Pennsylvania extended the deadline for Medicare Advantage open enrollment to April 30 for those affected by the UnitedHealthcare (UHC) and Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) contract negotiations. Currently, LVHN is not accepting UHC plans as long as the dispute continues, affecting over 5,400 UHC Medicare Advantage policy holders.

Medicare Advantage is a Medicare plan from a private company that includes hospital and medical insurance, along with drug coverage and some other benefits. If you are enrolled in Medicare Advantage, you can use the open enrollment period to either enroll in a different Medicare Advantage plan or return to original Medicare.

Pennsylvanians with a United Healthcare plan should check to see if their current plan is affected by the contract dispute, if their doctors are still in the plan’s network, and if their policy meets their needs going forward. The Department of Aging recommends that older adults impacted by the contract dispute get help through Pennsylvania Medicare Education and Decision Insight (PA MEDI)- the state’s Medicare counseling program.

During this time, Medicare Advantage policy holders have more options than they otherwise would, including switching to an original Medicare plan with a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policy that covers pre-existing conditions.

UHC Medicare Advantage policyholders that want to stay within LVHN hospitals can change to original Medicare during the open enrollment period. UHC policy holders do not have to switch, but could face higher out-of-pocket costs if they choose to stay with LVHN. Emergency services for UHC Medicare Advantage policy holders will still be covered.

For more information, visit this link from the PA Department of Aging.