Attorney General Ellison issues warning to seniors with Medicare Advantage

(ABC 6 News) – On Monday, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison issued a warning to seniors with Medicare Advantage, a press release said.

Ellison was joined by Minnesota Board on Aging Chair Maureen Schneider and Senior LinkAge Line’s Medicare Product Manager Kelli Jo Greiner.

Medicare Advantage plans are Medicare plans offered by private insurers but approved by Medicare. The plans bundle original Medicare coverage with additional supplemental coverage all in one plan.

In 2024, a number of health care providers in Minnesota decided to not accept specific Medicare Advantage plans. According to the release, this means that Minnesotans with these plans may have different options in health care providers.

This includes the possibility that a provider that someone with Medicare Advantage has seen, may no longer accept that person’s plan in 2025.

“It’s my mission to help Minnesotans afford their lives, which is why I am raising the alarm around some significant issues with certain Medicare Advantage Plans,” said Attorney General Ellison. “If you receive health insurance through Medicare, please spend some time reviewing your options before December 7, and please urge any friends, family, and loved ones on Medicare to do the same. I am also calling on members of the media to use their platforms to share this critical information far and wide to help ensure Minnesota’s seniors are not forced to spend a year stuck in a health insurance plan they cannot actually make use of.”

“This year, more than ever, it’s so important for Medicare beneficiaries to review their Medicare plan before open enrollment ends,” said Kelli Jo Greiner, Senior LinkAge Line Medicare product manager. “Providers and networks have changed and costs have increased. People need to make sure they have the right plan for 2025.”

The press release from Ellison’s office provided a list of health care providers who have decided not to participate in certain Medicare Advantage plans. It also includes the plan(s) they are not participating in and the areas of Minnesota they serve.

Name of provider	Area served by provider	Medicare Advantage Plan
Allina	Statewide	Humana
Avera	Southwest Minnesota	Humana
Essentia Health System	Northern Minnesota and Northern Wisconsin	Humana
M Health Fairview Health Care System	Statewide	Aetna, Humana
Mayo Clinic	May be statewide	HealthPartners
North Memorial Medical Center and providers	Primarily Metro area	Humana
Sanford Health	Western Minnesota	Humana

Senior LinkAge Line reportedly estimated that over 60,000 Minnesota Medicare beneficiaries are impacted by this change, according to the press release.

The release added that one area of concern for Ellison and the Minnesota Board of Aging is making sure this information reaches people in Greater Minnesota.

Senior LinkAge Line said it advises Minnesotans on Medicare should do the following:

1. Decide if it’s important to you to continue to see your current health care provider. If it isn’t important to you, you still should review your current plan in the Medicare Plan Finder to ensure your coverage and costs have not changed. If they have changed and you are concerned about this, review other plan options in the Medicare Plan Finder to find the best coverage for you in 2025. Click here to see slides from Senior LinkAge Line on navigating Medicare Plan Finder.
2. If you do want to continue to see your current health care provider, you also need to visit the Medicare Plan Finder at https://www.medicare.gov/ to review other plan options and consider enrolling in a new plan.
   • Create an account with a username and password.
   • Enter in your current prescriptions.
   • Enter in the pharmacy you use.
3. Decide which plan(s) you want to explore further.
4. Go to those plans’ websites and search the provider list to make sure your provider(s) participate with the new plan(s) you are interested in.
5. Enroll in the plan you choose by either calling the plan directly or enrolling online on the Medicare Plan Finder tool.
6. If you have questions or need more help, you can call 1-800-MEDICARE 24/7, or you can call the Senior LinkAge Line at 800-333-2433.
   • Please note the Senior LinkAge Line is experiencing very high call volume and wait times may be longer than normal.

Many Minnesotans may be wondering why this is happening. According to the release, health care providers have given several reasons for no longer accepting certain Medicare Advantage Plans:

• Reimbursement is too low and does not cover the costs of care.
• Plans frequently deny services and care that providers believe are medically necessary.
• Plans do not pay the providers in a timely manner.