Who's got the Medigap policy answers?

Do you understand the following paragraph?

"You can return to your Medigap policy if you dropped it to enroll in a Medicare health plan or a Medicare SELECT policy. However: (1) this must be the first time that you enrolled in a health plan or a SELECT policy; (2) you must leave the health plan or SELECT policy within one year after joining; and (3) after leaving your health plan or SELECT policy, you must choose a Medigap policy within 63 days. If you meet these requirements, you can return to your original Medigap policy, if it is still offered, or policies A, B, C, or F."

Would your 85-year-old mother understand it? asks Jerry Nebbia, who heads the William M. Mercer health care and group benefits consulting practice in Kansas City. The quote is from Medicare & You, an enrollment handbook from the federal Health Care Financing Administration, the agency publicizing upcoming Medicare changes. Even if you're not a Medicare recipient -- yet -- it pays to know what's ahead. Reports about the status of Medicare and its new managed care option, Medicare (plus) Choice, indicated confusion ahead. Nebbia says Medicare recipients won't suffer alone. A Mercer survey found that more than half of all employers who offer retiree medical benefits "have not done anything specific to prepare for the barrage of phone calls, letters and e-mails expected when the Medicare (plus) Choice information reaches recipients this month." The consulting company says 62 percent of mid-size and large organizations offer retiree medical benefits. Yet only about half have done anything to educate their benefits staff employees about Medicare changes, much less provide information to their retirees. The question barrage may not hit small businesses immediately. Typically, larger businesses are the ones that extend health care benefits to retirees. But many small-business operators also provide financial information to their retirees. Explaining the options is complicated. Even persons familiar with managed care and health maintenance organizations will wade through dense Medicare (plus) Choice information. Retirees, many of whom know only traditional indemnity plans for their health insurance coverage, will have extra questions. "At the minimum, company benefits offices need to let their retirees know how their benefit plans will coordinate with Medicare," Nebbia said. "They need to be ready to help their retirees choose options that make sense for them." That's a tall order for busy benefits offices. Many businesses have their hands full helping employees cope with annual enrollment periods for multiple health care plans. Many questions already exist. That's why consulting companies are sounding the alert. Somebody's going to have to provide a lot of answers soon.

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