Medicare Open Enrollment runs from October 15th to December 7th. These are the same dates every year.

What is Medicare Open Enrollment?

Also called AEP – Annual Enrollment Period is the time of year Medicare Beneficiaries can make changes to their Medicare Advantage Plans and Prescription Drug Plans.

Information for new plans starts to become available each year on or around October 1st, but changes can not be made until AEP actually starts on October 15th.

What Changes Can you Make During the Annual Enrollment Period?

• If you are in Original Medicare, you can join a Medicare Advantage Plan during this time.
• You can also join or switch Part D Prescription Drug Plans.
• In addition, if you have a Medicare Advantage Plan, you can switch to another plan.
• Finally, you can drop a Medicare Advantage plan to return to Original Medicare during this time.

Are Medicare Supplements Affected by Medicare Open Enrollment?

This enrollment period does not apply to Medicare Supplements (Medigap) Plans. You are free to change these plans when you please. However, if you are outside of a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) then you will need to go through medical underwriting to get into a new Medigap Plan. Medical Underwriting usually entails answering basic health questions by phone or in person with an agent.

What is the January – March Open Enrollment Period?

Sometimes also called Open Enrollment, the government created a new time period that runs from January 1st to March 31st each year where you can make limited changes. According to the Medicare and You Book,

If you’re in a Medicare Advantage Plan, you can make a change to a different Medicare Advantage Plan or switch back to Original Medicare (and join a stand-alone Medicare Prescription Drug Plan) once during this time. Any changes you make will be effective the first of the month after the plan gets your request.

Medicare and You 2020

The important thing to note here, is that you can only make ONE change during this time. Lawmakers created this time period to give you the opportunity to fix any problems you may have found in your current plan or any new plan you may have adopted.

The post Medicare Open Enrollment appeared first on Medicare Life Health.

Your Introduction to the Medicare and You 2020 & 2021 Book, and where to get a copy.

The Medicare and You 2021 Guidebook details what you need to know about Medicare benefits for the current year. In it you will find the basics of Medicare, how to get it, and what changes the program is implementing in the calendar year.

However, it is 120 pages long and very detailed. It is also very dry and technical.

So, if you are trying to learn more about Medicare – without falling asleep in the process – we have on-topic website article suggestions for you here that follow the elements of the Medicare and You 2020 Guide.

Where to find the guide

• If you would like to follow along with the Guide itself, you can find it online here: Medicare & You Handbook 2021

• If you need a physical copy of the Medicare and You 2020 guide, you can request one here: 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227)

What is included in the Medicare and You 2021 Guidebook?

Here we will outline the sections of the guidebook and give you relevant articles that discuss the various Medicare elements and benefits.

What are the Parts of Medicare?

Intro Section (page 5)

The Medicare and You book starts out with summarizing parts A, B, and D and what they include.

• Medicare Part A – Hospital Insurance
• Part B – Medicare Insurance
• Part D – Drug Coverage

Medicare Part C is discussed in the next section.

Related Article: For an illustrated overview of the four parts of Medicare, visit our medicare parts infographic and article “Medicare Parts A B C D.”

What are my Medicare options?

Intro Section on Original vs Medicare Advantage (pages 6-8)

Many online comparisons are between Medicare Supplements and Medicare Advantage plans as those are the additions that are in your hands to choose.

However, all these comparisons are in their simplest form between having Original Medicare vs Medicare Advantage. This section does a side-by-side comparison of the two (with or without a supplement).

Related Article: For a more in-depth discussion to help you decide what Medicare options are right for you, please read the “Medicare Advantage vs Medicare Supplements” article here.

How do I get Medicare?

“Section 1: Signing up for Medicare” (pages 15-24)

People get Medicare in different ways. Some are signed-up for it automatically if you are already receiving Social Security or Railroad Retirement. Some people must sign up for it when they turn 65 (or delay it if they are not ready at 65).

This section gives you people to call (Social Security at 1-800-772-1213) and places to visit (online at ssa.gov/benefits/medicare) if you need to sign yourself up.

