Medicare Advantage Plans      Exchange Plans

Wow, what a lot of fun John & I had hosting a series of classes about Medicare Part D.  

We held 8 sessions at the Holiday Inn Express with over 400 clients.  We answered many questions and had a very positive response to the information shared.

While 400 folks is a good number, it is only a fraction of the clients we have assisted in the past.  If you have a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan and you missed our seminar we have a solution for you.

On our web-site at  www.castellinsurance.com  look for the  bright red button on the home page.  If you click this, it will take you to our Part D information page.  On this page we have a link to our powerpoint presentation which outlines the Part D review process.  In addition, we have links to a series of videos from the Medicare web-site taking you through a step by step review.

We have heard from many attendees from the classes and they have sent notes and emails to let us know just how easy they found this process.   

We took a selfie at one of our classes - good fun! 

We are recommending change for those folks who are currently on the Group Health or Regence Medicare Advantage Plans in Clallam and Jefferson Counties.  

These plans have experienced a significant  premium increase for 2015.  If you have not yet completed the paperwork we sent to you, we are urging you to do so promptly to make a change for the new year to save premium dollars.

We mailed  a letter to all health clients under age 65 and we want to see each and every one of you in the next 2 months.  

All agents, Stephany, John, James and myself will be seeing clients to review options for 2015.  In order to  have uninterrupted coverage for January 2015 you will need to re-enroll, complete paperwork  and make plan payments by December 23^rd.  It is important to come to your appointment prepared with the information we have requested and any questions you might have.  Please set your appointment.  If you find you cannot make the appointment please let us know as soon as possible  so that we can assist someone else in that time.  

At Castell Insurance we value our clients and we appreciate your patience as we deal with deadlines for the different product lines we service.  We are well prepared, fully staffed and have plans in place to take care of all clients on time.

We will be closing for a well deserved four day break over Thanksgiving.  Happy Turkey Day to all!

For 2015 we have 29 different plans to choose from, down slightly from the 33 plans we had in 2014. Many of the plans from 2014 have little changes for 2015.

Humana was the lowest priced plan in 2014 with a monthly premium of $12.60.  This will be the case also in 2015 with a modest increase in premium to $15.70.  It does have a $320.00 annual deductible which is waived for Tier 1 & 2 generics if purchased either from Walmart or mail order.  This is the plan of choice for folks who take zero medications and just want to purchase a plan to avoid a potential penalty at a later date.  I shall explain a little about the "late enrollment penalty" later in the article.

The other most popular plan based upon subscribers nationwide is the AARP Saver Plus plan offered by United Healthcare.  This plan also has a modest increase in premium from $29.50 to $30.00 per month.

The lowest priced plan without a deductible is the Silverscript Choice plan with a monthly premium of $25.80.  This is a lower premium than the Silverscript Choice plan for 2014, when the premium was $33.80.  However, the plans are not the same. The differences are so great that they have even issued it a different Plan ID.  The biggest difference is that the plan had a $zero co-pay for generics in 2014 and appears to have a $7.00 co-pay in 2015.

We have seen a different plan do this a couple of years ago and folks were ticked when they went to pick up their medications after January 1^st.   What had been a $zero co-pay the year before was now a $7.00 co-pay for that year.  By the time they found out, it was too late and they were stuck with the plan for that year.

Another plan that appears to be very competitive is the Cigna Secure Extra with a monthly premium of $28.10 along with a $zero deductible.  This same plan was a whopping $65.20 in 2014 and I have been unable to fathom why they have reduced their premiums so greatly for 2015. Our office has had no firsthand experience with Cigna.

This year we have seen a few people who for whatever reason, have never been enrolled in a Part D plan and also a person or two who are contemplating dropping out of the Part D system.  When Congress passed the Part D program they implemented a penalty for those folks who were eligible but chose to not participate.

