Too many people are getting calls about Medicare Supplemental Insurance Plans. The reason that I wanted to learn more about this topic is that John, a gentleman that we support, happens to have a supplemental plan. He lives on his own and sometimes struggles to make decisions about issues that will greatly affect his life.
John does not have access to the internet, and he uses an older style flip phone and has difficulty even using it sometimes. He is not able to access his voicemail without my help, and I only see him about every two weeks. About a year or so ago he started getting all types of calls out of the blue. He would let me know that they had called him “from Medicare,” but I could never really figure out the true source. Then I realized that these calls were all from people trying to sell him Medicare Supplemental plans. They were not “scams” or people trying to trick him, but to someone who has a lot of difficulty with major/financial decisions, this type of call can be very confusing.
They told him things like “we can get your medication delivered right to you for free” or “you won’t have to pay any co-pay at all for these medications,” when in fact these things were already in place. The big problem with this isn’t so much the plans themselves, as they might be beneficial to him. The problem is the constant changing of plans. This means he may possibly need to change doctors, change pharmacies, update information, and so on. Make sure to have a discussion with your elderly loved ones about these types of calls. Let your aging loved ones know that if they want to inquire about options for Supplemental Medicare Insurance to contact SHIPP (Senior’s Health Insurance Information Program) for the resources they need to make an informed choice that will be best for them.
If you or a loved one are looking for a care manager that you can trust, contact Preferred Living Solutions at 919-554-0675 and let us help you make a plan and ease the way.
Written by: Michael Stickney, Certified Care Manager at Preferred Living Solutions.