Other topics covered include, when to sign-up, what to sign-up for, and what does each part cost?

Related Articles:

• Read this article to discover what Medicare will cost you.
• Also, read this article to learn more about any Medicare Late Fees and Penalties.
• If you need help in deciding what to sign-up for, we suggest this article on speaking with a licensed insurance professional.
• Finally, if you want to learn more about the Annual Enrollment Period, please see this article.

Hey, Medicare and You 2021, Will Medicare Cover My…?

“Section 2: Find out if Medicare covers your test, service or item” (pages 25-50)

This section lists all Medicare Benefits you will receive if you are signed-up for both Medicare Parts A and B. These benefits are universal, meaning they are the standards of care you will receive whether you are receiving Medicare from the federal government or through a private carrier with a Medicare Advantage Plan.

If you are looking to see if a specific benefit is included in Medicare, this is the section to search for it.

This section also reminds you of what is not included in Medicare, such as Long-Term Care insurance. In addition, Original Medicare does NOT include many services that ARE covered by Medicare Advantage Plans. These include dental care, eye exams, hearing benefits, and fitness programs.

2020 New Offering Alert: One interesting change noted in the Medicare and You 2020 book is that many Medicare Advantage programs are now offering “telehealth” benefits where you can see a provider at home instead of at their facility. The guidebook notes that this is typically beyond what Original Medicare can offer.

Related Article: To see the basics of what Medicare Covers, please see our article “Medicare Parts A B C D.”

What exactly is Original Medicare?

“Section 3: Original Medicare” (pages 51-54)

The Original Medicare section explains how our Federal Health Insurance for Seniors works. If you have Original Medicare, with or without a supplement, you are a beneficiary of a nationalized health care system and the government is the primary payer of your health benefits.

Read this section to learn how that works and how to use your benefits once you are on Medicare.

Related Article: Read “What is Medicare?“

What is Medicare Advantage?

“Section 4: Medicare Advantage Plans & other options”

The other option than being on Original Medicare is to be on a Medicare Advantage Plan. In this case, a private insurance company becomes your primary payer and main contact. Medicare Advantage (MA/MAPD) Plans are called “bundled plans” because they combine parts A, B and D to form one “Plan C.”

They often have reduced costs for premium payments, with some of them even offering “$0” monthly premiums. In addition, they often include extra benefits, not included by government Medicare, such as dental, hearing and eye care. ““Silver Sneakers” and similar fitness/wellness programs are also often an included benefit.

Related Articles:

• To read more: “What is Medicare Advantage?”
• Plus, to read about when you can join an MA/MAPD plan, please read here about AEP.
• Finally, if you would like to compare Original Medicare + Medigap and MA, please read this.

What is a Medicare Supplement / Medigap Plan?

“Section 5: Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policies” (pages 69-72)

When you opt for keeping Original Medicare (instead of a Medicare Advantage Plan) you will most likely want to pair that with not just a stand-alone drug plan, but also with a Medigap Plan. These plans are also called Medicare Supplement Plans.

They are supplemental insurance plans that pick up paying where Original Medicare leaves off – such as with the 20% coinsurance, co-pays and deductibles.

The government sets the requirements for each supplement plan and then the private insurance companies decide what price they can offer for each plan in each market they are in. These plans are labeled with letters, and offer the exact same benefits no matter what private insurance company you choose.

Related Article: For more information, please read this article on Medicare Supplement Insurance.

What is Part D?

“Section 6: Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage (Part D)” (pages 73-82)

Read this section to learn how Medicare Drug Plans work, where to get one, and when you can get one / switch them.

Remember, that if you opt for a Medicare Advantage Plan, you will most likely have your drug plan included (which is called a MAPD plan).

Related Articles:

• Please visit this article on Part D Prescription Drug Insurance.
• Or to learn about the various costs, click here.
• Finally, if you are worried about Part D late enrollment penalties, please read this.

Can I get help paying for medical costs?

