Medicare Open Enrollment Is Here: Help Patients Look Beyond the Ads

We are now in the midst of Medicare Open Enrollment, which runs through December 7, making this an important time to remind our patients to review their coverage for the coming year. Plans can change from year to year, so patients should make sure their medications are still covered and consider what they will actually pay for their prescriptions.

And we have all seen the TV ads, right? One message that seems to come up again and again is the promise of a Medicare “grocery card,” sometimes advertised as providing $1,000 or more in benefits. Patients may ask us about these enticing offers, so it is important to clarify that a grocery card is not a free benefit provided to everyone by the federal Medicare program. Rather, food or grocery allowances are supplemental benefits available through certain private Medicare Advantage plans, and eligibility and benefit amounts depend on the specific plan and the enrollee’s circumstances.

Medicare Advantage has become a very common way for beneficiaries to receive their Medicare coverage, but patients considering one of these plans should look beyond attractive extra benefits.

The grocery card may catch someone’s attention, but it should not drive the decision. Help patients look at the whole picture: their medications, providers, pharmacies, costs, and healthcare needs. The best Medicare plan is not necessarily the one with the most extras, but the one that provides the right coverage for the individual. If patients need help comparing their options, refer them to the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) by calling 1-800-AGE-LINE. SHIP provides free, unbiased Medicare counseling to help beneficiaries understand their options and make informed decisions.