Attention seniors, you will not lose Medicare coverage when the health insurance marketplace opens in October, nor will you have to go to the new online exchange to sign up for plans.
Sorry, wrong number
Call centers for state health insurance exchanges are already receiving calls from Medicare recipients, according Julie Bataille, of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Such inquiries, which are redirected to the Medicare line, are just one indication that seniors are confused about the implications of Obamacare for their coverage.
Get the facts
Visit Medicare.gov.: If you need to sign up for Medicare or change plans, medicare.gov is the site to check out, not the state health insurance marketplace.
Open Enrollment: The Medicare open enrollment period starts Oct. 15 and closes Dec. 7. Enrollment for the Texas health insurance exchange launches Oct. 1 and runs through March.
Benefits: Medicare benefits are not changing. No matter how you get Medicare, whether through Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage Plan, you’ll still have the same benefits you have now.
Cost: Premium prices may change for some people receiving Medicare, but will not rise as a result of Obamacare. There is no provision of the health care law that sets premium rates — they are calculated based on Medicare costs.
“Medicare premiums are rising because health care costs rise each year, but less rapidly than premiums for private health insurance, and less rapidly than previously projected.” – Paul Van de Water, senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
Stay tuned, Texas AARP is trying to clarify how the health care law affects seniors by hosting community information sessions.
