WILMINGTON – U.S. Representative John Carney released the following statement today regarding the beginning of Medicare’s open enrollment period on Saturday, October 15th. This year, the open enrollment period begins earlier, and has been extended to last seven weeks ending on Wednesday, December 7th.
“Open enrollment is a chance for Delawareans on Medicare to review their choices and find the plan that works best for them,” said Congressman Carney. “I encourage all Delawareans enrolled in Medicare to take advantage of the next several weeks by evaluating their healthcare needs, learning more about the new benefits available this year, and choosing a plan that provides them with quality, affordable coverage.”
Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, seniors on Medicare are now eligible for additional benefits, including lower prescription drug costs through a 50% discount on covered brand name drugs in the coverage gap, wellness checkups, and access to certain preventive care services with no copayments.
Seniors on Medicare can review plans and compare coverage options using the following resources:
- The Medicare website (www.medicare.gov) offers personalized comparisons of costs and coverage plans available by area. This information is also available through Medicare’s Plan Finder tool (www.medicare.gov/find-a-plan).
- A toll-free phone line, 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) offers 24/7 assistance to those seeking information about coverage options.
- A Medicare 2012 open enrollment Handbook, Medicare & You, is accessible online at: http://www.medicare.gov/publications/pubs/pdf/10050, and has been mailed to the homes of current Medicare enrollees.
For those seeking one-on-one assistance, Delaware ELDERinfo is holding events in each county during the open enrollment period where Medicare enrollees can confidentially review their current benefit plans and make decisions on their coverage for 2012. For meeting details or more information, please visit the ELDERinfo website at http://www.delawareinsurance.gov/elder/.
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