22 North Shore Towers Courier n August 2016 MEDICARE CORNER BY FELICE HANNAH What’s New in 2017 FALL MEDICARE OPEN ENROLLMENT 2016 *Fall Open Enrollment occurs every year during October 15th to December 7th. Review your current health and drug coverage and the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) and /or Evidence of Coverage received from your plan. If you are dissatisfi ed with proposed changes in the ANOC or EOC, you can make the following changes during the Medicare Open Enrollment Period. Changes you make will become effective on January 1st of 2017: • Join a new Medicare Advantage Plan (MA) • Switch from an MA Plan to Original Medicare (You will need to enroll in a Medicare Stand Alone Part D plan at this time) • Pick a new Medicare Stand Alone Part D Plan • Enroll in a Medigap Policy Changes you make during the Open Enrollment Period will become effective January 1, 2017. Note: You may also make changes in your MA Plan during the Medicare Advantage Disenrollment period January 1, 2017–February 14, 2017. These changes will become effective the fi rst of February or the fi rst of March 2017. *If you receive retiree health coverage, check with your Human Resource Administrator before making any changes in your health or prescription drug coverage. PART D AMOUNTS 2017 The following information may be different if receiving Creditable Part D Coverage through a Retiree Plan. Check with your Human Resource Administrator regarding Part D Benefi t Parameters. Part D Plans will be able to charge a $400 deductible in 2017. The Initial Coverage Limit will be $3,700 in total drug costs before you enter the GAP (Donut Hole). Catastrophic Coverage begins at the point that your True Out of Pocket (TrOOP) costs reaches $4,950. Benefi ciaries will then pay 5% of the cost of the drug or a co-payment of $3.30 for generics and $8.25 for brand name drugs. OUTPATIENT OR INPATIENT You will no longer be responsible for inquiring about your hospital status, effective August 6, 2016. Hospitals will be required to provide written notice about your hospital status if you are receiving observation services for more than 24 hours. This notice is called Medicare Outpatient Observation Notice (MOON) and must be provided within 36 hours of the beginning of the observation services. The MOON notice will include the following information: Reason for observation services Difference in Part A and Part B cost sharing Drug Coverage under Part D Qualifying eligibility for Medicare Coverage of a Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Sell your goodies DISCREET Ebay sales in your home ® TURN YOUR VALUABLES INTO CASH! Leslie Lerman-Feldman 917-856-7355 NST Resident Elder Care Companion Mature Woman with Car Available for: • Shopping & Errands • Activities • Cooking Meals • Doctor Appointments • Home Organization NEILA ROSENBERG (347) 387-6798 Trustworthy • Reliable • Compassionate • Flexible References Available on Request
NST082016
To see the actual publication please follow the link above