DENVER, Oct. 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- DaVita Medical
Group, a division of DaVita Inc. (NYSE: DVA) and a leading
independent medical group in the United
States, is encouraging Medicare beneficiaries to review
their healthcare coverage during Medicare's Open Enrollment Period
(October 15 through December 7) to
ensure they select a plan that will meet any changing health needs,
allow them to see their preferred primary care physicians and
specialists, and includes coverage of prescription medications.
Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8044951-davita-medical-group-medicare-open-enrollment/
"Open Enrollment is an important time for seniors to carefully
evaluate their current benefits and consider any changes in their
health to ensure they select the program to best meet their needs
in 2018," said Chan Chuang, MD,
chief clinical officer at DaVita Medical Group. "Patients should
make sure that they will be able to continue seeing the doctors of
their choosing as participating physicians may change from
year-to-year. We feel it's important that eligible beneficiaries be
proactive and not assume that their existing coverage will remain
the same in 2018."
According to 2017 Deft Research (Medicare Age-In Study), the top
reason for considering any plan is access to doctors, which is an
increasingly important factor for patients.i The
seven-week Open Enrollment Period allows beneficiaries to
reevaluate their existing coverage, including their health and
prescription drug plans, recognizing that covered physicians,
benefits and premiums may change from year-to-year.
"Healthcare coverage, including Medicare plans, are complex and
can be not only frustrating, but often confusing, for even
the savviest consumer," said Dr. Chuang. "At DaVita Medical Group,
we recommend that patients use their provider as another resource
to help navigate this process."
Beneficiaries should keep the following in mind during the open
enrollment period:
Special Enrollment Period for those affected by Hurricanes
Harvey, Irma and Maria. Individuals who reside in or move from
areas affected by a hurricane in 2017 will be eligible for a
special enrollment period that extends the 2018 Annual Open
Enrollment Period through December 31,
2017. Individuals may contact 1-800-MEDICARE to request
enrollment using this special enrollment opportunity.
Healthcare policy changes are to be expected. Consumers
should know that while America's legislators are considering
changes to national healthcare policy, it is important to know that
any legislation that is passed will take time to be implemented and
will likely not impact Medicare coverage during 2018.
New Medicare cards are coming. In order to protect
Medicare beneficiary identities, Medicare is issuing new cards
between April 2018 and April 2019, which will have a new Medicare Number
that's unique to the individual, instead of their Social Security
Number. The new Medicare cards will not change your coverage or
benefits, and there is no charge for the new card.
Your health needs may have evolved. From year to year,
it's likely that your needs may change, whether you received a new
diagnosis in 2017 or are expecting to need a specialist after
speaking with your primary care physician. By assessing these
changes, evaluating which physicians are in your network and
anticipating needs in the upcoming year, you can ensure that you
have the coverage you need and deserve.
Your plan may change. The coverage of your Medicare plan,
from physicians and prescriptions to copays, may change each year,
along with the plan's premiums. To make sure that your plan meets
your unique needs, medicare.gov recommends reviewing the
materials that your plan sends you, such as "Evidence of Coverage"
(EOC) and "Annual Notice of Change" (ANOC), and comparison shop
with other Medicare plans who are competing for your business.
Better coverage may be available. Research shows that
people with Medicare Part D (prescription drug coverage) can lower
their costs by shopping among plans each year. In addition, certain
plans offer benefits beyond standard Medicare. For example,
Medicare Advantage Plans may offer additional benefits to its
members, such as dental, vision, transportation services, cancer
screenings or wellness visits.
Feel prepared before making any changes. Open enrollment
brings along with it many options to choose from, which can make it
confusing to compare plans and select the best option for you. You
may want to consult a licensed financial advisor who specializes in
Medicare programs to help you weigh your options. Regardless of
whether you work with an advisor or not, keep the "4 C's" in mind
to determine what aspects of the plans will best meet your
needs:
- Coverage – are the services, exams and medications you
currently and expect to need included?
- Care – can you receive care from your doctor(s) of
choice?
- Convenience – are the doctor's offices, pharmacies and
hospitals nearby?
- Cost – how much will you spend on premiums, deductibles
and copays?
Overall the most important reason to review your Medicare plan
is to make sure you're getting the coverage you need and deserve.
According to Pew Research, seniors are online multiple times per
day and mobile connectivity is up to 42%ii, which is why
there are plenty of online resources available to help you through
this process.
- HCPopenenrollment.com (HealthCare Partners - California)
- OEP.FL.davitamedicalgroup.com (DaVita Medical Group -
Florida)
You can also visit www.medicare.gov or call 1.800.MEDICARE
(1.800.633.4227) 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
About DaVita Medical Group
DaVita Medical Group is a division of DaVita Inc., a Fortune 500®
company, that operates and manages medical groups and affiliated
physician networks in California,
Colorado, Florida, Nevada, New
Mexico, Pennsylvania and
Washington. A leading independent
medical group in America, DaVita Medical Group has over two decades
of experience providing coordinated, outcomes-based medical care in
a cost-effective manner. DaVita Medical Group's teammates, employed
clinicians and affiliated clinicians provided care for
approximately 1.7 million patients. For more information, please
visit DaVitaMedicalGroup.com.
About DaVita Inc.
DaVita Inc., a Fortune 500® company, is the parent company of
DaVita Kidney Care and DaVita
Medical Group. DaVita Kidney Care is
a leading provider of kidney care in the
United States, delivering dialysis services to patients with
chronic kidney failure and end stage renal disease. As of
June 30, 2017, DaVita Kidney Care operated or provided
administrative services at 2,445 outpatient dialysis centers
located in the United States
serving approximately 194,600 patients. The company also operated
217 outpatient dialysis centers located in 11 countries outside
the United States. DaVita Medical
Group manages and operates medical groups and affiliated physician
networks in California,
Colorado, Florida, Nevada, New
Mexico, Pennsylvania and
Washington in its pursuit to
deliver excellent-quality health care in a dignified and
compassionate manner. DaVita Medical Group's teammates, employed
clinicians and affiliated clinicians provided care for
approximately 1.7 million patients. For more information, please
visit DaVita.com/About.
Contact Information
Media:
Jessica Geurkink
(720) 925-3184
Jessica.Geurkink@davita.com
i Deft 2017 Medicare Age-In Study
ii pewinternet.org "Tech Adoption Climbs Among Older
Adults" May 2017
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SOURCE DaVita Medical Group