A few years ago, I took my father to the emergency room after a bad fall. When we got to the hospital, I quickly realized how fortunate he was to have a high-quality health plan — something I credit to my longtime experience of working in the health insurance industry.
However, not everyone in Middle Tennessee is as lucky.
For many of us, our parents help us pick out our first healthcare plan. As our parents become eligible for Medicare, the roles change, and it’s our turn to help them. The tricky part? Most of us don’t have experience in this department.
Using my personal and professional experience, I wanted to share what I’ve learned so you too can help your parents find the right plan. With great healthcare, we can rest easier knowing our parents will be well taken care of, and they’ll be able to attend the weddings, graduations, births, and other celebrations of our lives where family matters most.
Here are the three reasons I recommend Medicare Advantage for all of Nashville’s seniors, including my mom and dad:
Medicare Advantage Plans Are More Advantageous.
Medicare Advantage (MA) is different from traditional Medicare. As you would gather from its name, it is more advantageous — you get more from these plans. MA plans offer more than just “sick care.” They provide additional benefits such as home visits, dental, vision and hearing coverage — as well as preventive care options like gym memberships.
Medicare Advantage Plans Treat Health Issues Early, Reducing The Need For ER Visits and Bringing Down the Cost for Patients.
Studies show seniors enrolled in MA plans have one-third fewer ER visits and almost a quarter fewer hospital stays than those enrolled in traditional Medicare. This is an obvious plus for saving costs, as emergency room costs skyrocket over similar services offered in doctors’ offices.
Clover Health Is The Best Medicare Advantage Provider For Your Parents.
High-quality healthcare is about more than just medicine — it’s about the people that care for the ones you love. I recently heard a story from one of our nurse practitioners who visited a member’s home. He hadn’t been to the doctor in a while. At his age, regular visits are crucial, so when Clover‘s data analytics notified her that her patient skipped his regular appointment, she went to check in on him. During the visit, the nurse found his blood pressure was alarmingly high, and she explained to him that a stroke could be likely. She then called his doctor for an appointment that day and got him a blood pressure monitor before things could get worse. This personalized care is something truly out of the ordinary in traditional fee-for-service.
The best news? Your parents still have time to choose a Medicare Advantage plan for their 2019 coverage. In fact, nearly 40% of Tennesseans are enrolled in Medicare Advantage already — higher than the national average. Open enrollment, the time period in which you can elect new benefits, goes through December 7. Talk to your parents, caregivers, or other loved ones about Medicare Advantage! It truly is the best coverage option for comprehensive care.
Wendy Richey is Clover Health’s Chief Compliance Officer. Learn more about Clover at https://www.cloverhealth.com/
