Volume 2, Number 4
News For Medicare Beneficiaries
IN THIS ISSUE...

  • PRE-ANNUAL ENROLLMENT STARTS TODAY!
  • SEVEN WAYS MEDICARE WILL IMPROVE IN 2019
  • WHAT’S THE STATUS OF THE CIGNA-EXPRESS SCRIPTS AND CVS-AETNA ACQUISITIONS?
PRE-ANNUAL ENROLLMENT STARTS TODAY!
The pre-annual enrollment period for Medicare Advantage, Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug, and Stand-Alone Prescription Drug Plans starts today, and the Annual Enrollment Period (when beneficiaries can enroll or switch plans) begins October 15 and ends December 7 for a January 1, 2019 effective date.

Agents can begin discussing 2019 plans today. Plans should be posted on www.medicare.gov today, as well. However, enrollment cannot begin until October 15.

Beneficiaries should already have received their Annual Notice of Chang e (ANOC) documents. These documents announce changes in plan benefits as well as how to determine any change in drug formularies (i.e. whether or not a specific drug is covered by the plan, at what tier level, and at what co pay or coinsurance).

Beneficiaries should also have received (or will shortly) the 2019 Guide to Medicare . This Guide contains much information about what Medicare covers and also answers many questions about the types of plans available. The Appendix contains a listing and summary information about the plans in your general area.

We’ve found in the past that many beneficiaries don’t keep their ANOC documents nor do they keep their copy of the Guide to Medicare . Beneficiaries are flooded with information about plans this time of year and often throw everything, including the ANOC’s and the Guide to Medicare, away. We specifically recommend that all beneficiaries retain both of these documents and refer to them as needed during the coming year.
SEVEN WAYS MEDICARE WILL IMPROVE IN 2019
The September 12 AARP Webletter c ontains an article listing the seven ways Medicare will improve in 2019.

  1. Eliminate the donut hole for brand-name drugs
  2. Repeal of the therapy cap for physical, occupational, and speech therapy
  3. Improved information in the 2019 Guide to Medicare (published in September)
  4. Broader availability of telemedicine programs
  5. Medicare Advantage plans will have the option to cover (1) meals delivered to the home, (2) increased transportation trips to the doctor’s office, and (3) installation of safety features in the home
  6. Medicare Advantage plans will also have the option to pay for home health aides
  7. Medicare Advantage members will have the option to switch Medicare Advantage plans between January 1 and March 31 or switch back to Original Medicare

Read the entire article here .
WHAT’S THE STATUS OF THE CIGNA-EXPRESS SCRIPTS AND CVS-AETNA ACQUISITIONS?
The Justice Department announced on September 18 that they’ve approved the acquisition of Express Scripts by CIGNA. Additional state and other regulatory approvals are still required, but the deal is expected to close late this year.

There is very little overlap between CIGNA’s business as a national insurer and Express Script’s business as a pharmacy benefits manager and provider of stand-alone Part D prescription drug plans.

The CVS-Aetna acquisition is also expected to receive antitrust approval, but as a condition of receiving that approval (which as of this writing has not yet occurred) Aetna announced on September 27 that the're selling their stand-alone Part D busines to Wellcare. They're not selling any Medicare Advantage Part D (MAPD) drug plans.

The reason for the sale is that CVS owns Silverscript, the largest provider of stand-alone Part D plans, while Aetna also has a significant stand-alone Part D business, and the government thought this would be anti-competitive.

This will have no impact on Aetna's 2019 stand-alone drug plans. Benefits for those plans have already been approved by CMS (Medicare), and the agreement stipulates that Aetna will continue to administer those plans next year.

We had expected that divestiture of some drug plans would be a condition of government approval of the acquisition. Now that an agreement has been reached to sell the Aetna and Aetna Coventry (formerly called First Health) Part D plans, we expect that an announcement approving the deal will be made shortly. Additional state and regulatory approvals will still be required. CVS and Aetna have said that they expect the deal to be closed by the end of the year.
About Paul Cholak
Paul has over forty years of benefits experience and has been Director of Employee Benefits for large companies, as well as a benefits consultant with major consulting firms. He understands the health and life insurance needs of Medicare beneficiaries, as well as individuals and families of all ages.

We guide you through the steps of getting health and life insurance, and remain available to help you AFTER you've made your purchase decision.
STAY CONNECTED
Contact Us
Local: 561-734-3884
Toll-free: 877-734-3884