Buy Local: Brand New Day’s Regional Focus can Help SoCal Navigate Medicare Plans

In a region as varied as Southern California, every person faces constant changes, be they geographical, economic, cultural, or just sheer distance in the huge and densely populated region. While lifelong residents and happy transplants alike find their way through it all with experience, choosing services can be more of a challenge, especially for seniors navigating the world of Medicare for the first time or annually thereafter.

Brand New Day, a Medicare Advantage HMO that has offered distinctive Medicare plans in California for over a decade, has a direct leg up in helping Southern California residents choose their plans: they are based here.

“Southern California is a really big place with lots of people,” said David Milligan, VP of sales for Brand New Day. “Understanding even just the geography and speaking the language is very helpful to help seniors find plans that will meet their specific needs.”

Brand New Day’s business model involves a combination of modern technology, Medicare plans tailored to individual needs, and, most importantly, a strong knowledge of the region. Brand New Day contracts with local brokers, Milligan said, to ensure that patients signing up for plans can get the best kind of help, in ways that make common sense. “Our local brokers are a partnership,” he said. “Brand New Day trains them, certifies them, and implements the rules and regulations they use to conduct business.”

For first timers in the Medicare sphere or those navigating annual changes to plans or coverage, this partner can be a lifeline seniors would otherwise not have. “At Brand New Day, we don’t want enrollees to have to go it alone when it comes to their health. We take steps to make sure that our members have everything they need to get the most of their plan,” said Milligan.

And, while Medicare plans come across as complex and difficult to discern, they offer many net positives to Southern California seniors, regardless of their total health picture. For those who are healthy and active, Brand New Day’s Medicare Advantage plans take full advantage of upgrades and perks available, including fitness benefits, transportation services, vision, wearable technology, and more. “It’s almost too good to be true,” said Milligan. “We’re in such a different place than we were five years ago. The benefits are getting better and better for seniors, particularly in Southern California.”

Simply put, he says, Brand New Day approaches their plans by asking: “What else can we provide for seniors to help keep them healthy?” Since health outcomes are directly tied to complete care, Brand New Day offers programs for everyone. For example, active, healthy seniors might opt to choose the new-for-2023 Part B rebate plan that provides members with a generous $150 rebate on their Medicare Part B premium, along with other benefits.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, those needing long-term care for chronic conditions like diabetes or heart disease can find comprehensive care in the Embrace plan. “The clinical services we offer are very elevated,” said Milligan. “We’ll assign a clinical coach that will help you manage care.”

In addition to having this personal support, any prescription medications, durable medical equipment, transportation and other needs related to ongoing condition management are available at little to no extra cost. In a Southern California region where costs tend to increase steadily and many seniors are on fixed incomes, the Embrace plan can create not only a rosier health outcome, but a longer life.

Overall, says Milligan, Brand New Day’s local focus and wide reach are the combination the company needs to create the best plans for their members, while still being able to maintain an individualized touch for all those covered, regardless of their health. “Right from the get-go, first-time enrollees will receive personalized warm welcome calls from dedicated member services representatives to jumpstart their success as a Brand New Day member,” said Milligan.

“We have something for each senior, no matter their needs.”