Medicare's annual open-enrollment period starts in Idaho

AARP Teams Up With Senior Health Benefits Advisors to Help Idahoans Navigate Medicare & Choose the Plans That Provide Best Fit

Today marks an important day for roughly 15% of Idaho's population, it's the start of Medicare's annual open-enrollment period, the only time of the year beneficiaries can drop or change prescription drug and health care plans for 2011. To kick off the enrollment period, AARP Idaho and the Senior Health Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) are holding a daylong event at AARP's offices in Meridian, Idaho with free-consultations with Medicare advisors to help Medicare beneficiaries get the facts, answer questions about coverage, navigate changes to the program and find the plan that is for them.  

Idaho has 230,000 Medicare beneficiaries and during the past few months, AARP and SHIBA have given presentations on the issue across the state, helping older Idahoans have a better understanding what the open enrollment means, and steps they should take to see if they need to make any changes. Each year, AARP encourages its members and everyone in Medicare to review their options for the coming year.  The enrollment period lasts until December 31. 

Open-enrollment also provides an ideal time for people to talk with their doctors about their prescription drugs, sometimes finding lower-cost options and avoiding risky interactions or eliminating drugs that are no longer needed.  Idaho residents can also call 211 with questions or to arrange a meeting with a SHIBA advisor.

Resources, tips and tools to help Medicare beneficiaries during open-enrollment:

People in Medicare can use the Medicare Plan Finder at www.medicare.gov to research prescription drug and health plans that will be available in 2011.  After reviewing available plans, AARP recommends considering the following when making decisions to change coverage:

* Costs, including the monthly premium, the annual deductible and cost-sharing;

* Coverage for the doctors and pharmacies included in the plan and the prescription drugs and other services you need; and,

* Quality Ratings, which are provided for most Medicare Advantage and Part D plans.  These ratings are based on the quality of care and customer service each plan provides.

AARP recently launched an online tool to help people make better prescription drug choices.  The AARP Drug Savings Tool (available at drugsavings.aarp.org) allows users to select the drug they want to compare from Consumer Reports Health's database of about 500 drugs in 26 drug classes and provides consumers with "Best Buy" recommendations and a discussion sheet to help guide related conversations with their doctor, pharmacist or other health care professional. 

AARP has several resources to help people navigate open enrollment, including:

* AARP Bulletin's December edition, which looks at trends in Medicare drug plan costs for 2011.  Its website also provides a step-by-step guide to comparing drug plans and finding the best plan.  The guide is available at http://www.aarp.org/health/medicare-insurance/info-11-2010/medicare_plan_guide.html.

* A video primer (in English and Spanish) which explains options available during open enrollment.  The video is available at http://www.aarp.org/health/medicare-insurance/info-10-2010/medicare_open_enrollment.html.

* A fact sheet on 2011 Medicare Part D plans available at http://www.aarp.org/health/drugs-supplements/info-11-2010/fs207-medicare.html.