1) Assess the Differences Between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage
Based on recent studies, 66+ million people have looked into Medicare coverage. Some of these individuals have signed up for Original Medicare, while others have looked into Medicare Advantage (approximately 33.3%). This includes both Part A and Part B coverage. With the Medicare Advantage plans, the idea is to go towards something that has built-in prescription drug coverage along with added benefits for dental care, hearing, and vision. It’s important to know more about this before agreeing to a specific plan.
Those who are signed up for Medicare Advantage also can sign up for the Navigate4Me service, which is ideal when it comes to handling chronic medical issues such as diabetes or congestive heart failure. The idea of this service is to offer a way where you can customize how you go through the medical system based on your underlying medical condition. It’s difficult to do it on your own, which is where Navigate4Me comes into play.
2) Assess the Coverage Options
It’s always best to go through each benefit and see what the plan is all about as soon as it is mailed to you by the insurance company. You can also visit their website to look into it more. The idea is to see what the main features are and what you are going to get from the new plan. This can include things such as dental cleanings, vision, hearing, and more. Visit Medisupps.com to compare coverage options.
A good example of this would be Renew Active, which is found through the UnitedHealthcare Medicare plans. The idea is to have a gym membership that is going to allow you to go through with a personal fitness plan and a long list of fitness classes to get healthier. This is a major advantage of Medicare supplement plans.
Those who are eligible for United Healthcare also get the opportunity to sign up for OTC health products including vitamins, supplements, first aid items, and pain relievers. This is why going through the plan’s features is a must to see what type of OTC benefits are available to you. This can be a major money-saver over the long-term so you don’t have to pay out of pocket.
3) Focus on Preventative Care Benefits
There is an annual wellness visit available for original Medicare beneficiaries. This can assist with specific tests such as mammograms and/or colonoscopies. The idea is to get out in front of specific medical conditions that pop up in a person’s life by scanning for them. This can help start treatment faster. It is best to have the opportunity to consult with your physician and get these tests done annually. It keeps you fit proactively rather than reacting to specific symptoms.
With the help of the UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plan, it’s possible to get the preventative care benefits you’re after. This comes through the HouseCalls program. You get the opportunity to get your hands on specific medications and customize how the healthcare plan is put together based on your budget.
4) Think About an Annual Budget To Optimize Out-of-Pocket Costs
When looking at the Medicare costs, there are several variations on offer which can be personalized depending on the individual.
In most cases, original Medicare is going to pay for 80% of Part A/B expenses. These expenses can include a variety of things such as doctor appointments, hospital stays, and/or lab exams. For the remaining 20%, it’s the individual that is going to pay out of pocket.
By focusing on Medicare Advantage plans, it’s possible to know what the co-pay amount is going to be since it will be capped. As soon as you hit the maximum, the rest of the costs that pop up throughout the year are going to be 100% covered by Medicare.
This is essential for those who want peace of mind when it comes to surgical procedures and staying as healthy as possible.
5) Find Ways to Save on Prescription Drugs
With the original Medicare plan, there is no set prescription drug coverage. This means individuals have to look into Part D, which is a separate plan. The rest tend to veer towards the Medicare Advantage plan due to the built-in prescription drug coverage.
A good option for those who want to save should be to look at home delivery benefits. This can help save quite a bit of money since you don’t have to go to the pharmacy. Instead, you can get the prescription drugs delivered to your front door in bulk leading to a more affordable expense throughout the year.
For those who still want to go to a traditional retail pharmacy, it is best to consider the pharmacies that are already available through the built-in pharmacy network in your plan. This can lead to reduced costs over the short and long-term. The final option is to look towards other types of viable drugs that can help with your needs. To go through this information, you should get a medical professional to look at your medical records and current condition before deciding one way or the other.
