About 4 months before your 65th birthday, you should contact VIA Benefits, Administrator for Lockheed Martin Retirees and Retiree Medicare Exchange at 844-596-0460; or they could reach out to you
- If you go to an independent insurance broker, you are NOT eligible for the $900 annually each
VIA will interview you, understand your requirements for medical and prescriptions and walk you through the various options
- Understand your requirements!
- Do you want just Medicare? Medicare Advantage?
- Do you want a Supplemental plan?
- Do you travel domestically and/or internationally?
- What prescriptions do you take, what are the tier levels, and are there some NOT covered?
- GoodRX can be a good alternative
- Considerations
- If you choose Medicare Advantage initially and want to change to a Supplemental plan, you may be required to be underwritten before they would accept you (and can even be denied for some plans)
- If you choose a Supplement plan, it is easier to move to the Advantage plan during the Open Enrollment Period
- Changing Supplemental plans can sometimes be difficult, unless you move to another state
- If the Supplemental plan changes/eliminates some of its Optional Benefits (i.e. Silver Sneaker), you may not be able to choose another Supplemental plan due to the reduced benefits
- When you sign up for the “right” plan for you with VIA, the $900 is deposited into your selected bank account
- Prorated the 1st year based on your anniversary month of Medicare
- Provided annually in January of each year, thereafter
- No plan is perfect, but identifying your requirements will go a long way, so choose carefully when it is your time for Medicare!
