The end of the year is always time for decision making. The Medicare annual enrollment period, which runs from October 15 to December 7 this year, is a time that enrollees can switch from Original Medicare (OM) to a Medicare Advantage Plan (MAP) or from a MAP back to Original Medicare. If you choose a MAP, make sure that you do NOT take a plan that has Medicare Part D coverage. Part D is Medicare’s prescription drug coverage and is not needed because Tricare For Life (TFL) covers this.
There are many factors to consider. I have been using a MAP for the past several years but my medical provider no longer accepts my plan so I will need to find a different MAP or go back to Original Medicare. MAP, in the past, has appealed to me because of the additional benefits like vision, dental, fitness benefits and Part B giveback. If you have questions, I would be happy to share what I learn in my research, just email me.
Tricare For Life open season is November 11 to December 10. During this period you can sign up for a dental or vision plan through the Federal Dental and Vision Program (FEDVIP). If you are currently enrolled in either of these programs, and you don’t wish to change, you do not have to take any action and you will be automatically reenrolled. If you want to drop coverage, sign up for a different program or enroll in a program, you will need to take action during this time period.
Casey Mahon, the MCMOAA programs director has begun an initiative to post links to relevant videos on our website, mcmoaa.org. This will be live in December and our December newsletter, and subsequent newsletters, will highlight new videos when they are posted. The intent is to help our members be able to utilize the website to easily access content.
Chapter meetings are complete for 2024. Our September chapter meeting speaker, Eric Meittunen, the Deputy Commissioner of Veterans Healthcare for the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA), provided a complete briefing the MDVA offerings. In 2025, we will have chapter meetings on May 13, July 8 and September 9. The lineup of speakers will be announced in a future newsletter. Mark the dates on you calendar and plan to attend one, or all, of the dinners.
This is an election year so please plan to vote on November 5th. Thank you for your continued membership in MCMOAA and MOAA.