SPECIAL ELECTION PERIOD FOR MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES

SPRINGFIELD, IL - The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), formerly the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), has advised the Illinois Department of Insurance of a Special Election Period for all Medicare beneficiaries from December 1 through December 31, 2001. This provision allows individuals to enroll or disenroll from Medicare + Choice plans through the end of the year and extends Medicare supplement insurance guaranteed issue rights to all Medicare beneficiaries.

Individuals who wish to leave their existing Medicare + Choice product and enroll in traditional Medicare will be guaranteed the right to purchase a Medicare supplement plan A, B, C, or F from any company they choose. The beneficiary will be placed back into traditional Medicare effective January 1, 2002. However, beneficiaries must disenroll from their HMO by December 31, 2001, and apply for a Medicare supplement insurance policy by March 4, 2002, to be eligible for this guarantee.

Further information on the special enrollment period and guarantee issue can be obtained from the Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP) at (800) 548-9034. SHIP is a statewide program sponsored by the Illinois Department of Insurance to provide free insurance counseling both by Department staff and trained volunteers on senior health insurance issues such as Medicare, Medicare supplement insurance and long term care insurance.