Medicare Annual Enrollment (AEP) 10/15 – 12/07
If you are on Medicare you know this is the time of the year where if you have a Medicare advantage plan or Medicare supplement or part D drug plan , you can make a plan switch. That being said,
- How do you know if you are on the right plan for you?
- Did you overpay for your coverage last year?
- Did your health needs change from last year?
- Did your plan change from last year?
These are just some of the questions you need to be asking yourself, as most of us know we use our health insurance more now than when we were younger and it is no longer a luxury it is a necessity.
Here are some tips to make sure you have the best health coverage for yourself in 2021
Starting in september the insurance carriers have to send out an annual notice of change letter to all of it’s clients, this letter can be very long and sometimes confusing. The purpose of the letter is to update all clients on plan changes that may affect them for the new year and give them the opportunity to explore new options.Things that commonly change, premiums,copays and network especially with Medicare advantage plans and part D drug plans.
- First you need to decide which type of coverage will be best for you, Medicare supplement + Drug plan or Medicare advantage plan? If you do not know the difference it is very hard to do a good job comparing your options.
- Block out the noise! Ignore all the direct mail advertisements and TV commercials, they are very misleading and if you call someone on the other end of a 1-800 number their job is to sell you something! TV commercials equal hype and quota driven sales agents, remember someone has to pay for those TV commercials. Direct mail pieces from insurance carriers love to hype up all of the zeros. They will boast zero premium, zero co-pay at primary care doctor and zero co-pay for preventative care ect. They won’t tell you about network restriction, prior authorizations or the expensive co-pays for MRI,CAT SCAN ect…… There is no one best plan, we all have different needs and budgets.
- Prioritize what is most important to you, if you take a lot of prescriptions make sure your plan covers them well, before you are concerned with a dental and vision. A lot of your friends probably have strong feelings about which plan is best, but maybe they have different health concerns or more money to spend on healthcare premiums.This about you and what will serve you best!
- Find an independent agent or broker that is willing to help you understand all of your options first. Independent agents and brokers can put you in any plan available and do not have quota’s or plan specific interests.
If you need any questions, answers or would like help comparing plans please feel free to schedule a free consultation on my personal calendar. Free Consult click here