Open enrollment is underway for Medicare beneficiaries who may or may not want to switch their plans for next year. Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon urges Louisiana residents to take advantage of the federally-funded Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) to get unbiased, expert advice on the best plan for them.
“It’s invaluable to Medicare beneficiaries in particular at this time of the year, the open enrollment period that began on October 15th and runs through December 7th,” said Donelon.
You can get in touch with SHIIP by calling 1-800-259-5300 or by visiting www.ldi.la.gov.
Donelon on why people turn to SHIIP for Medicare information.
“They are generally trying to determine what is the best vehicle for Medicare coverage for their individual situation,” said the commissioner.
Donelon says the Medicare choices are important since not all, such as Medicare Advantage Plans, offer coverage for your particular doctors or other medical providers that you prefer which he says “private companies offer that sometimes come with additional benefits not covered by traditional Medicare.”
He says you need to ask yourself that by changing plans, “will you still have access to the doctors, hospitals, etcetera that you’ve come to rely on for your health care needs.”
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