(Photo Courtesy: Nebraska Hospital Association)
As Medicare open enrollment begins this week, the Nebraska Hospital Association (NHA) is warning Nebraska seniors to be mindful of the pros and cons of differing coverage plans.
Nearly half of Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in a private Medicare Advantage plan. NHA recently conducted an internal member hospital survey, seeking input on the experience working with Medicare Advantage plans, and found the results “startling.”
NHA believes patient access to health care is eroding as some Medicare Advantage plans restrict access to health services by inappropriately denying covered services that are medically necessary, requiring unreasonable levels of documentation to demonstrate clinical appropriateness, and changing health plan rules in the middle of a contract year.
“Medicare Advantage will work well for some seniors, especially those that are able to stay healthy through their retirement years. But for many seniors, it leaves holes in their healthcare system that will mean extensive out of pocket costs that seniors didn’t have to incur when they had traditional Medicare with a supplemental plan,” said Jeremy Nordquist, President of NHA.
In an effort to fully inform Nebraska seniors of their Medicare enrollment choices this fall, NHA has prepared a report that can be read here: Medicare Advantage – Failing patients and jeopardizing Nebraska hospitals