09-27-2023 Primtime Living - Flipbook - Page 18
18 A Special Advertising Section of Baltimore Sun Media Group | Wednesday, September 27, 2023
MEDICARE SUPPLEMENTS
Minding the gap
Medicare supplement
policies in Maryland
have new rules for 2023
By Margit B. Weisgal, Contributing Writer
I
t is always a surprise when a law is passed that goes above and beyond in providing some unexpected advantage for state residents. For instance, in 1998,
the Maryland General Assembly enacted the Appeals and Grievances Law.
Under the appeals and grievances law, the Maryland Insurance Commissioner has
the authority to overturn your health plan’s decision if your treatment is determined
to be medically necessary.
Once again, the Maryland Insurance
Administration (MIA) is implementing a
new law passed by our state legislature during the 2022 session: House Bill
#0247. It became effective January 1,
2023, and, starting July 1, 2023, those
with Medicare Supplement policies, also
known as Medigap insurance, will have
a 30-day annual open enrollment period that begins on the policyholder’s
birthday. Here’s the background on how
important this benefit is for Marylanders
with Medicare Supplement insurance.
Please note: What follows is a general
overview of Medicare. For in-depth information, visit https://www.medicare.gov/
or reach out to an independent insurance
agent who can provide comprehensive
answers.
When they turn 65, most Marylanders
are eligible for Medicare, the national
health insurance program for seniors and
many with disabilities. You have a sevenmonth period – three months before your
65th birthday, your birthday month and
three months after, to enroll. One warn-
ing: If you don’t enroll during that time,
you may be subject to penalties for the
rest of your life once you do enroll.
“The different parts of Medicare help
cover specific services:
• Medicare Part A
(Hospital Insurance)
Part A covers inpatient hospital stays,
care in a skilled nursing facility, hospice
care and some home health care.
• Medicare Part B
(Medical Insurance)
Part B covers certain doctors’ services, outpatient care, medical supplies
and preventive services.
• Medicare Part D
(prescription drug coverage)
Helps cover the cost of prescription
drugs (including many recommended
shots or vaccines).”
Generally, the Medicare beneficiary
is still responsible for paying 20% of the
cost of Part B services that were negotiated by Medicare. To cover some of the
20%, many people enroll in a Medicare
Supplement policy. Usually, they can
only do this without having to answer
medical questions if they have Medicare
Parts A and B, and only during the sixmonth period after they enroll in Part B.
Once you’ve chosen a policy, you will
have it as long as you pay the premiums.
If you want to change, you can do that
any time of the year, but each insurance
carrier licensed in the state has different
requirements for medical underwriting. In
other words, will the insurance company
accept you on their terms?
Ron Jacobson, president of MediHealth (https://medi-health.net/), specializes in Medicare Supplement policies
in addition to other forms of health and
life insurance. “It’s in situations like this
when it is good to have an independent
insurance agent who is familiar with all
the different plans and can help you find
the right plan for your particular situation.
“There are life events when you can
legitimately change your Medigap policy, such as: you had coverage through
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