What the Affordable Care Act Means to Medicare Beneficiaries

Health Insurance Marketplace enrollment began on Oct. 1, 2013 and the onset of this new phase of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is causing some confusion with individuals on Medicare. The most important thing to know is that your Medicare coverage is protected and you still have the same benefits and security you have now, plus new preventative care options.

“Unfortunately, there is misinformation and misunderstanding as to how the new healthcare laws effect those with Medicare coverage,” says Touchstone Health HMO Chief Medical Officer Mitchell Strand, M.D. “We want to assure people that regardless of how you get Medicare, whether through Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage Plan, you’ll still have the same benefits as now, as well as added preventative services.”

You don’t need to do anything with the Health Insurance Marketplace established by the ACA, as the marketplace is for those Americans without insurance coverage. All people with Medicare coverage can make changes to their plans during the Medicare Open Enrollment Period from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7, 2013; if you are satisfied with your current Medicare plan benefits, no changes are required.

The Affordable Care Act provides Medicare beneficiaries (Medicare Part B) with free preventive services such as cholesterol, cardiovascular, diabetes, and cancer screenings, as well as certain immunizations. Medicare also covers a free annual wellness examination. In addition, if you have Medicare Part D, and you reach the coverage gap or “doughnut hole,” you will get a discount of more than a 50 percent on brand-name prescription medications and more than a 20 percent discount on generic drugs; these discounts will continue to grow until the gap is closed completely by 2020.

The ACA strengthens Medicare by extending the life of the Medicare Trust fund to at least 2029 and adding resources to help reduce fraud.

“Fraudsters are trying to take advantage of older adults confused about the Affordable Care Act and Touchstone Health wants to remind you to be cautious and rely on trusted information,” says Strand. “The Better Business Bureau has issued several warnings to consumers alerting them about scams related to Obamacare.”

To protect yourself against scams, never give your personal information, including your full name, date of birth, or Social Security number, to anyone you don’t know. It’s good practice to never open email attachments from someone you do not know and don’t trust caller ID. Government officials do not sell insurance policies over the phone or door to door.