By Breck Obermeyer
It’s that time of year again! Annual Enrollment Period for Medicare – the only weeks during the year that most people can change their Medicare plan if they want to switch to a different option that better fits their needs.
Annual Enrollment Period lasts from October 15 through December 7, and it’s the perfect time to review your healthcare coverage needs and make sure your current plan is still meeting them. You can also simply shop around to see what other options exist – maybe your current plan is still good, but a different one is better (for example, it might offer more perks). Whatever your circumstance, looking at your options now can really pay off later.
You can learn all about our 2022 Health Alliance NorthwestTM Medicare Advantage plans on our website, HealthAlliance.org/Medicare, or by calling us at (877) 642-3331. If you’re more of an “in-person person” (and we love those types of people!), you can visit me at our local office location and we can talk about our completely local plan offerings for the upcoming year. We’re at 1701 Creekside Loop, in Suite 100, right here in Yakima.
What’s really neat (and helpful!) is that after our conversation, you can review the plans on our website – where you can compare a certain plan’s features against another plan’s, and even enroll online – or we can mail you one of our incredibly informative guidebooks to review. I’m a visual person, so I love that we can send a comprehensive guidebook to those who prefer to read the information on their own time and at their own pace.
And here’s a tip to help you select your plan: Think about your healthcare needs and how they may change within the next year. If any of this below sounds like you, it might be time for a change.
- We don’t travel much anymore. Is there a more affordable option for our coverage?
- I have trouble getting to the nearest Veterans Affairs facility. How can I get affordable local coverage?
- My wife is retiring and we plan to spend some time traveling in our motor home. What kind of coverage will we have while traveling?
- I’ll probably need more prescriptions after my operation next year. How can I get an idea of the costs?
- We plan on staying with our daughter in Arizona for five months next year. How will our current coverage work there?
- My husband got a new job with health benefits. Should he keep his Medicare Advantage plan?
- Our current plan will no longer be offered in our area next year. What are our options?
- My retirement plan will no longer be offered in 2022. How can I get comparable coverage on my own?
There’s no question, life changes. If you’re in transition – or just looking for a local plan that fits you better – review your current health plan and whether it’s working for you. I’d love to sit down, have a conversation and show you a local plan that you might really love for 2022. You can find me (and the rest of the Health Alliance Northwest team) right here in Yakima, at 1701 Creekside Loop, Suite 100. I look forward to talking with you!
Breck Obermeyer, Yakima, WA – Breck Obermeyer is a Community Liaison with Health Alliance Northwest, serving Yakima County. She’s a small town girl from Naches and has a great husband who can fix anything and three kids who are her world.
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