The medicare open enrollment period is now open, and the current pandemic has made being informed about your medicare plan benefits more important than ever.
So joining us today to discuss benefit options is Martin Esquivel, Vice President of Medicare Product Management at Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, and by Marie Swanson, a member of the Medicare Advantage Plan.
The showers and storms and then we go into temperatures by thursday ... c1 3 speaker 1: the medicare open enrollment period is now open, and the current pandemic has made being informed about your medicare plan benefits more important than ever.
So joining us today to discuss benefit options is martin esquivel vice- president of medicare product management at anthem blue cross and blue shield, joined by marie swanson, a member of the medicare advantage plan.
Welcome to the show, both of you.
Martin esquivel: good morning.
Good morning.
Thank you for having us.
Speaker 1: and let's get right to it, martin.
Why is it important for people to look at medicare advantage options right now?
Martin esquivel: well, it's that time of year.
Medicare's annual election period runs from october 15th through december 7th.
It's that time of year when people who qualify for medicare have an opportunity to assess their own plan and take a look and shop around, if you will.
We at anthem are very proud to offer benefits that go well beyond original medicare, and they even go beyond the benefits that we've become accustomed to like vision and hearing benefits.
We take a whole health approach.
Speaker 1: okay.
And why is it important to have a healthcare plan with benefits that address whole health?
Martin esquivel: there are many things that go into being healthy.
The way we live, what we eat, even thenvironment we ls nefit.
But we also offer other benehelper services for people c showeoms, safer.
They're all ths thation, and frankly they go well b reale heal benefits in your medicare advantage been on?
Mare past that that waalmost 350 pounds, bedriddeni was going to die make a change and i went todocts office recommended that i check my policy to see if there was a benefit that could help me in becoming healthier.
And i was shocked to find that there really was.
So i contacted my insurance company and got in touch with cameron who is a dietician, and he helped me and guided me in making changes in my life.
One of them is giving up sugar and sugar substitutes, which changed the blood work that my doctor took, tremendously improved.
And i now am walking five to seven miles a day.
I'm becoming fairly active and i've let go of over 180 pounds.
Speaker 1: marie.
That is amazing.
And that's not an easy task to take over too, so good for you.
What do you want others to know that are looking to enroll in medicare advantage plans this year?
Marie swanson: well, i want to encourage anybody who is like me, not really living, that they can live a healthier life and to check their plans because there's so much more in there than they can ever even imagine.
And i can bet that they would find something that'll help them live a healthier life.
Speaker 1: good information to know.
Thank you so much.
And martin, where can people go for more information about medicare advantage plans that best fit their needs?
Martin esquivel: that's easy.
It's as simple as going to shop.anthem.com/m edicare, and just a friendly reminder that the annual election period runs from october 15th through december 7th.
So come check us out.
Speaker 1: well, thank you to both of you for being with us today.
We really appreciate it.
Martin
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