Dear Friends,

Fall is upon us! New England’s crisp weather and striking foliage are symbols of the season, but fall is also a harbinger of one of the most important decisions families make each year: healthcare open enrollment.

With the arrival of the 2024 Open Enrollment Season for Medicare, Medicaid, and the Healthcare Marketplace, I want to ensure that you have the information and resources you or a family member may need to find a quality and affordable healthcare plan.

If you are eligible for Medicare:

The Medicare Open Enrollment Period for the coming year runs from October 15—December 7, 2023. If you get your health insurance through Medicare, you can sign up for continued coverage or modify your health care plan for Medicare, Medicare Advantage (Part C), and Medicare’s prescription drug plan (Medicare Part D).

• For information, advice, or assistance on coverage options, please contact the CT CHOICES Program at 1-800-994-9422 or the Southwestern CT Agency on Aging at 203-814-3698.
• To compare Medicare Plan options, visit www.medicare.gov and access the “Plan Finder” tool, where you can build prescription drug lists and compare benefits.

If you are currently uninsured, or if you receive your healthcare coverage through Connecticut’s Marketplace, Access Health CT:

The Open Enrollment period to buy or modify an individual or family healthcare plan for next year is from November 1, 2023—January 15, 2024.

• To sign up for or renew your health and dental coverage, please visit AccessHealthCT.com or reach the call center at 1-855-805-4325. Through the exchange, you can browse and sign up for plans or renew your coverage, including HUSKY Health (Medicaid).
• For assistance and customer support, visit the Get Help webpage.

Last year, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which ushered in critical savings on prescription drug costs. This bill caps insulin prices for Medicare beneficiaries at $35 per month and allows Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices for seniors, starting with some of the highest-cost prescription drugs this year. Beginning in 2025, out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries will be capped at $2,000 annually.

Unfortunately, Open Enrollment is also a time when many scammers try to gain access to your sensitive information. Please remember that Medicare will NEVER call you uninvited and ask you for personal or private information. If someone asks you for your information, for money, or threatens to cancel your health benefits unless you disclose your personal details, hang up and call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or visit medicare.gov.

As always, if you have additional questions or are experiencing trouble with your health coverage, please contact my Bridgeport Office at 203-333-6600, where a member of my team will be happy to assist you. 

Sincerely,

Jim