Medicare Advantage and Traditional Medicare: Issues & Choices
Several subject matter experts continue to discuss the pros and cons of Medicare Advantage and notable non-health plan and non-broker resources.
See materials below.
Medicare Advantage and Traditional Medicare: Issues & Choices
Mon, Sep 16, 2024, 10am
Presented by F & L Medicare Resource Group
Registration required to attend and for a recording:
Presenters
Michael Austin, M.S., J.D., Retired Director
Bob Hall, MBA, Carlson School, CFP
Russell Luepker, MD, Retired UMN Professor.
Andy Whitman, Ph.D., JD. Professor, Carlson School
Kip Anderson, JD., author & health policy advisor to Health Care for All MN
Purpose of Our Presentation
- Our goal is to provide information that will help you to make the best choice among the insurance options available. We think that more information about coverage and claim processing by insurers will help.
- Our focus is on current Medicare Advantage and Traditional Medicare Supplemental Plans. We will not discuss insurance options available to military veterans.
- We will suggest resources and approaches to take with insurers when your claim is denied, you are required to seek preauthorization before treatment, payment is delayed or you are charged excessive costs.
- Later this year, in a general UMRA session, UMN OHR will discuss changes proposed to their role with selecting health insurance plans. Their role may change in 2026.
- To prepare for our Sept.16 Event you can review a Star & Tribune article and two sites listed below.
- HealthPartners merits commendation for stepping forward on claim denials by UnitedHealth. Its concerns should be taken seriously and require deeper scrutiny from regulators and lawmakers.
A Minnesota health care battle royale - Both consumers and regulators should pay attention to what HealthPartners is saying about UnitedHealth. Copyright 2024 Star Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities
Two sites listed below offer comprehensive information (be careful to avoid the embedded advertisements):
Notable non-health plan and non-broker resources
- Senior Linkage, https://mnhealthcarechoices.com/
- MN Commerce Department, https://mn.gov/commerce/insurance/health/consumer-protections/medicare/
- Attorney General, https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=MN+Attorney+general+Medicare
MN Depart. of Health: For HMO, PPO, ACO, https://www.health.state.mn.us/facilities/index.html
Registration required to attend and for a recording.
~ Andrew Whitman, [email protected]
FLG facilitator
Upcoming Events
"Things that drive me crazy" will be the theme when the UMRA Photo Club meets on February 11. Newcomers are welcome.
Many life challenges that get in the way of quality of life and good health at home have little to do with medical issues. Cathy Lauring, our presenter for UMRA’s February 18 workshop, will explore a variety of resources to assist in keeping us healthy at home—including physical, emotional, cognitive, and financial services.
John Bantle will lead the discussion of A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson when the UMRA book club meets via Zoom on February 21.
Join UMRA members to watch two of the best hockey teams in the nation. UMRA has negotiated a discounted ticket price of $33.
Barbara Klick, RN, MBA, the presenter for UMRA’s February 25 Forum, has decades of experience working in human and veterinary medicine, and will bring her wisdom and perspective to our discussion about what we can learn from our pets about facing end-of-life challenges and decisions.
The Fourth Friday Book Club will meet via Zoom on February 28 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. CST to discuss The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain.
Will Craig discusses using local sources for family history.
The UMRA Hiking Club will explore wildlife along the Mississippi River in Fort Snelling State Park. The 3.9-mile Pike Island Loop is generally considered an easy route and takes just over an hour. Hikers can leave at that point, or stay to add another short loop. The trail is located below the bluff on which the historic fort sits. The last time we were there we saw a lot of deer, and the river always provides fascinating views.
The University of Minnesota Archives, with its major holdings largely tucked away in two huge underground caverns along the Mississippi River under the West Bank campus, holds the essential records of our University of Minnesota’s past. University Archivist Erik Moore will explain the holdings and role of our extensive university archive and bring out a sampling of what it holds. At the end of our visit, he will conduct a tour of the literally cool caverns (Minnesota Library Access Center), revealing where these precious materials are housed, including the original tapes of KUOM, now Radio K.
Family history open discussion.