Click play to listen to this article.

(Colorado News Connection) Over 150,000 Coloradans with both Medicare and Medicaid coverage who need additional help - whether due to disabilities, age, income or health conditions - have until December 7 to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan known as D-SNP for the 2025 calendar year.

Marian Cabanillas, CEO of UnitedHealthcare Community & State, said depending on your financial situation, many dual special needs plans offer zero-dollar preventative care - including annual physical exams, mammograms, colonoscopies, and lab work.

Image

"What we know is that putting off care, especially when it comes to your annual wellness visits, can really leave you at risk," said Cabanillas. "Because the earlier that we can diagnose and treat issues, the better chance of having better outcomes."

Medicare Advantage Plans are more then twice as profitable for the private insurance industry than both the individual and group markets, according to analysis by KFF, formerly known as the Kaiser Family Foundation.

In 2023, more than five million people were enrolled in D-SNP plans.

People who enroll may be eligible for additional benefits. Plans can help individuals maintain their health by removing socio-economic barriers.

For example, Cabanillas said some plans help people pay for utility bills to stay warm in winter.

"And you can use it to pay for a variety of different things, including things like healthy food," said Cabanillas. "You can buy fruits and vegetables, meats, seafood. You can also use it to buy products like toothpaste."

The Biden administration has worked to improve Medicare Advantage for seniors of color, who have higher rates of avoidable hospital admissions than white seniors.

In addition to cracking down on deceptive marketing practices, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services now has a health equity index in the Star Ratings program where consumers can compare plans.