“Section 7: Get help paying your health & prescription drug costs” (pages 83-88)

The government has set up several ways for Medicare Beneficiaries to get help in paying for their health insurance. Read this section to see if you qualify for the various tiers of assistance.

How can I protect myself?

“Section 8: Know your rights & protect yourself from fraud” (pages 89-100)

The U.S. government understands that health insurance can be confusing, and there are people out there that will try to take advantage of this confusion. Read this section to know how to protect yourself from health care and insurance fraud.

In addition, Section 8 also explains your rights under Medicare and how to make an appeal if you decide your rights have been violated. The Medicare and You 2020 book defines an appeal as “…the action you can take if you disagree with a coverage or payment decision by Medicare or your Medicare plan.”

How do I get my questions answered?

“Section 9: Get more information” (pages 101-112)

Next, if you have questions related to Original Medicare, the handbook offers you the following numbers to call:

1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227)
TTY users call 1-877-486-2048
Get information 24 hours a day, including weekends

Medicare and You 2021

Additionally, for questions regarding insurance plans like Supplement (Medigap) or Medicare Advantage (MA/MAPD) then we suggested talking to a licensed insurance professional.

If you are lucky enough to live in our headquarters of Nebraska or our neighboring state of Iowa, you can contact us here.

Related Article: Please see our Frequently Asked Questions page, and if you have a question, please leave it in the comments section or email us. Thanks!

What does this word mean?

“Section 10: Definitions” (pages 113-116)

Do you just live to read a good glossary? Well, here you go. You will find here definitions to all the health care and insurance lingo you need to know to navigate your health care effectively.

Related Article: Feel free to look through all our Medicare Articles. They are all listed on this page.

Medicare and You 2020/2021 Handbook Review

We hope our review of the 2020 & 2021 Medicare and You Book has been helpful.

Our one hope for next year is that the book might be more helpful in pointing beneficiaries towards ways to find LICENSED independent insurance professionals that can help them in making decisions. These agents are the only ones required to stay licensed, tested and up to date on the plans that are out there. Moreover, this applies especially for the Medicare Advantage approved agents as they have to be re-tested every year on changes.

Finally, we are MedicareLifeHealth.com just don’t understand how people can be offering advice on plans – that change yearly – they have not be certified to explain.

Our advice? Find yourself a good agent, and make them work for you.

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The post Medicare and You 2020 & 2021 appeared first on Medicare Life Health.

AEP stands for Annual Enrollment Period. It is the time of year when Medicare Beneficiaries can switch or enroll in Medicare Part D, drug plans and / or Medicare Advantage Plans.

Do you love a good acronym? How about a very large amount of them?

The health and insurance industries are nothing if not full of confusing acronyms. Moreover, “industry people” will just assume you know them all. AEP is no exception, so let’s discuss what actually is the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period.

The Definition of AEP

AEP stands for Medicare’s Annual Enrollment Period. It is defines the period of time each year eligible seniors can enroll in both:

• Medicare Advantage Insurance Plans (Part C)

• And Prescription Drug Plans (Part D).

In addition, you will not be required to go through medical underwriting to join these plans. (ESRD is an exception.)

What is SEP? and What is IEP?

Outside of a SEP (Special Enrollment Period) or your IEP (Initial Enrollment Period), this is the only time that you can join a Part D or Part C plan. Yes, I know, more acronyms!

In addition, AEP is one of the two times you can switch plans, if you are already in one.

The US government just added the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period. This is a second period of time – Jan. 1 – March 31 – where you can switch plans once if you are already in a plan.

When is AEP?

The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period is October 15th – December 7th. The changes you make during this period of time will take place for the following year on January 1st.

Possible Changes During the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP)

• If you have Original Medicare, or Original Medicare and a Supplement, you can join a Medicare Advantage Plan or join/change a Prescription Drug Plan.

• Next, you can leave a Medicare Advantage (MA) Plan for another MA plan or to revert to Original Medicare.

• You can switch from one stand alone drug plan to another stand alone drug plan.

