Some Medicare Advantage Plans May Offer Wellness Programs
- November 17, 2021
What if you could get additional benefits alongside your Medicare coverage and lead a healthier life?
Some Medicare Advantage plans make it possible by adding certain wellness programs at no additional cost.
One type of plan that may offer wellness programs is a Medicare Special Needs Plan (SNP).
Find Special Needs Plans that may be available where you live.
Speak with a licensed insurance agent
What are Special Needs Plans?
Medicare SNPs are a type of Medicare Advantage plan that are tailored to serve a specific group of people and their needs.
SNPs offer the same benefits as Medicare Part A and Part B and always include prescription drug coverage.
Certain SNP plans may also include other benefits that could help improve your healthcare, such as wellness programs, dental, vision and hearing coverage, care coordinators and specialized drug lists.
Affordable and $0 premium SNP plans may be available in your area. However, SNPs are not as widely available as regular Medicare Advantage plans. Not all plans provide the same benefits, and a particular plan that fits your needs may not be available where you live.
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Do I qualify?
Each SNP plan will have different rules and restrictions. SNP plans typically only allow people with a specific medical condition, care need or financial situation to enroll.
You may qualify for a specific plan if you meet the following 3 requirements:
- You have Medicare Part A and Part B.
- You live in a service area of a specific SNP plan.
- You meet the requirements of a specific SNP plan.
One type of SNP is a dual eligible plan. You may qualify for this plan if you are enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid.
A dual eligible plan works alongside your state-provided Medicaid coverage and offers additional benefits and services. roughly 12 million people are qualified for a dual eligible plan.1
You should contact the insurance provider to learn more about the plan’s eligibility rules to see if you qualify.
What are Medicare wellness programs?
Wellness programs are a group of benefits, programs and incentives that can help you live a healthier life.
A popular wellness programs for Medicare beneficiaries is SilverSneakers. SilverSneakers is a fitness program specifically for people over the age of 65.
Medicare SNP plans can offer a mixture of benefits that may include some of the following:
- Gym memberships
- Educational seminars
- Health screenings
- Weight-loss programs
- Routine chiropractic care
- Acupuncture
- Nursing hotlines
- Meal delivery
- Wearable medical alert system
- Allowances for over-the-counter health products
Each Medicare SNP plan may have a different variety of wellness programs and benefits. If you want or need a specific wellness benefit, you should ask about it before enrolling in a plan. A licensed insurance agent can help you understand your eligibility and the benefits that SNP plans in your area offer (if available).
If you are dual eligible (qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid), you may be able to access your plan’s wellness programs for no added cost.
Read additional medicare costs guides to learn more about Medicare costs and how they will affect you.
Find Special Needs Plans that may be available where you live.
Speak with a licensed insurance agent
1 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services “People Dually Eligible for Medicare and Medicaid” Fact Sheet, March 2019. www.cms.gov/Medicare-Medicaid-Coordination/Medicare-and-Medicaid-Coordination/Medicare-Medicaid-Coordination-Office/Downloads/MMCO_Factsheet.pdf.
About the author
Christian Worstell is a licensed insurance agent and a Senior Staff Writer for MedicareAdvantage.com. He is passionate about helping people navigate the complexities of Medicare and understand their coverage options.
His work has been featured in outlets such as Vox, MSN, and The Washington Post, and he is a frequent contributor to health care and finance blogs.
Christian is a graduate of Shippensburg University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He currently lives in Raleigh, NC.
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