November 20, 2013

With the changing field of health coverage and insurance thanks to the Affordable Healthcare Act, senior citizens who receive or are anticipating receiving Medicare may be understandably confused as to what the changes mean for them. A recent article discusses what seniors need to know about Medicare.

Primarily, senior citizens have faced confusion over whether the changes implemented by the Affordable Care Act will cause their Medicare or Medicaid benefits to be reduced or changed. This confusion partially stems from the fact that the open enrollment period for Medicare overlaps with that for Obamacare.

However, seniors should have no cause for concern. As Associate Vice President of the USF Health Jay Wolfson explains, “Medicare is a separate [from the healthcare exchange] qualified plan. They [seniors] do not need to worry about these Obamacare provisions for the exchanges. The exchanges are for people who don’t have Medicare, Medicaid, child health insurance coverage, veteran’s benefits, [or] Department of Defense Tri Care Benefits.”

If you are receiving Medicare, the open marketplace does not affect you. If you have a loved one who is receiving Medicare benefits, be sure they understand this as well. There is concern that once open enrollment opens, scam artists will target seniors, preying on this confusion.