Cleveland Clinic Has Launched a Medicare Advantage Plan
By Barry Zimmer on May 22nd, 2018 in Medicaid
A Medicaid planning lawyer provides help understanding different kinds of coverage as well as coverage limitations for seniors. Many older people believe Medicare or Medicare Advantage plans will cover all of the care they need as they experience age-related infirmities or develop serious health conditions. Unfortunately, this is not generally the case as Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans have significant limitations on coverage. For example, nursing home care typically is not covered by Medicare or any type of supplementary medicare plan unless you need care provided in a skilled nursing facility by someone with medical training.
Zimmer Law Firm can provide you with assistance in making sure you are able to get the care you require as you age, either through finding the right insurance policies or through taking steps to protect assets while qualifying for Medicaid to pay for your care. Our legal team keeps up-to-date on new policy developments and new options for obtaining coverage so we can provide the best possible advice to clients on covering care as they age.
Just recently, Crain’s Cleveland Business announced that the Cleveland Clinic and Humana had teamed up to introduce a new Medicare Advantage plan. Seniors who are thinking about signing up for Medicare Advantage should understand how Medicare Advantage differs from other coverage options for the elderly and should be sure to understand the limitations of their plan so they can get the care they require.
Cleveland Clinic Offering a Medicare Advantage Plan
According to Crain’s Cleveland Business, Cleveland Clinic and Humana will be offering two different Medicare Advantage health plans for seniors who live in Cuyahoga County. The plans will have $0 premiums and will be available for the Medicare enrollment period that allows seniors to sign up for Medicare Advantage and for Medicare’s prescription drug plans. Open enrollment began October 15 and will run through December 7, 2017. For seniors who sign up for a plan during open enrollment, coverage will begin on January 1, 2018.
One of the two plans being offered is a Medicare Advantage Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) plan and the other is a Medicare Advantage Dual-Eligible Special Needs (D-SNP) plan. The second plan, the Dual-Eligible Special Needs plan, is open to seniors who have coverage through both Medicare and through Medicaid.
The plans provide access to specialists at the Cleveland Clinic and to independent physicians who are part of the Cleveland Clinic network. There is no co-pay for primary care, visits to a physician’s office, or 30-day supplies of tier 1 prescription drugs. Seniors covered by either plan won’t need to have referrals to see specialists within their insurance networks.
Making Plans to Get Your Care Costs Covered
Seniors need to carefully research any Medicare Advantage plans they are considering buying in order to determine if they will have access to the network of doctors they need and in order to fully understand the total costs of care that they could face when covered.
Seniors also need to understand the difference between various types of Medicare plans and Medicaid. Medicaid can provide coverage for things Medicare doesn’t cover, like nursing home care or long term care, and it can also help seniors to cover other costs which remain high even with Medicare.
The fact that some seniors must rely on both Medicare and Medicaid is why there are dual-eligibility plans like the new offering from Cleveland clinic. Zimmer Law Firm will help you to understand how dual eligibility works, what is involved in qualifying for Medicaid, why you may need Medicaid, and how you can protect your assets while getting yourself fully covered.
Getting Help from A Medicaid Planning Lawyer
It can be confusing to navigate your coverage options as a senior, but it is vital to make sure you have a plan to get your healthcare paid for – including nursing home care or long term care in your home in case you need assistance as you get older. Zimmer Law Firm is here to help you to understand all of your options for paying for care while protecting your assets.
To find out more about how our legal team helps you to get your healthcare needs met as a senior, join us for a free seminar. You can also give us a call at 513-721-1513 to get personalized advice on all of the issues that matter to you as you age.