As the New Year rolls in, many of us heave a sigh of relief that the hustle and bustle of the holiday season has ended. While we enjoy the excitement of the decorating, gift giving and endless parade of food, the extended bonding time with our family and friends can wear us thin. Sometimes it just feels good to have everything put away, the house set back to its everyday look and the last of the leftovers cleaned out of the refrigerator. We can take a deep breath and relax. Linger a bit longer over that morning cup of coffee. Enjoy the silence, watch the birds on the feeder and the squirrels on the lawn.
As the daily routines of life return, you may find yourself at the drugstore filling your prescriptions for the first time in 2025. “What is this?” you ask yourself as you realize that your amount due at the cash register is higher than expected. “Did I miss something?”
Has your Medicare Advantage plan made a change that got past you during the rush of the holidays? Or did you switch MAPD plans in the fall, and now it doesn’t seem to be right for you?
In the hustle of your family life, the national elections and everything else we had going on last fall, you may have missed the messaging that came out about the major changes in Medicare Part D coverage in 2025. Gone is the Coverage Gap or “donut hole,” and in is the $2,000 Maximum Out of Pocket. Did this change affect the price of your prescription drugs this January? Did it catch you by surprise?
It’s great to know that the Medicare Advantage Plan Open Enrollment Period offers you a second chance. A second chance to look at the things that have changed due to the coverage you switched to during the fall Annual Enrollment Period or AEP. Also, a second chance to consider trying something different because the plan you’ve had just isn’t working for you anymore.
The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs between January 1 and March 31 each year, and it gives Medicare Advantage beneficiaries the chance to take their new plans out for a test drive or discover what kinds of changes were made to your existing plan that got past you during the busy fall season.
Would you like a second chance to return to the plan you had originally and/or select a new Medicare Advantage plan that better fits your needs? Perhaps you wish to disenroll from your existing Medicare Advantage Plan and return to original Medicare.
When “surprises” happen at the pharmacy counter or the doctor’s office that weren’t on your radar for the New Year, sometimes it’s good to know options are available. Feel free to give us a call; we can walk you through what options may be available to you before the final deadline of March 31.