• Finally, you can drop your drug plan. (If you do this, you can still keep your Original Medicare and/or supplement.

Does AEP apply to Medigap (Medicare Supplement) Plans?

No, AEP does not apply to Medigap (supplements). You can switch a supplement plan at any time. However, you will be subject to medical underwriting. This means that you are not guaranteed to be accepted into the Medigap plan.

• Related Reading: Which is better, Medicare Advantage or Medigap?

How do I Switch Plans / Join a Plan During Medicare Annual Enrollment Period

You can start researching and learning about the plans available to you the next year, starting October 1st. However, you will not be able to complete an enrollment application until October 15th.

When switching/joining a MA/MAPD or Drug Plan, I highly suggest using an independent insurance agent.

There are many considerations when choosing a plan, and she/he will help you in making sure you pick the right plan for you.

If you live in Nebraska, please give me a email/call/text, and I will be happy to help.)

That said, you can also research plans and see their ratings at https://www.medicare.gov/find-a-plan.

The post What is AEP? Medicare’s Annual Enrollment Period appeared first on Medicare Life Health.

Part D of Medicare covers Prescription Drugs. There are different Part D Prescription Drug Plans available. When you choose a plan you will find various costs and coverage. However, the government establishes a “standard level of coverage” that each plan must meet.

Each plan has a formulary – a list of prescription drugs – they cover. In addition, they have a tier system that ranks how much you will pay for each drug. For example, a generic drug for a specific condition might be in a lower price tier than a brand name of the same drug. You can learn more about Part D drug coverage at Medicare.gov.

Where Do I Get Part D Coverage?

You can have Part D Prescription Drug Plans by themselves (with Original Medicare Part A and Part B, but with or without a supplement) or as a part of your Medicare Advantage Plan.

What do Part D Prescription Drug Plans Cost?

Each plan will have a monthly premium (this is included in your plan premium if you have a MAPD plan). In addition, plans will also have yearly deductibles, co-payments, and costs in what is called the coverage gap. Plans will often try to help you try to save money on your drugs by offering generic options, pharmacy networks, and sometimes mail order programs.

What is the Coverage Gap (aka the Donut Hole) in Part D?

In most drug plan there is a limit on what the plan will cover. In 2020, this limit was $4,020 ($3,820 in 2019).

However, once you hit $6,350 in 2020 ($5,100 in 2019) in out-of-pocket expenses in a year, you enter Catastrophic Coverage and your costs go back down to paying only small co-payments for covered drugs.

Fortunately, this “hole” in the middle of coverage has been closing-up since 2010, and by 2020, it is basically the same as initial coverage until you enter the catastrophic zone. In 2019, you pay 25% of the plan cost for covered brand name drugs and 37% of the plan cost for generics. Click here to learn more about how these costs apply to your total for entering catastrophic.

Are Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plans Necessary?

Part D coverage is technically optional coverage. However, if you do not enroll in a plan right when you are eligible (and you don’t have any other coverage in place the government would consider creditable drug coverage), you will face fines later when signing up. Basically, if you think you will ever need drug coverage, you probably should take on a plan immediately. Penalties are calculated based on how long you are without coverage and last as long as you have Part D coverage.

How and When can I get or switch a Part D Prescription Drug Plan?

If you have both Medicare Part A and Part B, you are eligible to enroll in a Part D Prescription Drug Plan. We are always advocates of you speaking with a licensed professional before you purchase a plan or switch plans. You can review plan options online, but going over your medications and concerns with a licensed agent may save you from trouble down the road.

Your IEP, Initial Enrollment Period, for Part D is the same 7 month period when you can enroll for Medicare. This starts 3 months before you turn 65, your birthday month, and the 3 months after. Your coverage begins the first day of the month you turn 65. However, you must sign-up in time for that to happen.

Much like an MA/MAPD Plan, switching Part D plans can occur during a Special Enrollment Period. (For example, if you are moving out of a plan’s territory.) Secondly, you can sign-up each year during the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP). AEP happens yearly from October 15th to December 7th.

