Television's Most Annoying Spokespersons

     The good news is that December brings a brief respite from Medicare Advantage Plan TV commercials. The bad news is that starting January 1, they'll be back. The Medicare Advantage insurance plans have until March 31 to attempt to defraud folks into switching between Medicare Advantage Plan companies.

     Junk mail designed to look like official government forms and television commercials featuring aging athletes (e.g. Joe Namath and George Foreman), washed up actors (e.g. William Shatner and Jimmie Walker) and now some old woman who acts like she's high on some illegal drug...all ultra-annoying people...encouraging people to sign up for Medicare plans are about to end...thankfully. 

     The ads tell us that we might not be getting all the benefits we deserve. That part is true. I think I deserve free health care, prescriptions, vision and dental care for life, but that's not the case. I have to pay for it. These Medicare Part B give back plans are health plans offered by private insurance companies rather than Medicare. That means that these plans that, like the washed up celebrities say, do add money back to social security checks, but they still have to be paid for in the form of premiums to the private insurance companies or in the form of co-pays and meeting higher deductibles.  Nothing is free.

     Another thing these creeps don't tell you is that in the long run these private plans are likely to be more expensive than Medicare. And, all the free stuff...some of them are only available on specific plans for specific segments of the population. Oh, some plans may not include a person's current doctors. 

     Not only can these advertised plans become expensive if you're sick because of uncovered co-pays and deductibles, but it's not easy to change to another plan and if you decide to switch there often are lifetime penalties. 

     It’s important for people to check with their provider to ensure they can utilize the provider's services under a new plan. Imagine the shock of finding out that your provider is not covered after you’ve already committed to one of the celebrity-hyped "as seen on TV" plans! 

     While some of these plans may be a good deal, don't take Joe Namath's or Jimmie Walker's word for it. Or, some anonymous insurance rep over the phone. Check with a local professional familiar with Medicare that you can sit down face to face with and discuss your needs. 

     The main point of this rant is not that the advertising is full of half-truths (that's to be expected), but that the advertisers have chosen to advertise in a way that is distasteful and repugnant to viewers.