Living Well 60+ November – December 2014 | Page 30
30
NOV/DEC 2014
Managing Your Way
Through the Medicare
Maze
What is Medicare
What is a Medicare Supplement
Insurance (Medigap
Advantage Plan
Policy)?
Medicare Advantage plans
Provided by StableView Health
combine Part A and Part B of
Original Medicare into one plan.
Medicare Advantage plans may
also include vision, hearing, fitness programs and prescription
drug coverage. Medicare Advantage plans contract with the
Federal Government to provide
all Medicare benefits. Medicare
benefits are provided by private
insurance companies.
Advantage Plans
vs. Original
Medicare
So how do you decide between
choosing a Medicare Advantage
plan or going with Original
Medicare? It all depends on your
own personal health care needs,
preferences and budget. A good
place to start is to ask yourself the
following questions:
• How important is it to you
to choose your own doctor
versus an in-network doctor?
• Can you manage the varying
copays and deductibles you
may encounter, or do you
want more controlled and
consistent health care costs?
• Do you just want the nutsand-bolts coverage offered by
Original Medicare, or could
you utilize the additional
benefits offered by Medicare
Advantage plans, which may
include wellness and preventive programs, plus optional
dental, vision and hearing aid
coverage?
• Can you afford supplementary
insurance to cover the gaps in
your Original Medicare plan?
• Can you afford supplementary
insurance to cover the gaps in
your Original Medicare plan?
A Medigap policy is an insurance plan that is supplemental to
Medicare. It is not an insurance
plan by itself – it works to supplement your Original Medicare
benefits. Medigap covers some
or all of your coinsurances
depending on your plan choice.
It does not include prescription
drug coverage.
Similarities
Between Medicare
Advantage Plans
and Supplement
Insurance/
Medigap:
Additional
Benefits
AEP will become effective on
January 1, 2015.
Did you know
there is a new,
local Medicare
Advantage plan?
StableView Health offers a
fresh approach to Medicare
Advantage where doctors, mem-
• Offered by private insurance
companies
• Will lower out-of-pocket
costs for hospital and medical
benefits compared to Original
Medicare
• Monthly premium in addition
to your Part B premium
• There is a variety of plan
choices and costs which vary
by company and plan chosen
• Spouses can have an individual plan
How and When to
Enroll?
Your initial enrollment period
(IEP) for either Original Medicare or Medicare Advantage
begins any time after you are
64 years and 9 months old, or
otherwise become eligible for
Medicare.
The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) runs October
15 and ends December 7. During
AEP, all Medicare beneficiaries
can make changes to their plan
coverage. Changes made during
Medicare
Parts A & B
Prescription
Drug
Coverage
bers and the health plan work
together to optimize member
health with costs that are affordable and predictable. For more
information, call 1-866-792-0180
(TTY/TDD: 711) or visit www.
StableViewHealth.com.
Now is the time to make some
important Medicare choices.
StableView Health is here to help.
We look forward to serving you!
Kentucky’s Leading
Hair Replacement
Facility
• Genetic Hair Loss
• Chemotherapy
• Alopecia
• Cosmetic Hair Repl