Other Related Topics

• What is Medicare?
• Medigap Plans (Medicare Supplement Plans)
• Medicare Advantage Plans (MA/MAPD)
• Medigap vs Medicare Advantage
• Part B Deductible

The post Part D Prescription Drug Plans appeared first on Medicare Life Health.

I am a firm believer that there is a good Medicare health plan out there for everyone. Moreover, there might even be more than one good choice out there for your situation. If there is more than one good choice available to you, you might be weighing your options right now – Medicare Advantage vs Medicare Supplement.

First, Let’s review your Medicare options:

Original Medicare (no supplement)

Certainly, stand-alone Medicare coverage is an option. You would still want to get Part D Prescription coverage. (There are penalties down the road if you do not get Part D or have credible coverage already and then want to get it later.) However, you would then be left paying your deductibles and 20% coinsurance out-of-pocket.

For example, with ONLY Original Medicare and NO supplement or MA plan, if you ended up having a major health event like a surgery, the 20% left that medicare doesn’t pay could still be thousands of dollars.

You would also have to go through medical underwriting with a private insurance carrier if you later want a supplement and you have missed your Guaranteed Issue time frame. You can always join a MA plan later, but only during a special enrollment period or during the Annual Enrollment Period (Oct. 15 – Dec. 7).

Original Medicare with a Supplement

With this option, you keep Original Medicare and add on a Supplement (Medigap) Policy with a private insurance company to help you in paying the pieces that Medicare does not. These costs can become large if you have a big medical event or a chronic illness. In this instance, a Supplement would protect you from “losing the shirt off your back”! You would also have a stand-alone Part D Prescription Drug Plan (or a plan that is considered “credible coverage”).

Medicare Advantage (MA/MAPD)

Finally, with a MA/MAPD plan you would replace Original Medicare with a bundled plan offered by a private insurance company. These often include a Prescription Drug Plan. (These are called MAPD plans, which are most the common plans). You still “have Medicare” with these plans. However, they are run by private companies who put together networks of providers and health facilities. (For example, HMO, PPO and PFFS networks.)

One question we hear a lot is, “can I have both Medicare Advantage and a Medicare Supplement?” No, you have one or the other. Not both, they do not work together and it is illegal for anyone to sell you both.

What are the Differences Between having a Supplement (Medigap) and having Medicare Advantage (MA/MAPD)?

Now, let’s do a breakdown of Medicare Advantage vs. Medicare Supplements. First, let’s look at the difference in care and the differences in cost. We are assuming you either have Medicare Advantage or Original Medicare with a Supplement (aka Medigap Plans).

Making Your Choice between Medicare Advantage vs Medicare Supplement

Now that you understand the basics of Medicare Advantage Plans and Original Medicare plus a Medigap (Supplement) Plan and know the significant differences between the two, it’s decision time.

First, I always recommend speaking with a licensed, independent agent that can help you in assessing all the various plan types available in your area. Every county has different options for MA/MAPD plans, and insurance carriers have different prices on the supplement plans you may be considering.

Second, it’s good to have an idea of what is important to you. You should be thinking specifically in regards to money and lifestyle when choosing a path.

Consider these questions when choosing between Medigap and MA Plans:

Do you plan on living in another place for a significant period of time during the year?

If you are a “snowbird” or are planning a longer vacation where a routine doctor visit may be necessary when away from your primary residence, then a supplement may be your best choice. Remember though, emergency / urgent care visits are covered with both types of plans.

However, if your travel happens to be international, Both Original Medicare and MA plans do not cover foreign travel, but some supplement plans (plans C, D, F, G, M & N) have 80% foreign travel exchange limits that will help off-set some costs.

What is (or will be) your cash flow situation in retirement?

Some retirees have pensions, social security and other payments (like annuities) that come to them automatically each month. Other retirees have less of these automatic infusions or smaller required distributions and prefer to leave as much of their cash in investments as possible. Finally, some retirees are on a smaller, fixed income. This might require them to consider cash flow very carefully.

In each situation, you will need to review how you are paying for your health services, as each plan offers different payment options.

