3 Benefits of Consulting with a Medicare Advisor Before Enrolling

When you turn 65, you are presented with many different options for Medicare health insurance. If you’re not familiar with the differences between these options, they may seem overwhelming, especially if you’re also dealing with other aspects of growing older such as retirement and social security.

What are the differences between Medicare plans? What are Medicare Advantage and supplemental plans? What type of plan is best for me, and what benefits will it offer? All of these questions and more are great questions to ask. A Medicare advisor can help you navigate the Medicare system to find the answers.

1- Save Yourself Time

There are 4 types of Medicare plans available.

• Part A covers in-patient hospital visits.
• Part B covers out-patient doctor visits.
• Part C plans, also known as Medicare Advantage, are offered by private companies and are an alternate way to get the same coverage as Part A and Part B plans.
• Part D covers prescription medications.

But, there are multiple plans available for each part of Medicare. Will the Original Medicare plan provided by the federal government be the best choice for your situation? Will you need supplemental coverage?

Medicare advisors can assist with finding a plan that works best for you. They can do research based on your situation and medical needs to help you find a plan that covers everything you require.

2- Save Yourself Money

There are some services that Original Medicare does not cover. Some of these services include dental coverage, vision coverage, hearing aids and routine foot care.

To get coverage for these services, additional plans, known as supplemental plans, are available. These supplemental plans, also known as Medigap plans, can help fill in the “gaps” that Original Medicare doesn’t cover.

Medicare Part C plans, also known as Medicare Advantage plans, are a sort of “bundled” plan that offers at least the same amount of coverage as Original Medicare, and often more. Medicare Advantage plans usually include prescription drug coverage. They may also offer coverage for other services that Medigap plans provide.

But, how do you know what you need? Is paying a premium for supplemental coverage for hearing aids worth it if you don’t have any hearing problems right now? Do you even need Part D prescription coverage if you don’t take any medications?

Let a Medicare advisor help you with these decisions and save some money in the process. They can find plans that have the lowest out-of-pocket and deductible costs that still cover your healthcare needs.

3- Know What Your Plan Provides

Understanding the details of your plan can be confusing. This is the biggest advantage of choosing a Medicare advisor.

An advisor can help you decide whether Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage plan is best; whether you’ll need prescription drug coverage; how much your out-of-pocket costs will add up to over a year, and if your doctors will remain in-network once you switch to a Medicare policy.

Medicare advisors will keep track of all the details for you from year to year and help you understand why they’ve tailored the plan specifically for your needs.

Turning 65 should be an exciting time in your life, not a stressful one. By speaking with a Medicare advisor, you will receive more information on Medicare plans and how to pick the right plan for you.