This RCBP Retiree webinar will give an overview of our new plan designed for members who have Medicare Parts A and B as their primary coverage.
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Hello, and thank you for joining in on today’s presentation. My name is Rebecca Floyd, and I work in account management with the Aetna Federal team. This presentation will be an overview of a new plan option designed for Rural Carrier Benefit Plan members with Medicare parts A and B. We’re combining our FEHB presence and our Medicare Advantage experience to introduce our Aetna Medicare Advantage PPO plan with an extended service area for Rural Carrier Benefit Plan members. Here is our agenda for today. We’ll discuss how to enroll in Medicare, and we’ll break down those different parts of Medicare. Next, we’ll discuss our new Medicare Advantage plan option for our CBP and take a look at the plan benefits. We’ll go over the additional wellness and support programs that come with the new plan option. We will talk about what the enrollment process is and how to opt in to the new plan. And we’ll conclude the presentation with a brief summary and where you can go to get more information.
When talking about retirement, it’s important to talk about Medicare. If you already have Medicare, this slide does not apply to you, but it’s always good to hear a quick refresher. Now, you can enroll in Medicare without penalty at two times. The first is during your initial election period or your IEP. Your IEP occurs the three months before, the month of, and three months after your 65th birthday. If you’re still working when you turn 65, you do not need to enroll. You will get a special election period or an SEP. Your SEP goes into effect when you retire and last an additional eight months. If you enroll outside of one of these periods, you must enroll during the Medicare General Enrollment Period. The Medicare General Enrollment Period occurs every year between January 1st and March 31st, but you may be subject to some late enrollment penalties.
Now let’s take a look at the different parts of Medicare you might be hearing about. First we have Medicare Part A. Part A is a part of original Medicare and provides hospital insurance. Part A is free for those who have paid their Medicare taxes while working, already receive social security benefits, or your spouse has Medicare covered employment. If you don’t qualify to get Part A for free, then you can purchase it for a monthly premium of $499 in 2022. This coverage is going to help cover the cost of things like inpatient hospital, skilled nursing, home healthcare, and even hospice care. Part A can have some substantial out of pocket costs for coverage, such as an annual deductible and co-payments, depending on the duration of your care.
Next we have Medicare Part B. Medicare Part B is also a part of original Medicare and provides medical insurance. Part B does have a standard monthly premium of $170.10 for 2022. However, this amount can be higher depending on your annual income. Part B also has a late enrollment penalty that will increase your monthly premium by 10% for every 12 months you do not enroll after your initial election period. Part B is going to cover the cost of your outpatient services like doctor’s visits, preventative screenings, durable medical equipment, ambulance services, and mental health services.
Next we have Medicare Part C, or you may hear this called Medicare Advantage. This is an optional portion that is available for purchase for a monthly premium from private insurance companies. Note that you must have Medicare Parts A and B to get a Part C plan. These plans are now becoming an option through the FEHB program, and we’ll talk more about them in a bit. But these are ultimately going to be plans that provide some of what Medicare Parts A and B do not.
Lastly, we have Medicare Part D. Part D is additional coverage for prescription drugs. At this point, OPM feels that all plans offered through the FEHB program provide coverage equal to, if not better, than what Medicare Part D would provide.
So most plans in the FEHB program require cost sharing. So what’s cost sharing? Cost sharing means that you might pay a deductible, or a co-insurance, or copays when you’re going to see your healthcare providers. And as we know, this can add up quickly. New for 2022, we have an Aetna Medicare Advantage plan option designed for RCBP members. With this plan, you’ll continue to see that $0 deductible and $0 co-insurance for your covered medical services, just like you currently have on you RCBP high option with Medicare Parts A and B. But now you have the option to opt in to the Aetna Medicare Advantage plan, and you’ll see some enhanced benefits. We have a $900 per year Medicare Part B premium reduction. You’ll have access to added programs like SilverSneakers and healthy home visits. You’ll also see some lower prescription co-payments starting as low as $0 from preferred pharmacies. You’ll also see unlimited chiropractic visits and unlimited physical occupational and speech therapy visits. You’ll also have access to a nationwide provider network and coverage, and be able to visit any provider who accepts Medicare.
Looking at these plans side by side, let’s walk through the benefits. First, you’ll continue to see that $0 deductible and co-insurance for your covered medical services on both plans. You’ll pay $0 for your chiropractic services and $0 for your physical, occupational, and speech therapy services. On the Aetna Medicare Advantage plan for RCBP members, the visits for your chiropractic services and therapy are now unlimited, whereas on the high option, you will see a 90 visit maximum per year per member. On top of all the great medical benefits, eligible members enrolled in the Aetna Medicare Advantage plan for RCBP will also receive a $900 Medicare Part B premium reduction. Now, that’s to help cover some of the out-of-pocket costs for your Medicare Part B premiums.
The Medicare Advantage option also features more comprehensive prescription drug coverage, starting as low as $0 at preferred pharmacies for preferred generic medications or $5 for a generic medication for a 30-day supply. You’ll pay $40 for a preferred brand and $70 for a non-preferred brand. If it’s available, ordering a 90-day supply of your medication is a great way to save on out-of-pocket costs. The Aetna Medicare Advantage plan for RCBP also has better coverage for your specialty medication. You’ll pay 25% of the cost with a maximum of $80 for a 30-day supply, or a maximum of $125 for a 90-day supply for all specialty medication.
