).