The penalty is set at 1%.  But 1% of what I hear you asking?  The 1% penalty is 1% of the average nationwide monthly premium for a Part D plan for every month you have been out of compliance.  For those who were eligible when the program started, the penalty will be close to 108% of the 2015 nationwide average premium of $33.13, or over $35 per month in addition to the monthly premium of the plan you choose.

This penalty is a penalty that will remain with you until you decide to drop out of the program or you pass away.  Not something to take lightly. For this reason we generally advise folks to enroll in a low priced plan once medicare eligible to avoid lifetime penalties at a later date.

That's all from the desk of John this month, stay healthy, get your flu shot and enjoy the blue hole, it is a wonderful place to live . 

We have a few suggestions for those of you that do own rentals when it comes to helping protect you and your investment.

• Run a background check on new tenants. This information is readily available and can help you avoid getting into a lease with a less than desirable tenant.

• Keep tabs on the home itself.  Whether it's through neighbors, a property management service or if you live nearby simply driving by it yourself.  Ensuring that landscaping is up to standards and the grounds aren't overrun with people storing old cars and junk.

• Ask neighbors about any unusual traffic. Make sure that your rental is being use for personal use only and not becoming a front for a business.

• Require that renters sign one year leases and provide proof of a Renters Insurance Policy as a condition of the lease.  This helps protect the tenants' belongings and personal liability and helps you as the owner avoid potential claim issues.

As a landlord you have a lot on your plate but taking some of these steps may help reduce the headache of major problems down the road.  Sometimes doing a little more work up front makes the long haul that much easier.  Please call us with any questions regarding your current rental situation, whether you are the tenant or the owner we can answer questions for you!

Instead of inundating you with more information about Open Enrollment I thought I would share a few people I am thankful for.  

Several years ago one of my Facebook friends started a list; for every day in November you post something or someone, big or small you are thankful for.  Quite a few of my friends and I have been doing this for three or four years now; and I love reading these small tidbits of thanksgiving every evening, sometimes it is as simple as a great cup of coffee or a friend who made you laugh that day.  Appreciating the things and people in our lives makes the moments of insanity that are about to begin with the holiday season and Open Enrollment all worthwhile.

I am so exceptionally thankful for my co-workers.  I work with the most amazing group of people day in and day out. We have a lot of fun, laugh more than most offices, and we truly get along.  It is a pleasure coming into the office every day and knowing that I get to spend it with these people.  Phil, Sharon, John, James, Christy, and Andrea you are AMAZING!

I am thankful for all of the new clients I have met in the last year.  At times the Affordable Care Act and the Washington Health Plan Finder have given me massive headaches.  But all the headaches and sitting on hold for hours on end is worth it when I run into one of you at the grocery store only to hear that your insurance is helping you.

I love hearing that your health has improved or that you didn't have to wait until you were super sick to see a doctor, that your diabetes is completely under control for the first time in years.  Those kind words and stories from all of you make the craziness of Open Enrollment a distant memory.

Please take a moment this month and pause to give a heartfelt thanks to the people who make your life or job better.  

Tell those people just how thankful you are for them.  I guarantee that you will put a smile on their face.

Remember Open Enrollment for those under 65 years young begins on November 15^th and you need to re-enroll before December 23^rd to insure that you do not have a lapse in coverage.

If you haven't called and scheduled an appointment with your agent yet, now is the time.

As the program name alludes to, it is directed towards those with "silver" in their hair or folks on Medicare programs.  

Silver Sneakers is now accepted in Sequim at:

• Anytime Fitness
• Fit For Life
• SARC  Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center

At Anytime Fitness  and   Fit For Life   you are able to use it anytime.

At SARC it is available for use weekdays during the afternoon and anytime on the weekends.

Silver Sneakers is available through our office on Medicare Supplement plans offered by Regence Blue Shield and Humana or on the Regence Blue Shield Medicare Advantage Plan.

If you have questions or want more information please call 683-9284 or email John john@castellinsurance.com or Phil phil@castellinsurance.com