Question: I have been getting so much mail about insurance coverage and different plans. What is happening?

Answer: There is so much insurance information flying around, it is hard to know what to pay attention to. What information is accurate and complete, and what is information just sent to you, so that you call and ask questions, so they can convince you to change your coverage? This question is similar to one I answered a couple weeks back, but a slightly different take on the issue.

Each year between October 1 and December 7th everyone with Medicare gets slammed with mail from all the different plans available to them. In Chautauqua and Cattaraugus Counties there are over 70 different options available!

It is advisable and reasonable to review your insurance and see if it still works for you. That time of year for everyone with Medicare is the Annual Open Enrollment (October 15th to December 7th). Then January 1 to March 31 is the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period. That is why you are getting mail, trying to convince you to change your plan for the new year, 2025.

Add to that all the media around us that is continually blasting us with information. It is a Presidential election year, so there is lots about that as well. Much of what we HEAR on the news and READ in the paper is about ‘predicted changes’ or ‘promised reforms’ or ‘Bills introduced in Congress’. All of those are ideas, options or things that may happen. It is hard to know what to pay attention to.

That doesn’t necessarily mean we should ignore everything we see or read or hear about. But we also need to learn to filter out what is yet to be fact and what is media hype created just to distract us from what is important.

Health Insurance changes every year. Sometimes for the better, sometimes it’s not as good. Also remember that if you don’t like what they are offering, you can change it. All that mail you get is trying to convince you that your plan could be replaced with a better plan, offered by another insurance company.

First, look at the material that your insurance company sends to you. You will get that by September 30th. Review what it says with someone who can help you. Know that there could insurance products available that could be better. There are also plans that could be worse.

Those other plans also could be useful, but you want to be sure and evaluate the whole product. Not just the highlights they talk about. I use the analogy of movies. When we watch the trailers promoting the movies, they look amazing. Those short scenes show the highlights and sometimes when we go to see the whole film, we find the trailers showed us all the best parts. Sometimes the full movie is even better than the trailer.

Insurance products are like that. They give us the highlights in those ads, but you need to look at the whole product. The doctors you see, do they take it? The medications you take, how much will they cost? The dental coverage, does it work at your dentist office? The ‘covered’ eyeglasses, where can you get them locally and how much is actually paid for those glasses?

As we look to 2025, there will be many plans and alternatives, but each plan is NOT the perfect plan for everyone. But there is likely a perfect plan for you!

When you get all those mailers asking for you to call because you could get your Medicare Part B premium paid. Offering “Free Dental”, or “Money back in your Social Security”. All sorts of ways they are trying to get your attention. They are trying to sell you a product, a product different than your current insurance. Be sure if you change, you are getting what you need. Not just what the flier, mailer or person on the phone talked the most about.

If you have questions, stop them and ask. If they are talking fast without listening to you, without asking you what you need, you may not be getting the best product for you.

Hoping 2025 brings you useful insurance and a memorable adventure or two that doesn’t involve health insurance.

Janell Sluga is a Geriatric Care Manager helping seniors in our community access services and insurance. To reach her, please email editorial@post-journal.com.