Blog By Allen Heffler - Medicare & insurance broker By Allen Heffler Willow Grove

Medicare Insurance Trends in Philadelphia, PA

3/26/2013 We are seeing a significant trend of Medicare beneficiaries enroll into either the Keystone 65 Select HMO Plan and the Bravo Health Plan. These are both Medicare Advantage Plans (Part C of Medicare). The Keystone 65 Select HMO plan offers Medical and prescription coverage for $31.50/month (Philadelphia & Bucks county) and $46.50 (Delaware, Chester, Montgomery counties). Excellent, comprehensive coverage, from a insurance company that many Philadelphians have trusted for many years. The Keystone 65 plan also has Silver Sneakers, allowing you to go to the gym at no cost to you. Bravo Health is also a Medicare Advantage Plan that many Medicare beneficiaries are signing up for. This offers a $0 premium for both medical and prescriptions. Good, solid coverage at a great premium!

Medicare Advantage Plans in Philadelphia

3/22/2013 I have received many questions whether or not Medicare Advantage Plans will be around next year. The answer to that question is…we really don’t know! There are going to be changes to Medicare. There has to be. What those changes will look like-changes to Original Medicare, changes to Medicare Supplement Plans, changes to Medicare Advantage Plan- we are truly unsure of. I have spent countless hours in webinars and meetings, and the consensus is that Medicare Advantage Plans, like Bravo Health and Keystone 65, will be around for awhile! Stay tuned.

The Reports of Medicare Advantage’s death has been greatly exaggerated

03/21/2012 Every year, some healthcare “experts” predict the demise of Medicare Advantage plans. They shout that reimbursement cuts would drive most of these plans out of business. Time for reality to sink in. Just the opposite is happening. Membership in Medicare Advantage continues to grow. Enrollment in these plans grew by 7 percent from 2010 to 2011; the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services estimates at least 10 percent growth for 2011 to 2012. Further evidence: In late 2011, Cigna just purchased Bravo Health, a dominant Medicare Advantage player, for $3.8 Billion. What’s the reason for continued popularity of Medicare Advantage plans? Perhaps the main reason may be that baby boomers, who are beginning to age into the Medicare program, are already accustomed to managed care plans like HMO’s and PPOs, which they likely had through employer group coverage. According to Gorman Health Group, 41 percent of Medicare age-ins choose to enroll into Medicare Advantage plans. Older seniors are more likely to prefer plain old fee-for-service Original Medicare. A second reason for the growth of Medicare Advantage plans: often times the premium is substantially lower than a Medicare Supplement Plan. So Medicare Advantage plans, contrary to some pundits, are alive and well. How will healthcare reform and Congrees affect these plans in the future? Stay tuned. But for now, it should remain a viable option.

Update on Medicare Supplement Plans

03/28/2012 Meeting with individuals in the Philadelphia area who are turning 65, the vast majority of those people choose one of four Medicare Supplement Plans- Plan C, Plan F, Plan G or Plan N. Plan N is a new plan, just rolled out in June, 2010. We are seeing more and more individuals choosing Plan N. Premiums are approximately 30% lower than the other plans, while still providing very strong coverage. Yes, you are responsible for the annual part B deductible (in 2010-$140), $20 co pay for doctor visits, and a $50 co pay for emergency room visits. However, unless someone is seeing a great abundence of doctors, the premium savings normally outweighs these small co pays. AARP, CSI, and Aetna, have very competitively priced plans.