By Susan Jaffe | December 23, 2014 Connecticut Health Investigative Team and The Hartford Courant
Next year, seniors with private Medicare Advantage insurance policies whose doctors leave their plan may be able to leave, too, under a new Medicare rule.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which oversee Medicare Advantage programs, will create a special three-month enrollment period in any state 
where insurers make network changes “considered significant based on the affect or potential to affect, current plan enrollees,” according to an update to Medicare’s Managed Care Manual.
The special enrollment period – if granted by CMS – would allow Medicare Advantage members to 
switch out of their plans and join traditional Medicare or another Medicare Advantage plan whose provider network includes their doctors.
…U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal criticized the new rule because it’s not clear what “significant” network changes would trigger a special enrollment period. Instead, he spearheaded a letter sent last Friday to Medicare chief Marilyn Tavenner, asking her to prohibit mid-year provider network changes. The letter was also signed by U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Rand Paul of Kentucky, along with U.S. Reps. Rosa DeLauro, Joe Courtney, Jim Himes, Elizabeth Esty and 13 other members of Congress.
“This blatant bait and switch should not be allowed,” they wrote. [CONTINUED in Connecticut Health Investigative Team and in The Courant ]