It is never too early to start reviewing your Medicare and plan on your next year’s coverage. Medicare Advantage is an excellent plan to consider. Medicare Advantage plan is accessible through private insurance companies.
It is good to note that you will still be under Medicare, and you continue to enjoy the same rights and protection as other plan holders. Medicare also dictates the base coverage for these plans for Part A and Part B.
Enrolling in this plan means that almost all your medical needs are handled within your plan, and you do not use Original Medicare.
Medicare Advantage has several characteristics and advantages. These are:
- A reduction in your medical expenditure: A Medicare Advantage plan offers a variety of options within one plan. This means that you reduce the need to have a supplement plan. Most of these plans cover prescription drugs, extensive care for your eyes, and hearing, and many more.
- It comes with more benefits, in addition to the base coverage. These benefits are routine checkups, and vision care as you can get glasses, and hearing aids, they can offer membership to a wellness center as well as cover prescription drugs.
- It gives you the ease of coordinating with your chosen healthcare providers as well as having all your services within one cover.
- Due to the nature of having an in-network requirement, you may be restricted when it comes to choosing providers. You are also not able to walk-In into any health facility and get attention unless it is in emergency cases.
You can join the Medicare Advantage plan if you meet the following criteria:
- You are not diagnosed with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD): However, there are talks to look into this requirement as they work on improving the plan.
- You must have Medicare Part A and Part B
- Living in the service area is also a huge requirement. It is good to enquire about the services that they cover around your area before enrolling in this plan.
Like with all available insurance plans, there are always talks about improving the services offered under this plan. This is with the aim of making it more robust and comprehensive to the users.
To join a Medicare Advantage plan, you can use the services of the Medicare Plan Finder. You can also log into their website to see if there is an option for joining online. You can then fill in the required information to enroll.
This is mostly done from October to December. While joining it is a mandatory requirement for you to furnish them with your Medicare number as well as the beginning dates for your Part A or Part B cover.
For each policy available in this cover, you are required to use health facilities, doctors, or other medical personnel and services that are within the network.
This also applies to specialists that are recommended as it is a considerably low cost. Visiting a facility that is out of this network can prove to be an expensive venture.
