Module 5

Mr. and Mrs. Nunez attended one of your sales presentations. They've asked you to come to their home to clear up a few questions. During the presentation, Mrs. Nunez feels tired and tells you that her husband can finish things up. She goes to bed. At the end of your discussion, Mr. Nunez says that he wants to enroll both himself and his wife. What should you do?

As long as she can do so, only Mrs. Nunez can sign her enrollment form. Mrs. Nunez will have to wake up to sign her form or do so at another time. Correct. A Medicare beneficiary is generally the only individual who may execute a valid request for enrollment in an MA plan. CMS will allow a legal representative or another individual to execute an enrollment request on behalf of the beneficiary if authorized under state law. Depending on state law, this may include court appointed legal guardians, individuals with a durable power of attorney for health care decisions. A spouse does not automatically fall into these sanctioned categories.

Mrs. Reeves is newly eligible to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan and her MA Initial Coverage Election Period (ICEP) has just begun. Which of the following can she not do during the ICEP?

During her ICEP, she can make an enrollment choice and change that choice during her MA Open Enrollment Period (MA OEP) that follows her election. During the ICEP, an eligible individual is permitted to enroll in an MA plan.

Mr. Ziegler is turning 65 next month and has asked you what he can do, and when he must do it, with respect to enrolling in Part D. What could you tell him?

He is currently in the Part D Initial Enrollment Period (IEP) and, during this time, he may make one Part D enrollment choice, including enrollment in a stand-alone Part D plan or an MA-PD plan. Correct: He is currently within his Part D IEP, which begins 3 months before the month he meets the eligibility requirements for Part B and ends 3 months after the month of eligibility. During the Part D IEP, beneficiaries may make one Part D enrollment choice, including enrollment in a stand-alone Part D plan or an MA-PD plan if they are eligible for MA.

Mr. Johannsen is entitled to Medicare Part A and Part B. He gains the Part D low-income subsidy. How does that affect his ability to enroll or disenroll in a Part D plan?

He qualifies for a special election period and can enroll in or disenroll from a Part D plan once during that period. He is not prohibited from enrolling in a different plan. Because he is entitled to Medicare Part A and Part B and has a change in his low income subsidy status, he is eligible for a special election period. During the SEP, he can enroll in or disenroll from a Part D plan once.

Mr. Garrett has just entered his MA Initial Coverage Election Period (ICEP). What action could you help him take during this time?

He will have one opportunity to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan. Correct: During the ICEP, he is permitted to make one enrollment choice. Once the enrollment is effective, the ICEP is used. However, individuals choosing a MA plan during their ICEP have a MA-OEP following their election through the last day of the 3rd month of entitlement.

Mr. Roberts is enrolled in an MA plan. He recently suffered complications following hip replacement surgery. As a result, he has spent the last three months in Resthaven, a skilled nursing facility. Mr. Roberts is about to be discharged. What advice would you give him regarding his health coverage options?

He will have one opportunity to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan. Correct: During the ICEP, he is permitted to make one enrollment choice. Once the enrollment is effective, the ICEP is used. However, individuals choosing a MA plan during their ICEP have a MA-OEP following their election through the last day of the 3rd month of entitlement.

Mrs. Kumar would like her daughter, who lives in another state, to meet with you during the Annual Election Period to help her complete her enrollment in a Part D plan. She asked you when she should have her daughter plan to visit. What could you tell her?

Her daughter should come in November. Correct. She can enroll in a Part D plan during the Annual Election Period (AEP), which takes place from October 15 to December 7.

Mr. Wendt suffers from diabetes which has gotten progressively worse during the last year. He is currently enrolled in Original Medicare (Parts A and B) and a Part D prescription drug plan and did not enroll in a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan during the last annual open enrollment period (AEP) which has just closed. Mr. Wendt has heard certain MA plans might provide him with more specialized coverage for his diabetes and wants to know if he must wait until the next annual open enrollment period (AEP) before enrolling in such a plan. What should you tell him?

If there is a special needs plan (SNP) in Mr. Wendt's area that specializes in caring for individuals with diabetes, he may enroll in the SNP at any time under a special election period (SEP) Correct. Beneficiaries who have severe or disabling chronic conditions and wish to enroll in a SNP designed to serve individuals with their specific condition have a SEP during which they can enroll in a SNP designed to serve individuals with their condition. The SEP lasts as long as the individual has the qualifying condition and ends once the individual enrolls in a MA SNP.

Mrs. Schmidt is moving and a friend told her she might qualify for a "Special election period" to enroll in a new Medicare Advantage plan. She contacted you to ask what a special election period is. What could you tell her?

It is a period, outside of the Annual Election Period, when a Medicare beneficiary can select a new or different Medicare Advantage and/or Part D prescription drug plan. Typically the Special election period is beneficiary specific and results from events, such as when the beneficiary moves outside of the service area. Correct. MA eligible and Part D eligible beneficiaries who experience certain qualifying events, such as a change in residence, are provided a special period to change their election, known as a special election period or "SEP."

Mr. Yoo's employer has recently dropped comprehensive creditable prescription drug coverage that was offered to company retirees. The company told Mr. Yoo that, because he was affected by this change, he would qualify for a Special election period. Mr. Yoo contacted you to find out more about what this means. What can you tell him?

It means that he qualifies for a one-time opportunity to enroll in an MA-PD or Part D prescription drug plan. Correct. Beneficiaries eligible for Part D who involuntarily lose creditable prescription drug coverage have a special election period (SEP) allowing them to enroll in a prescription drug plan or MA-PD plan. During the SEP, he has one opportunity to drop, add or change his Part D coverage.

