Local Medicare News with Forest Insurance, LLC
The 2026 annual enrollment period (AEP) is now complete. It brought much upheaval in our county and across the country. The Medicare Advantage Prescription plans saw plan terminations, network
changes, and increases in premiums and copays. Many local medical providers will change how they work with local MAPD PPO plans with respect to network availability. In our area, and again across the
country, people chose a plan that has a higher premium so they can continue to utilize their local medical community services more closely to the benefits of 2025. Other individuals, often based on budget and needs, have stayed with their 2025 PPO plan and will have to pay more out of pocket which could leave the customer with substantial financial liability.
In general, to clarify, individuals that have a Medicare Advantage Plan in Montrose and the surrounding area have at least four options going into 2026. The first option would be to keep their existing plan and to recognize the fact that if they use an out-of-net network facility they will pay more. The second option would be to use in-network facilities. In many cases this may require getting care at other facilities on the western slope. The third option would be to obtain a plan where the cost for services in or out of the network are the same.
Unfortunately, at least for 2026 this could include a much higher monthly premium. I believe the fourth option would be to look into a Medicare Supplement plan (Medigap plan). These plans can be very
comprehensive but also come with a higher monthly premium.
So, the next question is where do we go from here? Starting January 1 st through March 31 st there is an open enrollment window available for many customers to make one change to their current plan. If someone has not changed, or had second thoughts about their choice, I recommend reaching out to your local agent for review and questions.
This coming year could be a tough one with respect to financial liability. So let us all try to stay safe and have a happy and healthy new year.
