While many Edgefield County residents are putting the last touches on their plans for Christmas, many county residents on Medicare have major decisions they have to make between now and December 31st, and this year, not making a decision may mean big changes in their healthcare for 2010.

The annual enrollment period for Medicare (AEP) began November 15 and ends December 31st. This is the only period each year that Medicare recipients can change their stand-alone Medicare Rx plans. Many Medicare enrollees also have to pick a new Medicare Advantage plan because their current plans are not part of the program next year. Medicare Advantage plans, private alternatives to Medicare, decide annually whether to contract for the next year. In South Carolina, three popular plans chose not to renew statewide – Wellcare, Instil Health, and Advantra Freedom. Medicare recipients who were on one of those plans in 2009 will need to select a different plan for 2010, or they will be placed back on Original Medicare; and if they had their drug plan included as part of their Medicare Advantage plan, they would also lose their drug coverage.

Other plans currently covering Edgefield County residents are charging a premium for their most popular plans in 2010, where no premium was being charged in 2009. Universal Health Care’s Any Any Any Gold plan is an example of this. The plan will have a monthly charge of $29 per month for 2010.

Finally, other plans have significantly raised their co-pays for things like doctor visits, days in the hospital, and outpatient surgery. Hospital co-pays vary widely in the plans available for 2010, ranging from $75 a day for a maximum of three days, to $300 a day for a maximum of seven days per hospital stay.

Seniors and their family members who advise them should make sure that any changes they need to make are taken care of before the AEP deadline of December 31st. They can do so by talking to an insurance agent who specializes in Medicare plans and can show them the difference in plans that are available, or they can make comparisons themselves by going online to medicare.gov or calling 800-Medicare.

Doug Jolley is a benefits consultant for seniors, with over 20 years experience in the insurance industry. He provides annuities, Medicare products, long-term-care insurance, and life insurance to his clients. He can be reached at 803-318-3684, or by email at dougjolley@earthlink.net.