CMS Upgrades Medicare Plan Finder, Redesigns Website

For the first time in a decade, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has modernized and redesigned its Medicare Plan Finder, the most used tool on Medicare.gov, which allows users to shop and compare Medicare Advantage and Part D plans.

In addition to upgrading the Medicare Plan Finder, CMS has redesigned the Medicare.gov homepage and refreshed its personalized MyMedicare.gov portal.

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CMS says the updated Medicare Plan Finder provides Medicare recipients and their caregivers with a personalized experience through a mobile-friendly and easy-to-read design that will help them learn about different options and select coverage that best meets their health needs. The new Plan Finder walks them through the Medicare Advantage and Part D enrollment process from start to finish and allows them to view and compare many of the supplemental benefits that Medicare Advantage plans offer. 

CMS is improving its online Medicare tools to meet the needs of a growing number of tech-savvy beneficiaries, says CMS Administrator Seema Verma. In 2018, approximately 25 percent of Medicare beneficiaries accessed Medicare Plan Finder on mobile devices, an increase of 40 percent from 2017. The online tools do not replace Medicare’s traditional customer service options. People with Medicare will continue to have access to paper copies of the Medicare & You handbook and be able get help by calling 1-800-MEDICARE, she says.