A good word from a neighbor can make all the difference.
That is true for Jim Eide of Champaign. Last year, his neighbor Dawn Walden, a senior vice president at Carle, suggested Eide and his wife Shari look into Health Alliance’s Simplete Medicare Advantage plans.
The Eides did, and liked what they saw.
Eide spoke to Jeremy Jones, Health Alliance director of Consumer Sales and Retention, for an hour by phone about Simplete. It was time well spent for Eide.
“He explained everything about all three of the Simplete programs and how it can save us so much money,” Eide said. “It was just a no-brainer to get into the program simply because we didn’t have the $400 plus fee we were paying to (our previous insurance provider.)”
Medicare Advantage offers more benefits than Original Medicare from the government. Illinois-based Health Alliance’s Medicare Advantage plans include Simplete, which is available in 25 counties in Illinois and Indiana. For the first time this year, Simplete is offered in counties served by Carle Richland Memorial Hospital (CRMH) during the 2021 Annual Enrollment period Oct. 15 – Dec. 7.
Jones emphasizes Simplete offers more than lower prices and the local Health Alliance Sales and Retention team is ready to listen to customers and discover the plan that fits their health goals best.
“Clients in the same position as Mr. Eide are attracted to the low price in monthly premium – as low as $0 per month – and the extras like care coordination, immunization, pharmacy coverage, fitness benefits, dental, vision and hearing benefits that our Medicare Advantage plans provide.”
Eide and his wife chose Simplete 1. Besides a $0 monthly premium, the Eide’s prescription costs have dropped considerably because they now only pay for one of their prescriptions. Their doctors are in-network, and when one referred Shari for physical therapy with a provider in a different network, approval was an easy process.
“We have called maybe half a dozen times and each and every time we have called we receive nothing but what I would say is the best customer care that I’ve had from any insurance company,” Eide said.
“The phone is answered within two or three rings and they just talk to us like they’re right in the living room. We’ve not been hassled, and there are no dumb questions. They want to be as helpful as they can.”
To introduce Simplete’s streamlined approach and high-quality providers to people in the CRMH area, Rick Bussard of Blank’s Insurance Agency in Olney will be on hand at a booth in the hospital Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. during the Annual Enrollment Period. CRMH employees are encouraged to point patients and friends with questions about Medicare Advantage to the booth.
Also, Health Alliance Medicare experts are available to assist over the phone at (877) 634-3390 or in-person by appointment at the Health Alliance Connections office at 3301 Fields South Drive, Suite 105, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday.
Simplete plans are available in Champaign, Clay, Crawford, Edwards, Grundy, Iroquois, Jasper, Livingston, Kankakee, Lawrence, McLean, Piatt, Richland, Vermilion (IL), Wabash, Wayne and Woodford counties in Illinois and Benton, Daviess, Fountain, Knox, Newton, Pike, Vermillion (IN) and Warren counties in Indiana.
Categories: Staying Healthy
Tags: Health Alliance, insurance, Medicare, Medicare News