It's always a good idea to shop around. Cost is an important factor in any purchase, especially when it comes to health insurance, but it's not the only thing to consider.
There may be dozens of Medicare plans in your area, all with different costs and levels of coverage. How much are each plan's premiums and deductibles? How much will you pay for the benefits and services you're likely to use? Is there a limit on what you'll have to pay out-of-pocket for the year? If you're currently in a plan, how does that plan compare to the other plans that are available? Thinking about these things will help you make a smart choice to get good value that meets your personal health care needs.
Prescription drug coverage is another thing to consider. Does your health plan include coverage for prescription drugs? Or will you need to find a separate Medicare Part D plan for drug coverage? How much will your prescriptions cost under each plan? Does the plan cover the drugs you take? Remember, everyone who reaches the Part D coverage gap (or donut hole) will benefit from a discount of 65% on covered brand-name drugs.
Only you can determine what mix of benefits and costs will work best with your needs and budget, but we can help. The Medicare Plan Finder makes it easy to compare plans so you can pick a plan that's right for you. After you've narrowed your options, call the plans you're interested in to get more details about their benefits and services, or check out their websites.
You have until December 7, 2017 to review, compare, and join a 2018 plan.
Filed under: Open enrollment, Uncategorized