As we meet with clients each year for the Annual Election Period (AEP), we run into thousands of different scenarios. This year is no exception. Here is a particular case that might apply to many folks reading the column this month.
Charlene has been a client for years and annually submitted her request for research for us to perform her review. Her elderly father moved in with her recently, so Charlene became his “caretaker” and needed our help with his Medicare too. He is a WWII vet and always uses the VA. He never had the need or desire to go elsewhere. His doctor went on vacation and hadn’t come back for over three weeks, but he needed to be seen. Charlene didn’t know what to do. Obviously, she wanted to help him and just have him go see her doctor. The best remedy? She needed to get Dad a Medicare plan that would allow him to go outside of the VA for times like this…so she called us.
Dad had not served long enough to be eligible for Tri-Care for life. Dad did have Original Medicare A and B but had never picked up a drug plan because he filled everything at the VA, and wanted to keep it that way. We needed to find a Medicare Advantage plan without a Part D drug plan built in.
Luckily there are half a dozen Medicare Advantage plans without a drug plan in their county to pick from. Now, to search for plans that had Charlene’s doctor in-network so Dad could go too.
15 minutes later, together we found a plan that not only covered their doctor and hospital of choice, but also provided a $50 give back to his Part B premium every month!!! Charlene and Dad were ecstatic.
If you have a friend, a relative, or even a chatty acquaintance that has not reviewed their Medicare plans recently… Call us we can help!
*The annual election period is ending December 7th, but that does not mean we cannot start the process to get plans lined up and appointments booked for next year!