Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Don't Let Medicare's Complexity Scare You Off From Updating Your Coverage. Here Are Some Tips To Navigate System.
The New York Times: Medicare Can Be Confusing: 6 Of Your Top Questions, Answered
Most people on Medicare report that they are very satisfied with their health care coverage — but the program is complicated. Medicare features an alphabet soup of plans, coverage choices, premium levels and enrollment rules. The New York Times recently invited readers to submit their questions about Medicare. Today, we’re responding to some of the most frequent ones. (Miller, 11/1)
USA Today: Medicare Open Enrollment: Use These Tips To Save On Your Next Plan
About 60 million Medicare recipients have the chance to change their coverage during the health care service’s annual open enrollment season, which opened on October 15 and closes on December 7. But research indicates fewer than 4 in 10 seniors review their Medicare plan each year to find the best deal. That means millions of Medicare recipients may be making a costly mistake: The program’s open enrollment period represents the only time of the year when seniors can tweak their drug coverage, says Diane Omdahl, the chief executive and founder of 65 Inc., which provides fee-based Medicare advice to seniors. Skipping the process, or rushing through it, can mean losing out on savings or choosing a plan that doesn’t cover your prescriptions, she adds. (Picchi, 10/31)
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