Several Medicare Advantage (Part C) and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (Part D) will not be renewing their plan as an option for Louisiana residents for calendar year 2010 according to Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon. Only 3.3 percent of Medicare beneficiaries in Louisiana will be impacted by this change. The companies non-renewing are Coventry Health Care, WellCare Health Plans, Humana, Munich American Holding’s Sterling Option II and Tenet Healthcare. Impacted residents will get a notice from their plans no later than November 2, 2009 letting them know their plan is leaving the Medicare Program and explaining their options. They will also get a reminder letter from Medicare later in November. All benefits provided by non-renewing plans will expire December 31, 2009.

“All beneficiaries enrolled in terminating plans will continue to have their Medicare coverage and be able to enroll in a new plan in their area or return to Original Medicare,” said Insurance Commissioner Donelon. Because their plan is leaving the Medicare Program, people in non-renewing plans have a Special Enrollment Period from October 1 until January 31, 2010 to choose and join a new Medicare plan. However, because their current plan coverage ends on December 31, impacted beneficiaries should join a new plan before December 31 to make sure they have continuous coverage on January 1. If they join a new plan AFTER December 31, their new coverage won’t start until February at the earliest. This could result in an interruption in drug coverage. The plans can begin marketing their products to consumers on October 1.

The Department of Insurance encourages those who want more information about why a specific plan is leaving the Medicare Program to call their specific plan directly. To learn about options for people currently enrolled in a plan that is non-renewing, visit www.medicare.gov, or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048. You may also call the Department of Insurance Senior Health Insurance Information Program at 1-800-259-5301.

No one in a non-renewing plan will lose their Medicare coverage simply because their health or drug plan is leaving the Medicare Program. People enrolled in a Medicare Advantage or other Medicare health plan that is non-renewing still will have Original Medicare coverage, even if they do not join another Medicare health plan. Beneficiaries also will have the ability to purchase Medigap insurance to supplement Original Medicare.

Table showing parishes impacted by the non-renewing plans and number of residents impacted.