Are you turning 65 soon and have no idea where to start when it comes to Medicare? Don’t worry. You’re not alone.
A client recently asked me, “I will be turning 65 soon. What do I need to do first and when?”
This is a great question because most people put off their Medicare decision or are so overwhelmed by all the information that they miss this ONE critical step that I recommend everyone starts with.
The first thing that I recommend you do is to make a list of two things:
- All the doctors that you currently see.
- The doctors you want to see once you’re on Medicare.
Once you’ve made your list, contact those doctors’ office and ask them two critical questions:
What types of Medicare do you accept?
Your doctor may not know, but someone at their office will whether that’s a nurse, receptionist or someone in billing.
The critical factor of this question is to know if your doctor accepts:
- Original Medicare
- Medicare Advantage (and if so what type)
- No Medicare at all
Does the doctor have Medicare-specific rules?
One of the most common rules doctors have is the number of Medicare patients they treat. Once they hit that number, they won’t see any new Medicare patients.
While many doctors don’t have limits, it’s critical to know if there are any unique rules your doctors have.
These two questions are a significant first step to making the RIGHT Medicare decision.
It’s important to remember that most insurance brokers and insurance companies are just trying to push you into a Medicare product without really understanding what your unique situation is.
The most frequent Medicare mistakes happen when you’re pushed into a plan by insurance brokers and insurance companies when they don’t understand your doctors, your health insurance, and your financial situation.
I recommend making the list of the doctors you currently see and the ones you want to see six to twelve months before you turn 65.
To easily make the right Medicare decision you can CLICK HERE to sign up for our Medicare Enrollment Concierge.
