Are you thinking of getting a Medicare Advantage, also known as Part C, to cover the medical expenses that Medicare does not cover? If you are, how do you know which Medicare Advantage Plan is the right one for you from so many choices offered by different companies?
Before getting trap with an unwanted plan for a whole year or with unexplained medical costs make sure that you avoid these top 3 crucial mistakes before you enroll.
What is a Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C)?
A Medicare Advantage Plan is an insurance plan that you can buy from a private insurance company to continue administering your Medicare benefits instead of Original Medicare. If you join a Medicare Advantage Plan, Part A (Hospital) and Part B (Medical) will be covered by the Medicare Advantage of your choice. Part D Prescription Drug Coverage may be embedded in the plan already. Medicare Advantage is known for providing benefits that Original Medicare will never cover. For example; vision, dental, hearing aids, fitness gym membership, transportation, and many more benefits might be covered.
Are you ready to enroll? Before enrolling we want to help you to avoid this mistakes that can make you question why you got a Medicare Advantage instead of a Medicare Supplement Plan.
Top 3 Mistakes to Avoid When Enrolling into Part C:
Doctors are not in the Network: Are you sure that your Medicare Advantage plan covers your doctor and specialist that you are currently receiving treatment from? You try to make an appointment with your specialists, only to be told that he is out of network and if you see him you will be charged for the visit. This is the top mistake beneficiaries make when enrolling into a Medicare Advantage Plan.
When enrolling into a Medicare Advantage, it is important that you check if your doctor is in the plan, especially if you are enrolling into a Medicare Advantage plan that is an HMO. In a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), you can only go to doctors and health care providers and hospitals that are in the network, except in case of an emergency. Also, a referral is needed to see specialists.
Prescription Drugs not covered: One of the key benefits of a Medicare Advantage plan is that it may have Part D Prescription Drugs embedded in the plan. Medicare beneficiaries are required to have Part D Prescription Drug Coverage within 63 days after their Initial Enrollment Period is over. So having it seems like a good idea, even if you are not taken any prescription drugs.
But if you are taking medications, you have to check to see if all your current prescribed drugs are cover before enrolling and how much is your co-pay at the Initial Phase and during the Coverage Gap and Catastrophic Phase because drug prices are ridiculous high. When a member hits the phase called the Coverage Gap, the beneficiary has to pay more of their drug costs until they reach their Catastrophic Phase. This can be a burden just to be paying so much on Prescription Drugs alone and not medical care.
Unexpected and unexplained charges: Beneficiaries assume that all the benefits are covered at zero co-pay when enrolling in Medicare Advantage Plans. That is not the case. Before making a decision to enroll, we need to be aware of the maximum out of pocket and the co-pays for services used.
Conclusion
There are many advantages that a beneficiary can have if they enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan. But before enrolling, it is important to check if doctors or prescription drugs are covered to avoid having the wrong plan for the whole year and the unnecessary costs that can be avoided by simply picking the right plan.