Most people have probably heard that Medicare is complicated. There are lots of rules, some of them quite confusing. It can be challenging to evaluate which Medicare plan one needs and how much it will cost. The good news is that people don’t have to figure it all out on their own. There are plenty of resources to help them make the right choices. We’ve gathered some insider tips to help anyone navigate the system and find the best plan for them.
One Probably Doesn’t Need Medicare Right Away
The earliest one can sign up for Medicare is three months prior to turning 65 or the 25th month of one’s disability if they’re under 65. One can sign up during this seven-month period without paying the penalty if they don’t have coverage from other sources like an employer or a spouse’s employer plan.
Consider Health Needs Before Enrolling
If one knows they’re going to require multiple surgeries or ongoing treatments, it may make sense to delay enrolling in Medicare until age 65. Otherwise, if one has Original Medicare with Part B in place before age 65, they may have gaps in their coverage after having surgery or receiving treatment — this is called Original Medicare’s “pre-existing condition rule.”
Find out What Is Covered
People need to know whether they want to get their Part A and Part B benefits from Original Medicare (the federal program) or through a Medicare Advantage plan. And if it’s the latter, they’ll need to decide if they want a private fee-for-service (PFFS) Plan, a Special Needs Plan (SNP), or one of the other types of Medicare Advantage plans. Also, sign up for prescription drug coverage — it’s an important decision because it can affect one’s overall costs and may limit their choice of providers.
Seek Advise
If one has questions, they should find someone who will answer them freely and fairly, without selling them anything. There are several avenues that can help with free information and advice, including the local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) office, Area Agency on Aging (AAA), Medicare Rights Center affiliate, and the federal government website. If one needs more assistance, they should find someone who will charge a fee-for-service to provide it — not someone who gets paid based on what they sell or how much they sell it for.
