Medicare Open Enrollment runs from October 15 through December 7. If you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, now is the time to carefully review your coverage for the coming year.
A reminder about our office: Personal Physicians does not accept Medicare Advantage HMO plans. We prefer traditional Medicare as Medicare Advantage restricts access to physicians, hospitals, and diagnostic testing which makes it difficult for us to get you the care you need. If you wish to continue seeing us, please confirm that your selected insurance plan is compatible with our practice before making a change. We encourage you to review your options carefully and contact your insurance company with any questions before the December 7 enrollment deadline. Our goal is to help you maintain continuity of care and avoid unexpected insurance problems in the coming year.
In addition, as you may have heard, BJC HealthCare and Washington University Medicine are facing insurance contract issues that may affect patients with Aetna Medicare Advantage and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare Advantage plans (this includes both their PPO and HMO plans) beginning January 1, 2027. Current contracts are scheduled to end December 31, 2026, and negotiations are ongoing. If agreements are not reached, patients may face higher out-of-pocket costs or lose in-network access to BJC hospitals, physicians, and other facilities.
Please carefully review the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) provided by your current plan each fall. If maintaining access to BJC and its affiliated physicians is important to you, verify your plan’s 2027 network status before enrolling. Consider choosing an alternative plan that includes your preferred hospitals, specialists, and other healthcare providers. Do not assume that all plans offered by the same insurance company have the same network. Also take the time to evaluate your personal circumstances to determine if the plan will cover any necessary medications, as well as any other future healthcare needs you foresee. Traditional Medicare (Part A and B) offers broad access to doctors and hospitals. We firmly believe that Traditional Medicare is the best choice, especially when paired with appropriate supplemental and prescription drug coverage.
