Allsup Shares Five Ways To Get More Value From Medicare During Open Enrollment
Allsup explains how 2026 changes may affect coverage and costs for millions
Belleville, Illinois, Oct. 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As the Medicare Open Enrollment Period begins, an Allsup expert outlines practical steps to reduce out-of-pocket costs, keep trusted doctors and medications, and make use of plan extras. Tricia Blazier, J.D., senior director of Healthcare Insurance Services at Allsup, explains how beneficiaries should be taking advantage of changes with Medicare because of the possibility for significant financial savings. Allsup is a nationwide provider of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) representation and Medicare plan selection services.
With over 40 years of experience, Allsup helps individuals receive the Medicare and Marketplace benefits they qualify for with personalized support.
Prepare For Medicare Open Enrollment
Medicare’s annual open enrollment for 2026 coverage runs Oct. 15 to Dec. 7, 2025.
Decisions can be complex and a timely review helps prevent surprises, Blazier said. Beneficiaries may want to read their Annual Notice of Change, check how formularies and preferred pharmacies align with current prescriptions, and ask providers whether they expect to accept the same plans next year. These steps can reduce the risk of unexpected costs, network shifts or prior-authorization delays while keeping coverage aligned with health needs and budget.
“This is the moment to make your coverage work for you,” Blazier said. “Stronger drug protections, wider mental health access and clearer plan guidance mean a thoughtful comparison now can pay off in 2026.”
Five Ways To Get More Value From Medicare
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Check eligibility for savings programs.
You may qualify for a Medicare Savings Program (MSP) which can reduce or cover your Part B premium and certain other costs. If you’re eligible for the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB), Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB) or Qualifying Individual (QI) program, you may also qualify—often automatically—for Extra Help, Medicare’s Part D low-income subsidy. - Consider expanded access to mental health care. Marriage and family therapists and mental health counselors can enroll in and bill Medicare independently, expanding networks for outpatient mental health services. Verifying participation before choosing a plan can help keep care in network, avoid surprise costs and maintain continuity with preferred providers.
- Look for built-in savings such as $35 insulin caps and no-cost adult vaccines.If you use insulin or plan to get vaccines, you might look for plans with the $35 monthly cap for each covered insulin and $0 cost sharing for adult vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, such as shingles and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines.
- Make prescription costs more predictable. If budgeting is a priority, consider that Medicare Part D caps annual out-of-pocket drug costs at $2,000 in 2025 and $2,100 in 2026. The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan can spread Part D cost sharing across the year, though it does not reduce the total owed.
- Comparing total costs and coordinating-- if you’re working--helps avoid surprises. It can help to look beyond premiums to total yearly costs, and coordinate benefits with any employer or retiree coverage before switching. This is when healthcare selection providers like Allsup can be valuable. Consider deductibles, copays or coinsurance, drug tiers and, for Medicare Advantage, the out-of-pocket maximum. Original Medicare has no annual out-of-pocket cap unless paired with supplemental coverage. If you’re working past 65 or on COBRA, note that COBRA does not extend the Part B Special Enrollment Period. . Individuals have eight months after employment or coverage from when current work ends to enroll without a penalty.
Each Medicare enrollment season, Allsup consults with thousands of seniors and Medicare-eligible beneficiaries to help with their enrollment decisions. Learn more about Health Insurance Assistance on Allsup.com.
Specialized healthcare assistance is also available through Allsup Benefits Coordination, a service available for employers to offer their coverage groups personalized side-by-side comparisons of employer and retiree options. This means Medicare eligible individuals can align their coverage with real-world healthcare needs. Learn more at allsupllc.com.
For more information about healthcare benefits coordination for your employee population, including incorporating Medicare plan selection into your benefits programs and cost-savings opportunities, email allsuphealthcare@allsup.com or call (866) 521-7655.
ABOUT ALLSUP
Allsup and its subsidiaries provide nationwide Social Security disability, veterans disability appeal, disability financial solutions, return to work, and healthcare benefits services for individuals, their employers and insurance carriers. Allsup professionals deliver specialized services supporting people with disabilities and seniors so they may lead lives that are as financially secure and as healthy as possible. Founded in 1984, the company is based in Belleville, Illinois, near St. Louis. Learn more at Allsup.com or download a free PDF of Applying for Social Security Disability Insurance: Getting It Right The First Time.
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Rebecca Ray Allsup (618) 236-5065 R.ray@allsup.com Laura C. Sala Allsup (618) 409-7079 L.sala@allsup.com
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