With Medicare open enrollment beginning on Tuesday, Oct. 15, big changes are coming for 2025.
Starting in January, some healthcare providers may no longer be “in-network” for certain Medicare Advantage Plans. New benefits from the Inflation Reduction Act also kick in, such as a new maximum $2,000 dollar cap on prescription drugs and a new payment plan option to make paying for prescriptions more manageable.
Changes in Medicare Advantage plans mean an estimated 60,000 Minnesotans currently have providers, clinics and hospitals that will no longer be in-network. Some beneficiaries will have to change doctors or change their Medicare Advantage Plan during open enrollment to get their health care coverage back in sync.
“Each year, we urge Minnesotans to review their Medicare options to make sure their coverage will fit their needs for the coming year,” said Maureen Schneider, chair of the Minnesota Board on Aging. “This year, it’s even more important to make sure that your doctors and clinics are still covered and that your coverage is affordable and meets your personal needs.”
Open enrollment, which runs through Dec. 7, is the time each year when beneficiaries can make adjustments to their Medicare plans.
Also coming in 2025 is a new $2,000 maximum out-of-pocket limit on Medicare Part D prescription drugs. Once beneficiaries reach this amount, they don’t have to pay for their covered prescriptions for the rest of the year. Best of all, enrollment is automatic, so people don’t have to do anything to receive this benefit.
Also new in the coming year is the Medicare Prescription Drug Payment Plan, or MPPP. It helps people manage out-of-pocket costs for covered drugs by spreading costs across the calendar year. Instead of paying at the pharmacy, people pay a monthly amount to their health plan or drug plan. The MPPP is optional, so beneficiaries must contact their Medicare health or drug plan to enroll.
