Medicare Open Enrollment Retina Patient Checklist

Are you eligible for Medicare?

During Medicare open enrollment, October 15 through December 7, Americans eligible for Medicare can join, switch or drop an Original Medicare or Medicare Advantage Plan.

There are important questions you should ask and information you should know as you select a plan, especially if you’re being treated for a retinal condition.

Retina patients should consider these factors before signing up or switching to any plan, including:

• Do all of my doctors, hospitals, surgical centers, etc., accept my coverage?
• Are my medications covered by the plan I am considering?
• Do I travel to other parts of the country for extended periods of time? Will I be able to see a doctor in those places?
• Have I talked to my physicians and pharmacists about the plan I am considering?
• Are there out-of-pocket costs for office visits, testing, procedures, and/or drugs?
• Does my insurer create hurdles that impede my ability to receive physician-administered drugs, such as my eye injections of Eylea or Lucentis?

Many seniors who are retina patients find that an Original Medicare fits their needs better than a Medicare Advantage Plan. For example, Original Medicare does not allow Step Therapy, a policy that can affect a patient’s ability to receive treatment recommended by their retina specialist.

For more information on the different Medicare plans available in your area and how to select one:

• Visit www.asrs.org/MedicareOpenEnrollment
• Visit www.Medicare.gov
• Call 1-800-MEDICARE or your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) to find out about plans available in your

Learn more at asrs.org/MedicareOpenEnrollment