2017 & 2018 Changes:
Since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act in 2013 we will continue to see annual changes with the Medicare medical and prescription plans.
• Premiums, deductibles, copays, and out of pocket maximums may increase with some of the Medicare Advantage plans. There continues to be standard premium increases with the Medicare Supplement (Medi-Gap) plans. Some carriers reset their premium increases in January and some will offer one premium update per year.
• Increase of the Part D prescription deductible to $400 (2017) and $375-$405 (2018). Many preferred generics at zero copay remain.
• Reduction in benefits - such as copay increases on doctor visits, hospital admission fees, outpatient services, skilled nursing, and durable equipment copay changed to coinsurance.
• We continue to see reduction in the number of physicians servicing Medicare eligible members.
2018 Medicare ID card changes.
Beginning in April 2018, new Medicare cards without Social Security numbers will be sent to beneficiaries, according to CMS, meeting a deadline set by Congress to replace all the cards by April 2019. The new cards will use a unique, randomly assigned combination of letters and digits that will be known as the Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI). The MBI will be an 11-character code. Through December 2019, providers will be allowed to use either the MBI or the old HICN.
Source: National Service Group Compliance Bulletin