Advertisement
According to HealthMetrix Research Inc. and MedicareNewsWatch.compresident Alan Mittermaier, "The findings are favorable for seniors in manyareas of the country who can enroll in $0 premium Medicare Advantage-Part Dplans. For 2009, there are no $0 premium drug-only Part D plans availableexcept for low-income seniors who qualify for premium subsidies.Beneficiaries currently enrolled in drug-only plans can expect 14% premiumincreases on average effective January 1st. That is on top of premiumincreases for most Medigap supplemental insurance coverage. Seniors who arewilling to bundle their Medicare coverage by enrolling in a Medicare HMO orPPO plan can realize considerable savings in annual medical and drug expenseseven with pre-existing medical conditions. The strategy and savings aresimilar to bundling auto, property and life insurance policies with a singleinsurer."
Advertisement
Alan Mittermaier also notes that "what may not register with all seniorsis that the same Medicare regulatory protections apply to enrollees in bothdrug-only and Medicare Advantage Part D plans with respect to required drugformulary lists and the rules for switching or dropping drugs. The reality isthat drug-only Part D plan sponsors will manage their drug benefits just asaggressively as Medicare Advantage plans."
The findings are from the HealthMetrix Research 2009 CostShare Reportcomparisons based on approved 2009 member copayments, deductibles and premiumsthat appear in the Medicare Options Compare database ( www.medicare.gov ).HealthMetrix Research neither recommends nor endorses specific Medicare plansor products.Best 2009 Part D Benefit Values Among Medicare Advantage Plans Offering $0 Premium $0 Deductible with Gap Coverage Arcadian Health Plan -- Charlotte, Portland (ME) Anthem -- Dayton Care1st -- Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego CIGNA -- Phoenix Citizens Choice Health Plan -- Los Angeles, Orange County (CA) Coventry Health Care -- Des Moines, Greensboro, Kansas City, Omaha Freedom Health -- Pensacola GEMCare -- Bakersfield HealthSpring -- Memphis, Mobile Health Plan of Nevada -- Reno Humana -- Albuquerque, Baton Rouge, Las Vegas, Miami, Salt Lake City, Tucson Kaiser Permanente -- Denver, Ventura County (CA) Liberty Health Advantage -- New York City, Nassau County Peoples Health Choice -- New Orleans Physicians Health Choice -- Austin, Corpus Christi, El Paso, Little Rock Quality Health Plans -- Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm Beach Touchstone Health -- Syracuse WellCare -- Albany, Atlanta, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Ft. Wayne, Honolulu, Indianapolis, St. Louis, South Bend, Essex-Hudson-Middlesex-Passaic-Union counties (NJ) Windsor Health Group -- Birmingham, Chattanooga, Knoxville, Nashville HealthMetrix Research Inc. www.MedicareNewsWatch.com 614-236-8345
SOURCE HealthMetrix Research Inc.
