Full program descriptions

I had a little time tonight to try to find a full program description for the Aetna Integration A plan.  I thought I would be able to easily find it on the website providing by Aetna which is ibmrhabenefits.aetnamedicare.com (password=IBM65).  I just wanted you to know that I was wrong because I thought full plan details were on this site.  The website says (in small print) that it is a marketing website.  If I want a full plan description I need to call Aetna.  That's really annoying.  Even IBM's medical plan is fully documented in the resource library at netbenefits.com.  I am probably going to give them a call tomorrow to get the complete plan description just because I want to see what they say.

It doesn't change my decision because I know enough to know I want to try this plan in 2012  but it really does make me feel like they are trying to hide the details of this plan.  If you are considering their HMO or PPO offerings don't just go by their "marketing" brochures.  The detailed documents are really important.  I know this because I volunteer on a medicare helpline and a large number of the "issues" callers have are because of denials of coverage or billing problems they have with medicare advantage plans. 

Someone commented that if your spouse is not medicare eligible you only have 4 choices and have to use the IBM medical and prescription coverage plans.  It's true but at least you do have choices.  A friend tried to get coverage for his spouse separately and the best he could find was a private plan for $17,000/year for his spouse and that didn't include drug coverage.  What IBM offers may not be as good as you want but it sure is better than anything else you can buy - assuming you can even buy a plan.  If Obamacare sticks the problem might go away in 2014.  It's up to the Supreme Court now. 

I also wanted to mention that this year I decided to try the vision plan coverage because it is so inexpensive.  It seems to me it sort of pays for itself since they pay $35 for a doctor when the doctor is out of network and the prescription glasses discount coverage is better that the free vision card offering.  I needed new glasses next year and the provider I like to use is included in the plan so I am giving it a try.