How did health care reform impact Medicare?
All Medicare plans, including the HealthPartners Medicare plans, will have the following changes in 2011: • Medicare recipients will pay $0 for preventive screenings and an annual wellness visit, which can include a health risk assessment. • Those enrolled in Medicare Part D plans will have fewer out-of-pocket costs in the coverage gap (also known as the donut hole). See below for more details. Health care reform did not make any cuts to Medicare benefits. The guaranteed Medicare benefits that you have earned did not change and your eligibility did not change. The most significant changes to Medicare were in the Medicare Part D coverage gap. The coverage gap is the portion of your prescription drug benefits where you pay the full cost of all prescription medicines. (Please note that not all plans have a coverage gap.) It comes after you reach your plan’s deductible and initial coverage stages, which goes until your annual prescription medicine costs reach $2,840. The coverage gap phase
