Helping Dad Decide Whether to Change His Medicare Coverage

When Medicare started its annual, open-enrollment period last month, my father faced a dilemma common to Americans 65 and older: Should he stick with his current Medicare coverage or switch to a cheaper option within the federal health-insurance program?

Every year, from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7, the 54 million older adults already in Medicare can add, drop or switch prescription-drug plans and make other changes to their coverage.

By comparing plans, “you may get cheaper coverage that better suits your needs,” said Casey Schwarz, senior counsel at the nonprofit Medicare Rights Center.

But the number of choices, which vary by region, can be overwhelming. In my father’s case, there are more than 60.

And while Medicare plans generally charge a monthly premium, they also typically impose fees, including deductibles and copayments, that can make it hard to compare the total cost of one plan to another.