During certain times of the year there is an avalanche of infomercials, many with retired celebrities proclaiming the magic of Medicare Advantage Plans. Though the commercials are more or less factual, they can be misleading because not everyone will be eligible for the plans advertised. Medicare Advantage plans are location-specific, so verification of plan availability as well as member eligibility are necessary.
As people are living longer, Medicare is a big issue. Medicare/CMS allows private companies to administer the health insurance that provides the needed additional coverage that Medicare does not cover – most notably prescriptions and dental care. Additionally, since enrollment in Medicare Advantage plans is restricted to certain finite time periods each year, it’s critical to get the word out about enrollment season. Hence, the back-to-back (-to-back..) Town Criers touting the benefits.
Medicare Annual Enrollment lasts just a short seven weeks out of each year, so prudent action really is important. Companies maximize the advantage of the enrollment window by staying in front of seniors during the entire period. Multiply that by dozens of companies – there you have the Medicare advertising barrage. Sit tight – it’s over soon and won’t happen again for another year! Smiles.
