You have 13 days left to change your Advantage plan. 3/31 before midnight is the cut off. Most Advantage plan members do not know that each year, 1/1-3/31, one can change these plans. Medicare does not advertise it, but needed this as an escape valve for those who find their new or old doctor is not on the plan. Or that their friends plans now do things their plans don’t. Or they were too distracted to shop in the fall.
It’s been a bad last two years for health plans. Profits are down or non existent in those plans. Since there is no monthly fee to raise (as supplements can do) they start thinning out benefits. No chocolate mint on your pillow! Dental plans falling to maximum payments from $2,000 and $3,000 to $1500 or $1,000. No quarterly over the counter plans, no transportation, exercise program, etc.
Have you looked at anything new in the market? Or do you just roll the old one over so you can avoid thinking about it and being forced to discussing health insurance?
21 years as a licensed Texas insurance agent, trust me I know that people would rather have a tooth pulled than discuss insurance. But it makes sense to talk to an agent and see if there’s something better this year. Just make sure that you are moving up to a better plan not just a different one.
I get calls year round for those turning 65. As an independent agent, I cover A to Z product wise so Sorting out what you want, what you can afford, how your first plan choice dramatically affects what kind of coverage you can get the rest of your life is critical to understand on the front end.
If you do not take a Medicare supplement when you first take Medicare, when no questions are asked about your health, going forward you must PASS underwriting to be admitted to the plan that handles serious health issues the best.
Med supps let you keep Medicare A & B active, and fill in 5 of the 6 gaps in coverage. It’s a fairly simple and effective plan and up to 97% of doctors take it. No networks!
Some say Advantage plans are not to your Advantage and they do not use Medicare A&B. That’s mostly true. An Advantage plan must follow the outline of Medicare A&B but it does not literally use them, as supplements do.
Few people understand their health insurance plan and Advantage plans are far more complicated than supplements. First question for me, having lost a loved one to cancer is can I get into M D Anderson? Second question, will the coverage be free or up to $14,200?
The supplement does not charge most people up to 60 days and they literally check out without a bill. Almost all major facilities will take the plan.
If you have an Advantage plan the first question is “do you have an HMO or PPO.” PPO’s will get you into more facilities for sure than the HMO’s but both plans have a new wrinkle. If you have an Advantage plan I highly recommend you avoid HMOs. PPO’s have far more doctors and facilities available.
The “Maximum Out of Pocket amount”. This is a feature only Advantage plans have. It answers the question, how much do I pay if everything goes wrong?”
Med Supps don’t have this. The MOOP of Av. Plans can range from around $4500 to $9000 on most plans or go all the way to $14,200 if your plan is “out of network!”
Supplements have no networks and therefore all A & B charges are covered at no cost.
Give me a ring if you’d like to know more.
Gary / OB member since 2006/ independent agent / 400 active clients / 713-376-5608
It’s been a bad last two years for health plans. Profits are down or non existent in those plans. Since there is no monthly fee to raise (as supplements can do) they start thinning out benefits. No chocolate mint on your pillow! Dental plans falling to maximum payments from $2,000 and $3,000 to $1500 or $1,000. No quarterly over the counter plans, no transportation, exercise program, etc.
Have you looked at anything new in the market? Or do you just roll the old one over so you can avoid thinking about it and being forced to discussing health insurance?
21 years as a licensed Texas insurance agent, trust me I know that people would rather have a tooth pulled than discuss insurance. But it makes sense to talk to an agent and see if there’s something better this year. Just make sure that you are moving up to a better plan not just a different one.
I get calls year round for those turning 65. As an independent agent, I cover A to Z product wise so Sorting out what you want, what you can afford, how your first plan choice dramatically affects what kind of coverage you can get the rest of your life is critical to understand on the front end.
If you do not take a Medicare supplement when you first take Medicare, when no questions are asked about your health, going forward you must PASS underwriting to be admitted to the plan that handles serious health issues the best.
Med supps let you keep Medicare A & B active, and fill in 5 of the 6 gaps in coverage. It’s a fairly simple and effective plan and up to 97% of doctors take it. No networks!
Some say Advantage plans are not to your Advantage and they do not use Medicare A&B. That’s mostly true. An Advantage plan must follow the outline of Medicare A&B but it does not literally use them, as supplements do.
Few people understand their health insurance plan and Advantage plans are far more complicated than supplements. First question for me, having lost a loved one to cancer is can I get into M D Anderson? Second question, will the coverage be free or up to $14,200?
The supplement does not charge most people up to 60 days and they literally check out without a bill. Almost all major facilities will take the plan.
If you have an Advantage plan the first question is “do you have an HMO or PPO.” PPO’s will get you into more facilities for sure than the HMO’s but both plans have a new wrinkle. If you have an Advantage plan I highly recommend you avoid HMOs. PPO’s have far more doctors and facilities available.
The “Maximum Out of Pocket amount”. This is a feature only Advantage plans have. It answers the question, how much do I pay if everything goes wrong?”
Med Supps don’t have this. The MOOP of Av. Plans can range from around $4500 to $9000 on most plans or go all the way to $14,200 if your plan is “out of network!”
Supplements have no networks and therefore all A & B charges are covered at no cost.
Give me a ring if you’d like to know more.
Gary / OB member since 2006/ independent agent / 400 active clients / 713-376-5608