Cash Flow with a Supplement:

With a supplement, you will have a set amount of money (that could be a larger sum than an MA plan) come out of your bank (and/or S.S./R.R. check) each month. This can add up when you consider it includes Part B premiums, Part D Prescription premiums, and your supplement premiums. However, if you chose a plan that covers everything Original Medicare leaves out, then you would not pay any other out-of-pocket fees for Medicare covered services.

Cash Flow with a MA/MAPD Plan:

With a Medicare Advantage plan, you will most likely have a smaller amount of money coming out of your wallet each month. You will most likely have an MAPD plan that includes your drug plan, as stand alone MA plans are becoming much more rare, and some plans even include Part B premiums. So, with a MAPD plan, you would be paying a MA premium and maybe your Part B premium each month. Moreover, there are sometimes zero dollar per month ($0/month) premium MA plans available. The costs then to consider and maybe budget for with MA plans is if there are any co-pays, co-insurances and deductibles with the plans. Each plan will be set-up differently, and each plan will also have a max yearly out-of-pocket limit.

Just like in any kind of insurance, Medicare plans are set-up to allow you to choose how much out-of-pocket expenses you incur versus monthly premiums you pay.

Looking at your budget and then talking through your options with a licensed agent will allow you to make the best choice for your situation.

How interested are you in extra benefits being included?

Finally, one more consideration is the other elements that round out your health insurance plan, such as dental, vision, hearing, etc. If you have a supplement plan, you will need to decide if you need these services, and if you do, are you wanting to take on insurance plans for them. You might decide to add on a stand-alone, or a plan that includes any or all of these common services (dental, vision, hearing).

Often times, Medicare Advantage plans will include these services as a part of their plan as an additional benefit which might save you money if you were planning on getting a stand alone plan or paying cash for these services.

Moreover, many MA plans will offer fitness or wellness services that are included at no additional cost. Sometimes this means you will not have to pay for a separate gym membership. Silver Sneakers is one example of a national program that is used by many MA plans to provide fitness and wellness services.

The Next Steps for Choosing Your Medicare Plan

As you can see, developing your Medicare Health Insurance Plan can be very involved, but I am confident you can do it! Having a professional to help you through the process is important. Please reach out to an independent insurance agent to review what is available in your area. They will be able to explain plans in specifics and answer your questions about Medicare Advantage vs Medicare Supplement.

Finally, Medicare.gov is also a good tool for answering your broader questions, and we also encourage you to comment on this page or contact us directly with any questions. Thanks!

Other Topics Related to Medicare Choices:

• Medicare Supplement Basics
• Medicare Advantage Basics
• Prescription Drug Plan Basics

The post Medicare Advantage vs Medicare Supplement appeared first on Medicare Life Health.

In this article, we look at what is Medicare Advantage (aka Medicare Part C). As we discussed in our Medicare 101 Post, there are two different Medicare paths. You will choose one when you are setting up your health care in retirement.

• Path One = Original Medicare, Part A and Part B, with a stand alone Prescription Drug Plan (Part D) and an optional Medigap (Medicare Supplement) Plan.

• Path Two = Medicare Advantage (Part C) that replaces Medicare Part A and Part B and typcially includes a Part D Drug Plan. These plans are offered by private insurance companies that you work with directly.

The Basics of Medicare Advantage

Medicare Advantage “bundled” plans are offered by private insurance companies (carriers). You use them IN PLACE of Original Medicare, but they are still Medicare. Moreover, they must include all the same Medicare services covered by Part A (hospital) and Part B (medical). In addition, almost of them include Part D (prescription drugs).

You will hear/see these plans referred to as MA plans, and MAPD plans when they include prescription drugs.

What is the Advantage to Choosing a MA or MAPD plan?

The first advantage to these plans is that many of them have lower out-of-pocket costs than Original Medicare. Secondly, they often have extra benefits such as dental, vision or hearing that is not included in Medicare.

What are the Costs of a MA / MAPD Plan?

