By Michael Roth, Florida Health Connector
Happy with your Medicare benefits? Not interested in making changes for 2021. Great! You do not have to do a thing! However, if you are ready to make a change, the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) runs from October 15, 2020 to December 7, 2020 with any policy changes becoming effective January 1, 2021.
If you have an Advantage or Drug plan, your insurance provider should have already sent you the “Annual Notice of Change” (also known as the “ANOC”) letter. This notice alerts you to any changes regarding your plan… such as premiums, copays, pharmacy networks and drug formularies.
During AEP you can: change from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage Plan or vice-versa. choose a different Medicare Advantage Plan. join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan or switch to another drug plan. Drop your Medicare Advantage or Prescription Drug Plan completely and return to Original Medicare A & B.
Why you may want to make a change:
An increase in monthly premiums. Better benefits – since all plan benefits are not the same.
Your doctor is no longer in the plan network or you want a broader and more stable network of providers. Your medications are no longer covered.
What Not to Do:
You should not listen to all the TV commercials and phone calls that begin airing in October.
Remember the old Joe Namath commercial about the best Medicare plans on the planet? You should not wonder, “Should I be doing something since everybody else seems to be? Can I believe what I hear from my friends, colleagues, and family?”
You should not call an “800” number. The majority of Medicare members should just ignore the “noise” and do nothing. However, not paying attention to the changes in their Medicare plan (reflected in the ANOC letter) and not calling to find out what other plans may work better for their current needs is not good either!
For further information on how the benefits and resources at Florida Blue can help you live more and worry less call (850) 899-7003, or email mhaalandroth@gmail.com.
Michael Roth is Regional Manager with Florida Health Connector (Your Local Agency for Florida Blue), and President of MrBenefits, Inc. Michael has been a local resident on 30A since 2008 and has over 40 year’s experience specializing in Medicare, Health, Life and Group Benefits.
