Wednesday Last Day to Change Medicare Plans; Medicare Touts Savings for Seniors
Nearly three million people with Medicare receiving discounts on prescription drugs, 24.2 million receiving free preventive
care
Dec. 6, 2011 - Today, on the day before Open Enrollment for 2012 ends, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
announced that as of November 1, more senior citizens and people with disabilities on Medicare have seen significantly lower costs for
important health care through both discounts on brand-name drugs in the Medicare Part D "donut hole" coverage gap and free preventive care.
Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, millions of Americans are receiving free preventive services and getting cheaper
prescription drugs, said Acting CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner.
The open enrollment period ends tomorrow. People with Medicare should review their current plans before midnight
December 7, so they can make sure that the plan they will have in 2012 is the best one for their health care needs.
Data show that 2.65 million people with Medicare have saved more than $1.5 billion on their prescriptions averaging
about $569 per person.
And, as of the end of November, more than 24.2 million people with Medicare have taken advantage of at least one free
preventive benefit including the new Annual Wellness Visit made possible by the Affordable Care Act.
Building on savings in 2011, Medicare also recently announced that the Part B deductible will be $22 lower in 2012 and
average Medicare Advantage premiums are projected to drop four percent in 2012.
Part B premiums, which cover outpatient services including
doctor visits, are estimated to increase by only $3.50 per month for most beneficiaries in 2012, and some will see a decrease. These changes
will be more than offset by the average Social Security cost of living increase ($43 per month for retired workers).
People with Medicare can now review their drug and health plan coverage options for 2012 as part of the annual Medicare
Open Enrollment Period. CMS is highlighting plans that have achieved an overall quality rating of five stars with a high performer or gold
star icon on Medicares Plan Finder
www.medicare.gov/find-a-plan.
For State-by-State information on the number of people who are benefiting from discounts in the donut hole in 2011, go to
https://www.cms.gov/Plan-Payment/
For more information on Medicares prevention benefits, go to the Share the News. Share the Health! website:
http://www.medicare.gov/share-the-health/. Or, contact 1-800-MEDICARE.
Keep up with the latest news for senior citizens, baby
boomers
