Bay Ridge

Colonial Club offers timely talk about health care

Insurance Rep. explains Medicare benefits at luncheon

October 6, 2017 By John Alexander Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Louis J. Peters talks to the Colonial Club of Bay Ridge about health care. Eagle photo by John Alexander
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Community leaders and members of the Colonial Club of Bay Ridge gathered on Thursday for a presentation on health care. The club strives to offer timely talks about community events and issues.

Club member Louis J. Peters of AMP Insurance Brokerage on 7709 Fifth Ave. gave a well-received talk about United Healthcare Medicare solutions and the various plans available to enrollees. His administrative assistant Samantha August joined him.

Peters has been involved in health care for more than 35 years. He discussed the 2018 Medicare plans for those 65 or older in detail, as well as the various changes to the prescription drug plans.

He informed the club that new Medicare cards will be issued in April without Social Security numbers in order to cut down on identity theft and fraud. The cards will be distributed starting April 2018 through March 2019 and will feature a new ID number called a Medicare Beneficiary Identifier, which will appear on the card and replace the Social Security number.

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Peters explained that the impetus for this was the enactment of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act in 2015 that directed the removal of Social Security numbers from all Medicare cards by April 2019.

“You have many choices when you have Medicare,” said Peters. “You can absolutely go to any doctor or hospital that accepts Medicare.” He further explained that Medicare does not cover dental or vision, but you can go to some of the best hospitals, including Memorial Sloan Kettering, as long as they accept the plan.

He did caution that Medicare does not cover prescription drugs. “So the thing that people will do,” said Peters, “is that they will have Medicare as their primary and also purchase a supplement plan.”

He added that a Medicare Complete Plan is also available that does cover prescription drugs, keeps you in the network of hospitals and doctors and sometimes includes ancillary options like dental and vision plans.

Peters said he was very proud to represent United Healthcare. “United Healthcare’s mission is to help people live healthier lives and we have been in New York for over 30 years. We offer a full portfolio of products to help seniors from all walks of life,” added Peters.

The Colonial Club holds its bimonthly meetings at Gino’s restaurant at 7414 Fifth Ave. in Bay Ridge.


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