It’s not too late to get help choosing a new Medicare health care plan

Every year, from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7, seniors have an opportunity to choose different health and drug plans or stick with the ones they have.

That sounds easy but it can be stressful because none of us can predict what will happen in the future.

By the time I finished reviewing all the benefits offered by competing health plans and researched my drug costs for the previous year, my head was swimming,

Thankfully, I was able to reach an insurance broker willing to share their experience helping seniors navigate the many options out there.

I’m not disclosing the broker’s identity because they are not authorized to speak to the media.

But the senior broker shared some essential tips that might help reduce the anxiety some of you may be feeling.

First, you may be wondering if we need to consult a Medicare advisor.

After speaking with this broker, I think we do.

 “I help people make good choices about their health care because the system makes minor changes every year,” the broker told me.

“Mostly, seniors are confused by all the choices because they get many phone calls about plans, and many don’t speak clear English. They get a lot of stuff in the mail and hear a lot of ads on radio and TV commercials, which adds to the confusion. Now, we have ads on TV for plans endorsed by celebrities. These celebrities encourage people to call. Sometimes the caller can create a dialogue that may lead people to enroll in a plan. But many commercials are bait and switch,” the broker said.

“The senior population is bombarded with misinformation. There are a lot of fraudulent things happening, and it’s to the point where some seniors are not picking up their telephones.“

Here are some things seniors and their caregivers need to remember as the decision deadline looms.

What is Medicare doing to protect seniors?

“Medicare is trying to clamp down on the bad actors. They are making brokers like me more compliant because you have some bad actors who are not compliant and are ripping off the beneficiaries,” the broker said.

What about that 127-page “Medicare & You,” the official U.S. government Medicare handbook? Is it beneficial?

“The average person doesn’t read it,” the broker responded.

“When we enter the door, our approach is ‘Hey, have you read your Medicare book?’ Then, we ask them to get it because we use that book as a starting point when we go over Medicare options.

“It’s like a bible. I keep it with me. It’s like when you go to church without your bible, the pastor has his.”

This is close to Dec. 7, the cutoff for the Annual Enrollment Period. Should we panic?

“No need to panic. You’re shopping and looking for the best deal; you can’t rush that,” the broker said.

To take the pressure off wary enrollees, brokers are supposed to wait 48 hours before sealing the deal.

“I give you this information, and if you want me to meet with you, I have to wait 48 hours before I come and see you to provide you with time to digest the information so you don’t feel rushed.

“If seniors have a clear understanding [of the plans], they decide to stay where they are or they switch [before the enrollment deadline.]”

What if I make a terrible decision?

If a person feels they have made a wrong decision, they can correct it from Jan. 1, 2024 through March 31, 2024.

Like I said, it’s complicated.

That is the reason people turn to Medicare advisors, the broker told me.

“We have been certified through all the insurance carriers. We must test and score 90% or more to get certified to have these conversations with the beneficiaries.”

When our conversation ended, I felt more comfortable hitting the enroll button.

To get help finding the right Medicare coverage, go to medicare.gov or call Senior Health Insurance Program at 800-252-8966.