Activity – Senior Interview on Retirement and Medicare Plans
First start by watching this video on the different parts of Medicare.
There are many different types of MediGap plans（https://medicare.com/medicare-supplement/medigap-plan-benefits-chart/）that can range from 0-hundreds of dollars each month depending on the coverage desired. Some seniors are willing to pay a fair amount each month if they don’t have copays and deductibles each time they visit the doctor or hospital. Other seniors who don’t go the doctor often, would rather pay less each month and only pay when they need it.
I also want you to review how to read an Explanation of Benefits ( https://www.healthsmart.com/PDFs/2013-HowtoReadanEOB-Final.pdf) Some of you have been doing this for awhile, and for some of you, this information is brand new. It is important to know how much your doctor has charged, what your insurance has agreed to pay, and what you may owe.
It is important to have a basic foundation of how Medicare works and how you can help families determine the best options and plans. You are welcome to play around on the Medicare.Gov (https://www.medicare.gov/) website to learn more. Developing empathy for the complex decisions seniors make about which plan and how much to pay is also important. I also want you to ask the seniors about how they planned for retirement. There are two different topics for many people, but for some, planning for long term health needs aligns with their retirement plans.
For this assignment, you need to interview someone on Medicare. If you don’t have a connection with someone over the age of 65 who has Medicare, let your instructor know. Talk to them (on the phone or in person) about:
Part 1- Medicare Coverage:
How they determined if they needed a supplemental plan like MediGap, Medicare Advantage;
How they researched their plans;
Did they get help from someone or do it on their own;
Do they re-evaluate their plan each year or do they just renew;
Are they happy with their coverage (why or why not);
What advice would they give to others to help them learn about Medicare and not make some of the mistakes (if applicable) they made;
Are they worried about their ongoing healthcare needs given the political climate or do they feel secure (why or why not);
And any other items you want to ask them related to Medicare coverage.
