Medicare debuts upgraded tool to compare plans, drug costs

With Medicare enrollment approaching, clients and potential newcomers have an upgraded online tool to help them compare the various plans.

For the first time in a decade, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has launched a modernized and redesigned Medicare Plan Finder.

The tool is the most used tool on Medicare.gov.

It allows the more than 60 million people with Medicare coverage to shop and compare Medicare Advantage and Part D plans.

“The updated Medicare Plan Finder also provides them and their caregivers with a personalized experience through a mobile friendly and easy-to-read design that will help them learn about different options and select coverage that best meets their health needs,” states a Medicare news release issued Tuesday. “The new Plan Finder walks users through the Medicare Advantage and Part D enrollment process from start to finish and allows people to view and compare many of the supplemental benefits that Medicare Advantage plans offer.”

eMedicare initiative

The changes are part of the Trump’s administration’s eMedicare initiative — which expands and improves on Medicare consumer service options.

Many online tools have been redesigned to meet the needs of a growing number of tech-savvy beneficiaries.

The online tools do not replace Medicare’s traditional customer service options. People with Medicare will continue to have access to copies of the Medicare & You handbook and be able get help over the phone by calling 1-800-MEDICARE.

“The redesigned Medicare Plan Finder is another example of how CMS is empowering beneficiaries with price and quality information to take advantage of lower rates and new benefits in Medicare Advantage and Part D,” said CMS Administrator Seema Verma.

In 2019, CMS added nearly 600 Medicare Advantage plans with average premiums declining to their lowest levels in 6 years. Over the past three years, average Part D basic premiums have decreased by 13.5%, from $34.70 in 2017 to a projected $30 in 2020, saving beneficiaries about $1.9 billion in premium costs over that time.

Ways to compare

The redesigned Plan Finder will make it easier for beneficiaries to see these changes and to:

— Compare pricing between original Medicare, Medicare prescription drug plans, Medicare Advantage plans and Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policies;

— Compare coverage options on their smart phones and tablets;

— Compare up to three drug plans or three Medicare Advantage plans side-by-side;

— Get plan costs and benefits, including which Medicare Advantage plans offer extra benefits;

— Build a personal drug list and find Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage that best meets their needs.

Phased rollout

As part of a phased rollout, both the old and new Plan Finder will be available and run in parallel through the end of September, to allow time for users to try out and become familiar with the new version.

CMS has streamlined the information on the new Plan Finder and has conducted consumer testing throughout the development to ensure that the information that is displayed is complete, understandable and is in plain language.

In addition, CMS collaborated with stakeholders to include improvements in the new Plan Finder that directly addresses a number of issues with the old Plan Finder. For example, CMS has integrated information about Medicare coverage options, clarified the cost-savings benefits of low income subsidy programs, added functionality to use actual claims data to help build more accurate drug lists, streamlined the end-to-end flow for users, and ensured that mobile optimization allows for easy use on the device the user prefers — desktop, tablet or smart phone.

In 2018, approximately 25 percent of Medicare beneficiaries accessed Medicare Plan Finder on mobile devices, an increase of 40 percent from 2017.

CMS annually provides Medicare health and drug plan data for private sector developers and researchers to use to create innovative new products. CMS intends to release the real-time Medicare plan data in an API format by the end of this year to make it easier for the private sector to create additional tools to help beneficiaries make informed health coverage decisions.

In addition to upgrading Medicare Plan Finder, CMS has redesigned the Medicare.gov homepage and refreshed the personalized MyMedicare.gov portal to create a more seamless, easy to navigate, personalized online experience for people with Medicare.

Approximately 10,000 people join Medicare each day.

Open enrollment

Medicare Open Enrollment is the time for people with Medicare to review their health coverage. It begins on Oct. 15 and ends Dec. 7.

Medicare health and drug plan costs and covered benefits can change from year to year, so people with Medicare should look at their coverage choices and decide on the options that best fit their health needs.

They can visit Medicare.gov, call 1-800-MEDICARE, or contact their state health insurance assistance program. People with Medicare who do not wish to change their coverage do not need to re-enroll in order to keep their coverage.