A major change comes to Medicare in 2019. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is replacing the Medicare Advantage Disenrollment Period with a new Medicare Advantage Enrollment Period. This new enrollment period runs from January 1 through March 31. The Open Enrollment Period should not be confused with Medicare's Annual Election Period, which will continue to run from October 15 through December 7 each year. The new Open Enrollment specifically applies to people al

A recent Yahoo Finance article brought to light some unfortunate issues with the Medicare Part D prescription drug program. According to the article, the vast majority of seniors are enrolled in the wrong Part D plan: "A study conducted by Yale and MIT researchers found that a significant amount of seniors selected plans that weren’t right for them. According to the study, only 11% of patients chose the best plan in 2006; by 2009 that number had shrunk to 2%." Seniors enrolli

Good news: Carriers have released their Medicare Part D pricing for 2019 plans and the average plan premium has declined from 2018. In 2018 the average prescription drug plan premium was $33.59 per month. It'll reduce to $32.50 in 2019. The main reason for the drop in premiums is due to some new carriers entering the market with very low premiums. That said, many plans are getting increased premiums next year, so it's important to check the status of your current plan to see

Each Fall Medicare's Annual Open Enrollment begins with an onslaught of Medicare-related advertisements. TV commercials starring doctors with clipbooks, radio ads touting competitive rates, and newspaper clippings offering to find a plan that covers everything. Clearly Medicare's Annual Open Enrollment is an important time, but unfortunately, the volume of advertising often leads to confusion. Let's address some of the main misconceptions about Medicare's Open Enrollment Peri

If you decide to go the Medicare Advantage route rather than enroll in a Medicare supplement plan, it's important to remember to evaluate your Medicare Advantage plan annually. Review Your Medicare Advantage Plan Annually A Medicare Advantage plan can offer solid senior health coverage, particularly if a Medigap plan isn't in your budget. It is vital, however, that you review your Medicare Advantage plan each year during the Annual Enrollment Period. Each Fall, you can expect

If you're over age 65, you probably know the Medicare's Annual Election Period runs from October 15 through December 7 each year. What you might not realize, however, is that this election period isn't only relevant to folks looking to sign up for Medicare benefits. No, the election period is also an important opportunity for you to evaluate your current prescription drug or Medicare Advantage plans. But maybe you're happy with your current plan. Maybe your prescription drugs