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Association of
Ameritech/SBC Retirees
(November 8, 2006)
Proudly
representing retirees from the new AT&T Midwest Region, SBC Midwest
Region,
Ameritech, as well as the five Bell Companies in
Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin
Health Care Choice For Retirees
And Their Spouses On Medicare:
Enrolment Begins November 15
AASBCR has been made aware of an alternative to the AT&T Health Care Plan
which might be more acceptable to our members who are on Medicare and/or
their spouses who are on Medicare. It is called Medicare Advantage. Medicare
Advantage Plans are available in many areas. If you have
one of these plans, you don’t need a Medigap policy. These plans include:
Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO), Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO),
Private Fee-for-Service Plans, and Medicare Special Needs Plans
These
plans may cover more services and have lower out-of-pocket costs. Some
plans cover prescription drugs. In some plans, like HMOs, you may only be
able to see certain doctors or go to certain hospitals to get covered
services. Medications may be more expensive. These plans are not available
everywhere. You will need to check to see if it is available where you
live. You will then need to see if your Doctors and Hospitals participate.
Finally, you need to ask AT&T Benefits if you remove your spouse from the
AT&T plan for 2007, can you add him/her back in 2008.
This is NOT a Recommendation! This in only for your Information!
This is not for everyone, and AASBCR does not endorse this product. We are
attempting to make our members aware of an alternative. We suggest that,
as for any large financial decision, interested retirees do their
homework.
You may want to go to the
Medicare web site:
http://www.medicare.gov/Choices/Overview.asp,
or contact 1-800-MEDICARE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for assistance. A
customer service representative at this number can answer questions about
Medicare Advantage and provide up-to-date information regarding the health
plans available in your area. Enrolment for these plans is November 15.
AASBCR, a non-profit organization, was formed in 2002 to represent
Ameritech retiree issues to SBC, renamed AT&T as part of the recent merger
of SBC and AT&T. For more information on the organization please check
the web site at
www.aasbcr.org.
Please share this newsletter by e-mail with your Retiree and Near-Retiree
friends. Send
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