The cost of your Medicare health insurance depends on several factors, including the state or county in which you live.
It follows that the amount you actually have to pay for your care and treatment, either through insurance or ‘out of pocket,’ depends on individual circumstances and local knowledge of the insurance plans and service providers in your area.
Wherever you live, whatever the illness, prevention is better (and less expensive) than cure.
At the core of all Medicare plans are ‘FREE’ preventive care and early detection programs.
Preventive care aims to maintain good health, reduce the risk of developing chronic conditions, and identify health problems early when they are more easily treated and the outcomes more beneficial to your quality of life.
These services include regular: –
- Check-ups
- Screenings
- Immunizations
- Health education
When you qualified (on turning 65) and enrolled for Medicare (Part A, Hospital) free of charge, you automatically became entitled to enroll in Medicare (Part B, Medical) on terms that are determined annually by CDC. Like most people entitled to Part C (Combined Parts A and B), you may have elected to enroll in the private insurance alternative, Medicare Advantage.
You may have enrolled, re-enrolled, or even allowed your existing Advantage plan to rollover) during open enrollment. However, one significant advantage of these plans is that you have given yourself an additional enrollment period (January through March) to act on any second thoughts you may have had since December 7th.
Whether you have changed your provider or plan type or, most importantly, allowed your previous plan to self-renew, some key points should be checked to ensure that the plan, which takes effect on January 1st, 2025, is right for you.
Checkpoints
- Are your preferred doctors and specialists in the Insurance Providers 2025 network?
- Are your specific medications covered in your 2025 plan? (Your provider’s formulary)
- Have there been any changes to the premium, deductible, or any cost-sharing structures, E.g., Co-insurance, co-share
Remember, this is your last chance to personalize your health insurance plan for 2025. If you have any doubts, raise them with your doctor or health insurance provider with your current plan and your Annual Notice of Change letter to hand.
At the beginning of this article, we stressed the importance of local knowledge and the availability of the services you need. Don’t hesitate to contact a local health insurance broker or experienced, independent health insurance specialist. At the very least, they can reassure you that you have chosen well, or in many cases, some alternatives that offer better access to the services you might need in your area.
