By Jason D. Philippe, MD
Medicare Open Enrollment: It’s Not Too Late
Special Enrollment Opportunity Announced
Millions of Floridians have been affected by this year’s storms and may have missed an important opportunity to make their health the priority and shore up their Medicare coverage. But don’t worry, there may still be time! The yearly Medicare Open Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7, but Medicare has established a special enrollment opportunity to give eligible Florida residents more time to make some important decisions about their health insurance options.
To determine if you’re included in this special Medicare enrollment opportunity contact 1-800-Medicare 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with any questions.
“We’ve all been impacted by the storm, and now more than ever it’s essential to take charge of your healthcare,” reminds Millennium Physician Group Family Medicine Physician Jason Philippe, MD. “We realize you may have other things on your mind, but your health is a priority. And staying healthy starts with the right healthcare coverage.”
It’s been shown that life-threatening conditions and disease are greater in the weeks and months following a hurricane. And hurricanes are shown to cause and exacerbate multiple conditions. While most adverse health impacts peak within six months following hurricanes, chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and mental health issues have been shown to continue for years after a hurricane’s impact.
“We know inadequate healthcare coverage results in postponement of appropriate healthcare needs,” admits Dr. Philippe. “This can delay diagnosis and worsen chronic health conditions, leading to poorer health outcomes and higher overall healthcare spending.”
In fact, studies show those who are uninsured or underinsured are less likely to take advantage of preventive services and more likely to have poorer health outcomes. Open and Special Enrollment are the only times of year Medicare enrollees can make changes to their health and drug plans for the following year (with few exceptions). Decisions you make today about your healthcare and coverage can change the rest of your life.
For more information about your Medicare options, go to YourMedicareConnect.com. To find a doctor who specializes in Medicare quality programs and the quality of care they deliver to patients of Medicare age, head to MillenniumPhysician.com/find-a-doctor/.
Millennium Physician Group
Jason Philippe, MD
Family Medicine
6450 38th Ave N, Ste 300, St. Petersburg
727.655.9850 | MillenniumPhysician.com