By SYLVIA GORDON
Guest Columnist
If you purchase a Medicare Advantage plan, your insurance company gets paid more money to keep you healthy.
That is a great incentive. It is a win-win. Get an annual physical, they get a bump. Get your flu shot or colonoscopy, more money. So naturally, your insurance company is very interested in you getting your regular checkup and all preventative services. This makes dollars and sense as it is much cheaper to prevent an illness than treat one. Since you are 65 or over, you know that hasn’t always been the rationale of insurance companies. This new focus on keeping you healthy comes with some annoyances.
“I’m a former nurse. I get all my required medical needs and do not appreciate being hounded by X insurance company. Kindly tell them to STOP calling me,” is a statement I’ve heard many times. But no, I cannot get them to stop calling you. In fact, when I asked, I was shot down and told, “We plan to step up “engagement” with our members!”
One company (yes, only one) has announced that they will allow you to be put on a company “do not call” list. But the majority of companies see the opportunity to enhance profits by nagging you about your health. Plans offer smoking cessation, nutrition classes, discounts to health clubs and more. One insurance company even sends nurses to your house to bring flu shots to you and gives away mirrors so diabetics can more easily see the bottoms of their feet to check for sores.
Many companies are cutting the Medicare member in on the extra money they are getting from the federal government. If you get your annual physical, you could get a $25 gift card. Humana, for example, although they are one of many companies that does this, offers a variety of incentives for its members to stay healthy. Some give away Fitbits and reward you for steps goals you reach; others give you a gift or gas card for attending a fitness or yoga class.
But this all comes with a lot of outreach from the companies to educate seniors about these programs. Expect to be called, emailed and mailed a lot of information if you purchase a Medicare Advantage HMO or PPO plan. It might be annoying, but the company is invested in keeping you healthy.
Sylvia Gordon is the president of Gordon Marketing, headquartered in Noblesville, where she trains on Medicare and Social Security in all 50 states. You can contact her at sgordon@gordonmarketing.com.