Posted October 01, 2021 by Sue Titterington Vice President, Sales & Market Development
It’s that time of year again when the leaves change color, temperatures turn cooler and the annual Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) begins. From October 15 through December 7, 2021 is when most Medicare eligibles can select their Medicare coverage for 2022.
Whether you’re just turning 65 and newly eligible for Medicare or you’re simply looking to enhance your current Medicare coverage, there are key things to consider when weighing your options.
SummaCare Medicare Advantage plans offer everything that original Medicare covers but adds extra benefits and services. Those extras could include coverage for dental, vision, hearing aids, over-the-counter items, gym memberships, rides to your doctor and much more. With premiums starting as low as $0 per month, SummaCare Medicare Advantage plans truly help consumers make the most of their Medicare dollar.
And, if you’re a U.S. military veteran, you pair your VA benefits with a SummaCare Medicare Advantage plan and enjoy all of these extra benefits plus have access to a provider network that includes over 22,000 providers and 75 hospitals.
Explore the benefits of SummaCare’s Medicare Advantage plans and get tips on how to choose the plan that’s right for you.
SummaCare’s Medicare Advantage plan benefits
While most health plans simply want you to join, at SummaCare, we make sure you’ll want to stay. Every year we're pleased to add more extra benefits and enhancements to our plans. Find out what’s new for 2022 including:
How to choose the plan that’s right for you
With dozens of plans out there, how do you choose? SummaCare helps you narrow down your search to find the right coverage for you:
1. Talk to a SummaCare Medicare Advisor. A SummaCare Medicare Advisor can answer your questions and help you figure out what’s most important to you as you weigh different plan costs, provider networks, prescription drug coverage and more. For instance:
SummaCare Medicare Advisors can be reached by calling 330-996-8440 or (toll free) 888-464-8440 (TTY 800-750-0750).
2. Compare plans side-by-side on Medicare.gov or an insurer’s website. Medicare provides an annual Star Rating for each Medicare Advantage plan based on more than 40 rigorous quality measures. A total of 5 stars are possible, with 5 being the highest and 1 being the lowest. Medicare uses a formula that accounts for quality metrics from the following areas to provide a Star Rating for each plan:
Reviewing Medicare’s star ratings can help you choose a high-quality plan. For instance, SummaCare has consistently been one of the highest-ranking Medicare Advantage plans in Ohio. Our 2021 Star Rating is 4.0.
3.Read the fine print. Once you’ve prioritized the features you want from a plan, do a little digging to be sure you’re getting everything you need for a price you can afford. And don’t forget to check your out-of-pocket maximum cost, which varies from plan to plan.
4. Pick integrated care over big name providers. When doctors, hospitals and insurance companies don’t work together to coordinate and integrate the care, patients are often left to suffer during their most vulnerable times. Coordinated and integrated care seems so simple, but it is not easily achieved if doctors, hospitals and insurance companies spend time dueling with each other.
SummaCare is part of Summa Health, a high-quality integrated delivery system in Northern Ohio. We work with our doctor and hospital partners to design the best integrated care for our members. This is one of the main reasons we consistently outrank our competition in quality scores and Medicare Star Ratings.
The Annual Enrollment Period for Medicare Advantage plans runs from October 15th to December 7th. If you have questions about Medicare, call a SummaCare Medicare Advisor at 330-996-8440 or (toll-free) 888-464-8440 (TTY 800-750-0750). They’re available to take your call from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week. We also offer free informational seminars to learn about SummaCare’s Medicare Advantage plans.
For more information, compare plans or enroll, visit www.summacare.com/medicare.
SummaCare is an HMO and HMO-POS plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in SummaCare depends on contract renewal. Every year, Medicare evaluates plans based on a 5-star rating system. Other providers are available in our network.
H3660_22_44_M Accepted 09272021