There is a health plan called Medicare Advantage but some people are finding it is anything but an advantage.
The plan was wrongly sold to some people. The State of Ohio says those people may be able to disenroll. This option that affects a lot of people.
I've reported several times on problems some people are having getting medical care because they were enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan.
Now the Federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services are allowing people to re-join Medicare if they discover promised Medicare Advantage benefits are not available.
I spoke with workers at Caring Hearts Home Health Care who say they regularly see such problems among their patients.
DIANNE EICHHORN: "What happens is they receive lots and lots of promises, promises that you'll get extra services, you'll receive multiple medications, it'll be free of charge."
But sometimes, they say, those are empty promises and the Medicare Advantage program is worse for RONNELL SPEARS: "Its probably anywhere between 10 or 15 percent of our client base are having difficulty with this situation."
Eichhorn: "What happens is they are signed up, they lose their medicare benefits and then they receive home care, they start losing their services. BECAUSE THE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE DOES NOT COVER WHAT THEY NEED? It does not cover as much as medicare does."
SPEERS: "There was a lady that called just crying and upset because she couldn't go see her doctor because she was signed up for this plan. She's blind."
LINDA HAMMONS: "My husband just went into Medicare and he got all this stuff and he said well Linda what should I do?"
Because there is so much literature, it can be very complicated for seniors to try to decide what program is right for them.
That's why enrollees are now being given the opportunity to switch back to traditional Medicare at any time if they feel there was a problem.
Finally, late today the Indiana State Police issued a warning about more internet scams in the area.
Two local people received phony money orders and cashier's checks-- told to send their good money to the crooks. Beware-- checks you get from strangers are usually phony.
