Q. I found out my mother changed to a Medicare Advantage Plan and could lose her Medigap plan next year. Can anything be done?
A. Anyone who has switched from Original Medicare Parts A and B with a Part D drug plan to a Medicare Advantage plan has the option to switch back in the first couple months of 2021. From January 1 – March 31 each year, individuals with Medicare Advantage Plans have an additional open enrollment period during which one can switch to a different Advantage Plan or return to Original Medicare with a drug plan. You can only make one change during this period and any changes made will be effective the first of the month after the plan gets your request.
Individuals cannot have both a Medigap, or Supplemental, insurance plan and be on a Medicare Advantage Plan. If you joined a Medicare Advantage Plan for the first time, you’ve been in the plan for less than 12 months, and you aren’t satisfied, you do have special rights under federal law to buy a Medigap policy, if you return to Original Medicare. You might be able to get the same Medigap policy back, if the company still sells it. If it isn’t available, you can buy another policy, but it might cost more due to age and health conditions.
For assistance with switching back to Original Medicare from an Advantage Plan, or switching to a different Advantage Plan, contact Medicare at 1-800-633-4227, or call our Michigan Medicare & Medicaid Assistance Program Regional Coordinator at 269-408-4354.
Q: Is there anyone who can help my elderly father get his credit card debt paid and help him keep his finances straight?
A: If your father is in trouble financially due to credit card debt, there are debt-reduction organizations that could help. The important thing is to work with a reputable organization and help your father avoid falling prey to debt reduction scams that can be aimed directly at seniors. A simple internet search can reveal several organizations available to work with, many that have Better Business Bureau endorsement.
If you are more concerned about your dad needing someone to manage his bill-paying in an ongoing way, you could contact his bank or credit union to help set up automatic bill payment. Oftentimes, a financial institution will have a staff member that works with seniors to manage paperwork and keep checking accounts balanced.
If possible, it is advisable to find a family member or close friend to serve as financial power of attorney. Additionally, there are agencies that can become a representative payee, conservator, or even guardian of an individual to manage the finances and protect that individual from fraud and abuse.
The Michigan Legislature publishes a very helpful booklet, Changes and Choices: Legal Rights of Senior Adults, which covers many of these issues. This free resource is available from your state legislator’s office, and our Agency has some copies available as well if you call our Info Line for Aging and Disability at 800-654-2810.
Helping us help others — In keeping with its mission, the Region IV Area Agency on Aging (RIVAAA) performs three primary activities:
- Advocates on behalf of older and disabled persons
- Identifies needs of the elderly and disabled, and creates plans for meeting those needs through a system of in-home and community services to enable people to maintain their independence and dignity
- Administers federal, state, local, and private funds to support those services.
If you’d like to help RIVAAA serve individuals throughout the year, consider donating to our agency’s Unmet Needs Fund. Contributions to the fund can be made securely online at AreaAgencyonAging.org/donate or by sending a check to Region IV Area Agency on Aging, 2900 Lakeview Avenue, St. Joseph, MI 49085.