October 2012 - choices for 2013

I quickly looked at the IBM package this morning for the first time.  I don't see much change but the prices for some of the options.  People who need to cover their medicare eligible spouses are really getting slammed if they pick anything but Aetna Integration plan or the PPO plans and buy a separate Medicare part D prescription drug plan (which can be as cheap as $20/month) for the Integration plan.  People who need to cover their non-medicare eligible spouses seem to be hit the hardest if they want to get drug coverage.

I will provide more analysis after doing more reading but wanted to do a quick post because there is not much enrollment time this year.  The only thing I wanted to focus on for this post is that the Medicare Advantage plans IBM offers (the PPO and HMO plans).  For those plans:

• Make sure your doctors and local hospitals will accept the plan
• Make sure your drugs are on their formulary and if they require step-therapy
• Consider the fact that you will not be covered at specialized clinics like Cleveland Clinic or Sloan-Kettering if needed (most of those clinics do accept original Medicare)