Mr. Chen is enrolled in his employer's group health plan and will be retiring soon. He would like to know his options since he has decided to drop his retiree coverage and is eligible for Medicare. What should you tell him?

Mr. Chen can disenroll from his employer-sponsored coverage to elect a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan within 2 months of his disenrollment. Correct. Individuals disenrolling from employer-sponsored coverage to elect an MA plan have a SEP that ends 2 months after the month the employer-sponsored coverage ends.

Mr. Rockwell, age 67, is enrolled in Medicare Part A, but because he continues to work and is covered by an employer health plan, he has not enrolled in Part B or Part D. He receives a notice on June 1 that his employer is cutting back on prescription drug benefits and that as of July 1 his coverage will no longer be creditable. He has come to you for advice. What advice would you give Mr. Rockwell about special election periods (SEPs)?

Mr. Rockwell is eligible for a SEP due to his involuntary loss of creditable drug coverage; the SEP begins in June and ends on September 1- two months after the loss of creditable coverage. Correct. His eligibility for a SEP is due to his involuntary loss of creditable drug coverage. The SEP begins the month he was advised of the loss of coverage (i.e. June), and it ends 2 months after the loss of creditable coverage (i.e. September).

Mr. White has Medicare Parts A and B with a Part D plan. Last year, he received a notice that his plan sponsor identified him as a "potential at-risk" beneficiary. This month, he started receiving assistance from Medicaid. He wants to find a different Part D plan that's more suitable to his current prescription drug needs. He believes he's entitled to a SEP since he is now a dual eligible. Is he able to change to a different Part D plan during a SEP for dual eligible individuals?

No. Once he is identified by the plan sponsor as a "potential at-risk" beneficiary, he cannot use the dual eligible SEP to change plans while this designation is in place. Correct: Typically, an individual with Medicare Parts A and B that receives Medicaid assistance receives a SEP during the first 9 months of each calendar year. However, once an individual is identified by the plan sponsor as a "potential at-risk" or "at-risk" beneficiary and the plan sponsor has sent written notice to the individual, he or she cannot use this SEP to change plans while this designation is in place.

Mr. Block is currently enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan that includes drug coverage. He found a stand-alone Medicare prescription drug plan in his area that offers better coverage than that available through his MA-PD plan and in addition, has a low premium. It won't cost him much more and, because he has the means to do so, he wishes to enroll in the stand-alone prescription drug plan in addition to his MA-PD plan. What should you tell him?

She should remain in Original Medicare until the annual election period running from October 15 to December 7, during which she can select an MA plan. Correct. The Annual Election Period (AEP) takes place from October 15 to December 7 each year and is available to all MA and Part D eligible beneficiaries.

When Myra first became eligible for Medicare, she enrolled in Original Medicare (Parts A and B). She is now 67 and will turn 68 on July 1. She would now like to enroll in a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan and approaches you about her options. What advice would you give her?

She should remain in Original Medicare until the annual election period running from October 15 to December 7, during which she can select an MA plan. Correct. The Annual Election Period (AEP) takes place from October 15 to December 7 each year and is available to all MA and Part D eligible beneficiaries.

Mrs. Young is currently enrolled in Original Medicare (Parts A and B), but she has been working with Agent Neil Adams in the selection of a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan. It is mid-September, and Mrs. Young is going on vacation. Agent Adams is considering suggesting that he and Mrs. Young complete the application together before she leaves. He will then submit the paper application before the start of the annual enrollment period (AEP). What would you say If you were advising Agent Adams?

This is a bad idea. Agents are generally prohibited from soliciting or accepting an enrollment form before the start of the AEP. Correct. Marketing representatives may not accept enrollment forms before October 15 for enrollments under the Annual Election Period.

You have come to Mrs. Midler's home for a sales presentation. At the beginning of the presentation, Mrs. Midler tells you that she has a copy of her medical records available because she thinks this will help you understand her needs. She suggests that you will know which questions to ask her about her health status in order to best assist her in selecting a plan. What should you do?

You can only ask Mrs. Midler questions about conditions that affect eligibility, specifically, whether she has one of the conditions that would qualify her for a special needs plan. Correct. Marketing representatives may ask health screening questions during the completion of an enrollment request if they are necessary to determine eligibility to enroll in a SNP.

You are meeting with Ms. Berlin and she has completed an enrollment form for a MA-PD plan you represent. You notice that her handwriting is illegible and as a result, the spelling of her street looks incorrect. She asks you to fill in the corrected street name. What should you do?

You may correct this information as long as you add your initials and date next to the correction. Correct. A marketing representative may correct information on the enrollment form after verifying an individual's information. The representative must either add his/her initials to the correction or create a separate "correction" sheet, which he/she signs and dates.

A client wants to give you an enrollment application on October 1 before the beginning of the Annual Election Period because he is leaving on vacation for two weeks and does not want to forget about turning it in. What should you tell him?

You must tell him you are not permitted to take the form. If he sends the form directly to the plan, the plan will process the enrollment on the day the Annual Election Period begins. Correct. If a beneficiary sends an unsolicited AEP paper enrollment request to the plan on or after October 1 but before the Annual Election Period begins, the plan will process the application beginning on the first day of the election period (October 15)

Mrs. Margolis contacts you in August because she will become eligible for Medicare for the first time in November. She would like to meet and discuss plan choices with you. What advice should you give her?

tell her to wait until October to discuss plan choices with you so that you can share plan benefits for the current year as well as any changes for the following year that may impact her choice. Correct: Marketing representatives are permitted to simultaneously market plans for the current and prospective years starting on October 1, provided marketing materials indicate what plan year is being discussed.