Medicare is overwhelming with all the new information, regular mailers, and annoying phone calls. Many people start their Medicare decision by looking at this information, but let me tell you. That is a big mistake.
In this week’s blog post, I want to cover the critical first steps you need to take when starting research into your Medicare decision.
Commonly, most people want to continue to see their doctors once they are on Medicare, which is why I recommend that you start your Medicare process by talking with your doctor.
I recommend you ask your doctor two questions:
1. What type of Medicare do you accept?”
You want to know if your doctor accepts Original Medicare or Medicare Advantage. If they accept Medicare Advantage, you want to know which specific plans they accept because there are over 3,000 plans available.
2. Are there any rules you need to be aware of once on Medicare to keep seeing the doctor?
Some doctors have a limited number of Medicare patients they will see. You’ll want to know if your doctor has a Medicare patient limit and if so, are you in that limit.
My recommendation is that you know the answers to these questions 6-12 months BEFORE you join Medicare. The answers to these can be red flags, so the sooner you know, the easier it is to work around any problems.
Additionally, I recommend you go one step further and ask, “If I get cancer or have serious health issues, what doctors do I want to be able to see?”
Many health care specialists like the Mayo Clinic, M.D. Anderson, John Hopkins, and research hospitals through universities usually only accept very few Medicare options.
This will also play a critical role in your Medicare decision.
It’s important to remember that due to insurability rules with Medicare, you may only get once chance to make the RIGHT Medicare decision.
Medicare is complicated, but you’re not alone. The Medicare Coach is here to help make sure you find the right plans for your unique situation. So, to easily make the right Medicare decision, you can CLICK HERE to sign up for our Medicare Enrollment Concierge.
