Letter: Hook, line and sinker

Almost daily calls, multiple times per day, trying to hook seniors entering Medicare eligibility or already in Medicare. The line is you will receive free money and extra benefits not available with regular Medicare – $174 dollars given back, possible dental assistance, physical fitness and other tweaks. All this care is for free or little expense.

The sinker is this is privatized health care finding you feeling glorious at the start. As you are apt to develop health issues, you may find yourself wanting to join or return to regular Medicare and find you will not be accepted due to health issues. Under Medicare Advantage, people are limited to whom they can have for providers.

Friends have found they have to find a provider within New Hampshire because the plan does not want you going over the border for a particular doctor in another state, despite that doctor being the better choice for your issue(s).  You can ask to see an out-of-state doctor or hospital and you might or might not have that access under your plan. Then you decide to stay where you are told or pay out-of-pocket for those services. Limited access is your style.

There are prescriptions that will get costly under Medicare Advantage and paying towards services like x-ray and other tests that are not fully covered. In time, these will accumulate and you will be stuck in – hook, line and sinker – with no way out of your dilemma. Is this the marketing strategy of privatized care that you want to get sucked down the rabbit hole instead of our dependable reliable Medicare health care? Say no to Medicare Advantage sales tactics and protect your health and financial well-being.

Kath Allen

Peterborough