Arlington County’s Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program
(VICAP) provides free, unbiased, one-on-one insurance counseling to Arlington County Medicare Beneficiaries, their families, friends and caregivers.
Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period
Fall Open Enrollment is coming to an end, but the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment is right around the corner. If you already have a Medicare Advantage plan, you can switch to a new Medicare Advantage plan or back to Original Medicare between January 1st and March 31st.
If you have Original Medicare and a separate Part D plan, you cannot switch plans during this time. Below are a few tips when looking for a new Medicare Advantage plan that is best for you:
- Check if the plan covers your prescriptions and includes the benefits you need.
- Ask your doctors if they are in the plan’s network.
- Review costs, like monthly premiums, deductibles, and the estimate of the annual cost for the medications you take.
- If you have other health insurance or prescription coverage, talk to your benefits administrator or other insurance provider before you make any changes to your current coverage.
- If you live in another state for part of the year, check if the plan will cover you there.
|
Get Protection from the Flu
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Flu shots are especially important for people with cancer or a history of cancer because they are at high risk of developing serious flu complications even when vaccinated.
Some older adults (65 years and older) may have a weaker immune response to flu vaccines. This can make them more likely to get sick with the flu or get flu complications even when vaccinated.
A high-dose flu vaccine is recommended for people who are 65 or older for a better immune response and better protection against the flu. For more information, visit Specific Flu Shots for People 65 and Older.
Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) covers many preventive services like the flu shot and screening services for cancers, like lung cancer. Visit Medicare.gov/coverage/is-your-test-item-or-service-covered to learn more about what Medicare covers.
|
|
Medicare Open Enrollment Is Coming Soon. So Is the Flood of TV Ads
VirginiaSMP | November 13, 2023
If you watch daytime television, especially talk shows, game shows or reality court dramas, brace yourself for the annual barrage of commercials featuring one-time celebrities urging you to sign up for their favorite Medicare plan.(Read More)
|
|
 |
Dear VICAP Team,
How do I pick a drug prescription plan?
Dear Medicare Beneficiary,
This is a timely question! People could lower their Part D costs by shopping for plans each year. There may be another Part D plan that covers your prescriptions at a lower cost or with fewer restrictions.
You can review your current plan and use the Medicare.gov Plan Finder tool to compare costs and coverage of your prescriptions. The Plan Finder provides information on the cost of your premiums, deductibles, co-payments and even the star rating of each plan.
To use the Plan Finder, just follow the steps below:
- Go to www.medicare.gov and click on the button that says, “Find Plans Now.”
- You can do a general search on the right side of the page, under the title “Continue without logging in.” If you wish to save your drugs and pharmacy information, you can log into or create your Medicare.gov account on the left side of the page. Creating an account will allow you to do a side by side comparison of your current plan and any other plans you would like to review.
- Next, put in your zip code and then choose what kind of plan you are looking for—a Medicare Advantage Plan, a Medicare drug plan, or a Medigap policy.
- Then you can enter the drugs you take, choose the pharmacies you use, and indicate whether you are interested in a mail order option.
The Plan Finder will display results in your area. You can compare up to three different prescription plans and use the filter options above the list of plans to look at specific insurance carriers, star ratings, and prescription and premium costs. Note that some plans may not cover all the prescriptions you take but may cover alternatives. Be sure to speak with your provider to see if the alternative of a prescription you take would be right for you. Our team of certified State Health Insurance Counselors can help you review plan options and pick a plan that is best for you.
Before finalizing your decision to enroll in a new plan, call the plan directly to confirm the information on pricing and prescription coverage is up to date. To review a list of questions to ask when calling a company about their prescription drug coverage, click here.
 For assistance from one of our VICAP Counselors, please complete and submit the intake form via email to MedicareHelp@arlingtonva.us
Click here to complete a form in English
Click here to complete a form in Spanish
Contact us by phone: 703-228-1725 or email: MedicareHelp@arlingtonva.us
Listen to VICAP’s 2023 Aging Matter Radio Interview with Cheryl Beversdorf, Producer & Host, Aging Matters and Michelle Thomas, VICAP Coordinator
This project was supported, in part by grant number 90SAPG0064, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy
|
