46 THE QUEENS COURIER • HEALTH • OCTOBER 4, 2018 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
health
MEDICARE
AND MEDICAID
ENROLLMENT
Making it count: 5 tips for choosing a health plan
Th is fall millions will head to the polls
to cast their vote in the mid-term elections,
but they have another important
choice to make as well: their health care
coverage for 2019.
People will have the opportunity to
select or switch their health insurance
plans for 2019 during open or annual
enrollment.
But unlike Election Day, the dates to
keep in mind aren’t the same for everyone
and vary depending on your situation:
• For the more than 175 million Americans
with employer-provided coverage, many
companies set aside a two-week period
between September and December when
employees can select health benefi ts for
the following year.
• For the more than 60 million people
enrolled in Medicare, Medicare Annual
Enrollment runs from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7
each year.
• Health insurance marketplace or individual
state exchange open enrollment
runs from Nov. 1 to Dec. 15.
For most people, changes made during
this time will take eff ect Jan. 1, 2019.
Choosing health benefi ts can feel stressful,
but it doesn’t have to be. Rebecca
Madsen, chief consumer offi cer of
UnitedHealthcare, shares fi ve tips to help
make the process easier and ensure you
are choosing the right option for you:
Review your options
Take the time to explore your options
and understand the benefi ts and costs
of each plan so you can fi nd the coverage
that works best for you. Beyond
the monthly premium, you also should
understand what out-of-pocket costs,
including the deductible, copays and
coinsurance, you may be responsible for.
Also, consider any changes to your health
over the last year or if you have any major
health events planned for 2019 - such as
having a baby or surgery - to determine if
your current coverage still fi ts your needs.
Prevent fi nancial surprises
Before you select a plan, check if your
doctor is in your health plan’s care provider
network. Visiting doctors that are
in-network is one way to help keep your
costs lower. If you select a plan that would
make your visit to a doctor or hospital
outside the network, make sure you
understand the costs.
Also, see if your medications are covered
by the plan. Even if you don’t expect
to change plans, it’s important to make
sure your drugs will still be covered
in 2019. People with Medicare should
remember that Original Medicare doesn’t
cover prescription drugs, so if you are
looking for help covering the costs of
your medications, choose either a Part D
plan or a Medicare Advantage plan with
prescription coverage.
Look for ways to save
Ask about incentive-based wellness
programs that reward you for living a
healthier lifestyle. Some health plans off er
incentives for their members to participate
in activities that may help improve
their health, such as completing a health
assessment, visiting a gym, lowering
their cholesterol, participating in a wellness
coaching or tobacco-cessation program,
or even just walking.
Also, check to see if your plan includes
24/7 telehealth services. Telehealth services
can be especially convenient for
consultations on minor health issues.
Oft en, telehealth is available to members
of employer-sponsored, individual and
Medicare Advantage plans.
Don’t forget about additional benefi ts
and features
Open or annual enrollment is the ideal
time to select benefi t plans that can help
protect you and your family from head
to toe, so consider adding vision, dental
and fi nancial protection plans such as life,
accident or critical illness coverage. For
people on Medicare, many are surprised
to fi nd that Original Medicare doesn’t
cover most dental, vision and hearing
services. But many Medicare Advantage
plans do and oft en include perks like
gym memberships or discounts on hearing
aids.
Learn the lingo
Do you have a full understanding of
health care terms, such as premium,
deductible, coinsurance and out-of-pocket
maximum? If not, there are resources
online, including UnitedHealth Group’s
Just Plain Clear Glossary (in English,
Spanish and Portuguese) to help you
learn and understand health care terms.
For help navigating open enrollment,
visit UHCOpenEnrollment.com for more
tips, articles and videos about health
insurance and health care topics.
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