When you enroll in the Aetna Medicare Advantage plan for RCBP, you’ll have access to some additional programs like Teledoc, which is a virtual option that provides added convenience for members seeking care. It can be used online, by phone, or through their mobile app. You’ll be connected with a US Board certified state licensed healthcare professional. Teledoc currently has over 700 available providers for you to choose from. There’s also a hearing aid reimbursement for members to help pay for the tools they need to engage and communicate with the world around us. The reimbursement is $3,000 for every 36 months.
Next, we have our Resources for Living program. The program helps members find help to locate resources they need in their daily life. With just one call, a life consultant can help with things like bonding contractors to do work around the house, researching senior housing, or gathering a list of activities at local senior centers, or assistance with emergency needs. The Non-emergency Transportation program ensures that retirees can make it to and from their doctors or hospital visits safely without having to rely on family or friends. At no extra cost, Aetna provides 24 one-way trips within 60 miles of your starting point.
After a hospital stay, Aetna offers a meal benefit program through our relationship with GA foods. The program offers home delivered meals at no additional cost, which provides 14 pre-cooked meals, two per day for seven days to help ease that transition after an inpatient hospital stay. And finally, SilverSneakers. SilverSneakers is an overall wellness program that may help members to improve their health and live the life they love. The program gives members access to exercise equipment, classes, and social activities at thousands of locations nationwide. SilverSneakers also offers live and on-demand classes available via their website as well.
So how do you enroll in the new Aetna Medicare Advantage plan for RCBP? This is a plan option to opt into for existing RCBP high option members. Now, the opt-in process is easy. To complete your enrollment, we’ll ask you to contact us one of two ways, either by visiting our AetnaRetireeHealth.com/RCBP website, or by calling our Aetna Retiree Solution Service Center at 1-866-241-0262. Now, you can complete this step anytime on or after November 22nd. No matter which way you reach out to us, we’ll be asking you to provide your Medicare A and B effective dates, as well as your Medicare number ID.
Before we conclude today’s session, let’s do a quick summary and take a look at the highlights. The new Aetna Medicare Advantage plan for RCBP features the same premiums that you currently pay for your RCBP high option and the low out-of-pocket costs that you already have under your high option with Medicare Parts A and B. The new Medicare Advantage option features an additional $900 Medicare Part B premium reduction per year, and that’s to help cover some of the costs for your Medicare Part B premiums. The plan also features vision coverage and a hearing aid reimbursement. It also has unlimited $0 chiropractic visits, and you’ll see lower prescription co-payments, starting as low as $0 from preferred pharmacies. There are also added programs to support your overall health and wellbeing like our SilverSneakers wellness program. You’ll also have nationwide coverage and be able to visit any provider that’s eligible to receive Medicare payment with no referrals.
If you’d like to learn more about the Aetna Medicare Advantage plan for RCBP, you can contact us at RCBPhealth.com/Retiree. Once you’re on our website, you can register for live webinars. You can tune in for live interactive webinars, hosted by our licensed team members. You can get your questions answered live and learn more about the plan. And if you’re the type of person who likes to figure things out on your own, then you’re in luck. We have a variety of resources available to you that you can access on your own, including on-demand seminars as well. Of course, you can always give us a call at 1-800-638-8432. That concludes today’s presentation. Again, my name is Rebecca Floyd. Thank you for joining us today, and have a great day.
Aetna Medicare is an HMO, PPO plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in our plans depends on contract renewal. The formulary, provider and/ or pharmacy network may change at any time. You will receive notice when necessary. See Evidence of Coverage for a complete description of plan benefits, exclusions, limitations and conditions of coverage. Plan features and availability may vary by service area. Participating physicians, hospitals and other health care providers are independent contractors and are neither agents nor employees of Aetna. The availability of any particular provider cannot be guaranteed, and provider network composition is subject to change. Plan features and availability may vary by service area. SilverSneakers is a registered trademark of Tivity Health, Inc. © 2021 Tivity Health, Inc. All rights reserved. Resources For Living is the brand name used for products and services offered through the Aetna group of subsidiary companies. For accommodation of persons with special needs at meetings, call 1-800-638-8432 (TTY: 711).
Aetna is the brand name used for products and services provided by one or more of the Aetna group of subsidiary companies, including Aetna Life Insurance Company and its affiliates (Aetna). Aetna Providers are independent contractors and are not agents of Aetna. Provider participation may change without notice.
This is a summary of the Rural Carrier Benefit Plan. Before making a final decision, please read the 2022 Official Plan Brochure (RI 72-005). All benefits are subject to the definitions, limitations and exclusions set forth in the official Plan Brochure. External websites links are provided for your information and convenience only and does not imply or mean that Aetna endorses the content of such linked websites or third party services. Aetna has no control over the content or materials contained therein. Aetna therefore makes no warranties or representations, express or implied, about such linked websites, the third parties they are owned and operated by, and the information and/or the suitability or quality of the products contained on them.
Aetna Medicare is a HMO, PPO plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in our plans depends on contract renewal. Plan features and availability may vary by service area. SilverSneakers is a registered trademark of Tivity Health, Inc. © 2021 Tivity Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
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© 2021 Aetna Inc.
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View the Official Plan Brochure for details about RCBP health benefits plans