Did you know that there are special Medicare Advantage plans designed to help people with special needs? Many of these plans offer extra benefits that can help meet the special needs of individuals. Today we will talk a little more about the Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs).
A Dual Special Needs Plan is available for people who have both Medicare and Medicaid. These individuals are called “Dual Eligible”. A dual special needs plan (D-SNP) covers an individual’s Medicare Part A, Part B and Part D (Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage) and it also helps to coordinate the Medicaid benefits that “Dual Eligible Individuals” receive.
Which extra benefits can a dual eligible individual receive?
Depending on the market that you are in, there could be quite a few extra benefits. At the time of this writing, there are 19 Dual Special Needs plans in Bexar County (San Antonio). The average Medicare Beneficiary does not have the time or patience to sift through 19 plans to find the one that is most suitable to them. This is why it is so important to work with a licensed, local independent insurance agent. There are Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans with significantly more Dental Insurance than others. Other plans focus on Over-The-Counter items like vitamins, pain relievers and cough & cold medications. Still, other’s focus on Vision, Hearing and even adding extra transportation.
What to expect during a meeting?
A licensed agent will sit with a Medicare beneficiary and ask questions to determine what is most important to that senior. Shortly after that, the licensed agent will find out which doctors the beneficiary is currently seeing. The agent will then talk to the beneficiary about the plans that could best meet their needs.
