ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Many Americans are in the market for a new health care plan. Last week, some providers notified clients that their Medicare Advantage plans would no longer be offered come the new year. Medicare offered federal health insurance, but Advantage plans provide more prescription coverage for customers. The fear of being without coverage has led to hundreds of concerned calls a day to Ahrens Benefits. The insurance brokers say some of these discontinued plans will still be offered.
“Many of our clients received a letter from their carrier, and it sounded like, ‘We’re dropping you. We’re abandoning you,’ which did cause immediate panic, and rightfully so. ‘Oh my God, my plan’s gone for next year. What am I going to do?’” owner Jane Ahrens explained. “What wasn’t said in that letter was that, ‘Hey, we’re discontinuing your current plan, but we do have new plans to offer you for next year.’”
This applies to 20 plans from six different insurance providers in the Finger Lakes Region alone. According to Ahrens, that includes Aetna, CDPHP, Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield (EBCBS), MVP, United Healthcare and Wellcare. Although the discontinuities have a much larger spread throughout New York state, and across the country…