Seniors are more likely to comparison shop for groceries than for their Medicare plans, according to a recent study from WellCare Health Plans, a managed care services provider. Only a third of seniors said they comparison-shop for their Medicare plan, while 54 percent said they shop to save when purchasing groceries, according to the report.
One major reason seniors said they delayed shopping for—or are reviewing—their plan is because of the complexity of the process. One in four respondent’s said reviewing their Medicare plan was among their top two most unpleasant obligations. The task was paired with various other experiences ranging from getting their taxes done and renewing their driver’s license to getting a colonoscopy and going to the dentist.
In short, the confusing nature of shopping for Medicare means that many seniors may be missing an opportunity to obtain appropriate coverage.
The Medicare Plan Finder (MPF) designed by the U.S. government is a resource meant to help older Americans make informed decisions about their Medicare plans. However, the tool earned a grade of “D” or “F” in more than half of the key criteria evaluating effectiveness and user friendliness, according to a new report from the Clear Choices Campaign and The National Council on Aging (NCOA).
The MPF was designed to simplify the process of retrieving information about coverage options in Medicare plans. In reality, the tool is outdated and lacking important information and features, the study finds. For example, users cannot input personal information to check eligibility for low-income programs and there is no option to determine if preferred providers are covered.
There is also no access to human support online or via telephone, according to the report. Users only have the option of visiting a general help page for assistance.
"In order for competition to work in the increasingly complex Medicare program, beneficiaries must be well-informed and have consumer-friendly tools available to make wise plan choices,” said Howard Bedlin, NCOA’s vice president for public policy and advocacy.
The National Council on Aging report includes 11 key and 25 detailed recommendations for making the MPF more effective for consumers.
Key recommendations to improve the MPF:
• Displaying costs with decision and prominence