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Medicare open-enrollment: state SHIBA manager warns beneficiaries to check plans after insurer terminations
Summary
Tim Smollett of SHIBA told the Senior Lobby that open enrollment runs Oct. 15'Dec. 7 for most commercial Medicare plans and urged beneficiaries to use Medicare's Plan Finder and SHIBA resources; he highlighted that thousands of Washington beneficiaries received discontinuation notices this year and described guaranteed-issue rights for involuntary plan terminations.
Tim Smollett, manager of the State Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) program in Washington, briefed attendees on Medicare basics and how to navigate open enrollment for 2024 coverage. Smollett explained the differences among Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription coverage, outlined the initial and special enrollment periods, and urged beneficiaries to create online accounts at SSA.gov and Medicare.gov to use Plan Finder and to pre-load prescription lists.
Smollett highlighted that this year many Medicare Advantage enrollees received involuntary discontinuation notices: he cited Premera as a prominent example and said roughly 20,000 beneficiaries received notices in Washington. For people who lose MA coverage for business reasons, Smollett said guaranteed-issue protections allow them to enroll in a Medicare supplement and Part D plan without medical underwriting, or to use special enrollment windows to return to Original Medicare.
He urged low-income beneficiaries to apply for Medicare savings programs if they are overpaying Part B or Part D premiums and described the Medicare Advantage open-enrollment period that gives enrollees a second chance to switch plans. SHIBA volunteers, he said, are available to help with plan comparison and enrollment decisions; he provided contact information and invited volunteers to the program.
