Changes to Medicare Advantage plans for 2012 are not major.  Some plans will charge $45 co-pays to see a specialist, up from $40 this year. Emergency room co-pays are going up to $65 in most plans, up from $50 this year. Hospital co-pays are going up in just about all plans, but nothing shocking.

Big changes I have noticed have been made to supplemental dental coverage sold by Medicare Advantage plans.  Most dental plans now have a deductible of $100 or $50. And one plan (sorry, I can’t name names) no longer covers major services like dentures or crowns.

The purpose of this post is to advise seniors who have supplemental dental coverage to look closely at their plan details for 2012. I think the plans assume seniors don’t look closely at their coverage and will just keep paying the $20-or-more monthly premium. Only when they go to the dentist in 2012 will seniors realize how much their dental coverage has changed.

If the dental plan information received from the Advantage company is not detailed enough, call and demand to know what you are paying a premium for.  Medicare requires lots and lots of written material be provided to enrollees in Medicare Advantage plans, but Medicare is not watching the supplemental packages.

To everyone enrolled in Medicare Advantage:  Open up that big package you received from you plan two weeks ago!  Read it!

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