More than 49,000 Mainers have Medicare Advantage plans that will be discontinued next year, according to the state Bureau of Insurance. And while new ones will be offered, consumers are scrambling to sort it all out.
Open enrollment just started last week, but Medicare counseling appointments at Area Agencies on Aging are already full, said Betsy Sawyer-Manter, president and CEO at SeniorPlus in Lewiston.
“The phones are ringing off the hook,” Sawyer-Manter said. “And, unfortunately, the demand is incredibly outpacing the resources we have to answer people’s questions.”
Sawyer-Manter said some Medicare Advantage plans for next year have reduced benefits, such as eye and dental care. Understanding different options is complex, and Sawyer-Manter hopes that the market stabilizes next year so people don’t have to switch from plans they like.
More than 30% of Medicare Advantage enrollees in Maine have plans with Martin’s Point. A spokesperson said some of its plan changes were required by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. They said Martin’s Point is replacing many terminated plans with new ones and is still offering options in every county.
This story appears through a media partnership with Maine Public.