Medicare Open Enrollment Ends December 7: Free Help Finding the Right Plan for You

By Sen. Linda L. Ujifusa (D-Dist. 11, Portsmouth, Bristol) and Rep. Jennifer A. Stewart (D-Dist. 59, Pawtucket)

Medicare open enrollment began Oct. 15, and until Dec. 7, Medicare-eligible Rhode Islanders have a golden opportunity to move to a plan that better suits their needs.

Enrollees should beware that Medicare Advantage plans often aren’t an advantage at all. Advantage plans are offered by private insurers as an alternative to traditional Medicare, and as such, they are designed to be profitable to the insurer. They often offer lower upfront costs, but frequently impose more restrictions on care than traditional Medicare, such as higher copays, prior authorizations that are frequently denied and restrictive networks — United HealthCare Medicare Advantage enrollees, for example, no longer have in-network access to Brown University Health’s hospitals or physicians, severely limiting their options in Rhode Island.

Further, these plans are often aggressively marketed to Medicare enrollees during open enrollment, and that marketing is not often forthcoming about such restrictions.

For several years, we have been pushing for legislation to rein in Medicare Advantage. In the meantime, open enrollment is an opportunity for enrollees to escape plans that don’t serve them well.

We urge all enrollees to shop around.

The variety of plans can be confusing, but you don’t need to do this alone.

For free, impartial advice, we urge enrollees to call the Rhode Island’s State Health Insurance Assistance Program at 1-888-884-8721, The POINT at 401-462-4444, or contact your local senior center.