HHS Encouraging Americans to Review Their Medicare Options During Open Enrollment

WASHINGTON — Medicare Open Enrollment begins on Saturday, Oct. 15, and officials with the Department of Health and Human Services are encouraging Medicare recipients to review and compare their options due to beneficial changes stemming from the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act.

“We are committed to providing comprehensive and easily accessible information to support people with Medicare in their decision making,” said Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, in a written statement. 

“Medicare.gov makes it easier than ever to compare coverage options and shop for plans. People can do a side-by-side comparison of plan coverage, costs, and quality ratings to help them more easily see the differences between plans,” she said.

Medicare’s Open Enrollment period, which extends through Dec. 7 this year, gives people with Medicare the opportunity to make changes to their health plan or prescription drug plan, pick a Medicare Advantage plan, or return to original Medicare (also referred to as Medicare Part A and Part B). 

Coverage changes take effect Jan. 1, 2023.

In a press release the department noted that Medicare plans can change their offerings and costs every year, and individuals’ health needs can change from year-to-year, too. 

“Now is the time for people with Medicare to review their coverage options and make a choice that best meets their health care needs,” it said.

Most if not all people with Medicare will see lower average premiums for Medicare Part B, Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D prescription drug plans in 2023.

This year, as a result of President Joe Biden signing the Inflation Reduction Act into law Medicare enrollees will also see lower costs for insulin and vaccines beginning in 2023. 

Starting in 2023, all people with Medicare who take insulin covered by their prescription drug plan or through a traditional pump covered under original Medicare will pay no more than $35 in cost-sharing for a month’s supply of each covered insulin product. 

People with Medicare also will not pay a deductible with respect to each covered insulin product. 

Additionally, people with Medicare drug coverage will pay nothing out-of-pocket for adult vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices — including the shingles vaccine and Tetanus-Diphtheria-Whooping Cough vaccine. 

More information on Medicare and the changes associated with the Inflation Reduction Act can be found here.

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