First, remember that most people have Medicare Part A “premium free”. (See this page on the medicare.gov website if you are wondering if you are in the “most people” category.) Second, remember that most people also pay a monthly premium for Part B. However, some Medicare Advantage plans will pay all or part of your Part B premium.

There may be many (or just a few) different MA and MAPD plans available in your area. They will all be set up differently and cost different prices from carrier to carrier. We suggest finding an independent insurance agent/broker that can compare different plans, carriers (insurance companies) and prices. They will help you pick a plan that fits your lifestyle and financial needs. Please note, there are often plans out there that have low or even $0 monthly premiums.

In addition to whether or not you pay a monthly premium with a MAPD plan, each plan will have a different set up for out-of-pocket costs:

• Some plans have a yearly deductible.
• Other plans have co-pays for office visits.
• Some plans have out-of-network costs
• And some plans have yearly max out-of-pocket limits.
  See this medicare.gov page for more info on MA costs.

You will need to decide what plans fit well with your monthly cash flow situation in addition to how often you need medical products and services.

How do MA and MAPD Plans Work?

Insurance companies usually set-up Medicare Advantage programs as a PPO or HMO networks. You might be familiar with this style of network plan insurance if you had (have) one from an employer or even from the open marketplace.

Typically, you will need to use doctors in your MA plans network. (Unless it is an emergency, or unless you are willing to pay extra to go “out-of-network”). If you have providers you want to keep, ask them if they are part of a network you are considering. In some MA/MAPD plans, you may also need referrals to see specialists. These are all plan specific requirements. You will need to look all these requirements prior to making your MA decisions.

HMO and PPO plans have much more robust networks now than plans from the past. Most people can find a plan that is large enough/flexible enough to work with their lifestyle. This is true even if they travel frequently in retirement. I recommend talking to a licensed agent to make sure you understand how the plans work.

When Can You Sign-up for a Medicare Advantage Plan?

If you are a US citizen with both Part A and Part B Medicare coverage, you can join MA plans in your area during these times:

• During your Initial Enrollment Period (IEP): Just like joining Original Medicare, you can join a MA plan during the 7 month period (3 months before the effective date of Medicare Part A and B, including the month Medicare begins, and then 3 months after) of time that you are turning 65.

• During a Special Enrollment Period (SEP): There are special circumstances that give you the opportunity to enroll in a MA/MAPD plan. These include (but are not limited to) moving to a new county, losing group health (like from an employer), or managing a chronic illness. To learn more about SEP’s and their time frames, please visit this page on the government’s website.

• During the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP): October 15th to December 7th, is when you have the opportunity each year to join an MA/MAPD plan. Your new coverage will begin January 1st.
  
  *OEP – As of 2019, if you are already in a Medicare Advanage plan, you can also change plans during AEP, or you can switch plans once (or switch back to Original Medicare) during Open Enrollment Period – January 1st to March 31st.

Other things the US Government would like you to know about MA Plans:

• Emergency and Urgent Care is always covered with MA plans.
• MA plans cover all Original Medicare Services and carriers must follow all Medicare rules.
• MA plans may have extra benefits like vision, health, dental and other fitness/wellness programs.
• You can join a MA plan with pre-existing conditions (except for ESRD, which is a special case and has other options).

Who can Help You with a Medicare Advantage Policy?

Just like a supplement, you can compare these plans online, but I suggest you talk to a professional, independent insurance broker that can help you compare plans. It won’t cost you any more money to use a professional, and Medicare Advantage Plans can be overwhelming when you are trying to pick one, especially if there are many offered in your area.

Remember, independent agents work for you (not the carriers), and having an actual person to help you in communicating to insurance carriers and keeping you updated each year is very valuable. This is something you do not get if you sign-up directly with a company online.

If you are in the state of Nebraska and you are looking for an agent to help you in any area of Medicare, Health or Life Insurance, please get in touch with me here.

Where to go next:

• Medicare Supplements vs. Medicare Advantage – What is right for you?
• What are Medicare Supplements?

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