6 Tips to Find the Right Medicare Plan
Between Medicare Parts A, B, C and D, there are so many different Medicare plans and providers. So how do you choose a Medicare plan that fits your needs and stays within your budget?
We’re here to help with these 6 essential tips, so you can find the high-quality care you deserve.
1. Take Advantage of the Medicare Plan Finder
Medicare provides a useful plan finder tool that allows you to easily see your coverage options, whether you’re considering Original Medicare or Medicare Advantage. This tool explains each part that the coverage includes and shows you the premiums of each part you’ve selected before you begin looking at plans that meet your criteria.
Once you determine what factors you’re looking for, the tool will create a list of plans that can be filtered by your location, plan type, insurance carrier, or a 5-star ranking system by other Medicare beneficiaries.
2. Consider the Benefits You Need
Medicare is split into four alphabetical “parts”: Part A, Part B, Part C, and Part D.
Medicare Part A is the portion of Medicare that corresponds to hospital care. This part covers inpatient care, skilled nursing care, hospice, and home care.
Medicare Part B is often considered the second half of Part A with many people taking both parts. Both together are sometimes referred to as Original Medicare. Whereas Part A relates to hospital care, Part B covers your regular doctor visits, mental health, ambulance services, medically necessary services, and preventative services.
Medicare Part C is generally referred to as Medicare Advantage and is an alternative to Part A and B. Unlike Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage is comprised of insurance plans sold by private companies that have been approved by Medicare itself.
Medicare Part D covers most prescription drugs that are not covered by Part A and Part B. Part D is comprised of drug plans from private insurance companies that have been approved by Medicare, similar to Part C.
Most people don’t need each part. However it’s important to be familiar with each one to know which part is necessary for your needs to be addressed by Medicare.
3. Budget your Medicare Plan
With the sheer number of different plans available and the differing monthly premium between Part C and Part D, it’s important to be able to know the amount you will be paying each month to work into your budget.
In 2022, the Part A premium is $499 for those who paid Medicare taxes for less than 30 quarters and is the standard premium. However, if you paid Medicare taxes for 30 to 39 quarters, then your premium would be $274. Most people don’t pay these premiums, which is another reason to look into each part when creating your budget. The standard Part B premium is $170.10, but this premium can be higher based on your income.
As stated earlier, the premiums between Part C and Part D can vary greatly between plans. Medicare does provide 2022 costs at a glance with more detailed breakdowns of premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance based on your financial position.
4. Get aboard your SHIP
SHIP stands for State Health Insurance Assistance Program. These programs provide in-depth insurance counseling and assistance to Medicare-eligible individuals, family members, and caregivers to help them make informed decisions about the future of their health care.
5. Original Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage
Another tough decision to make during this process is when and how to choose a Medicare Advantage plan.
The main difference between the two is that Original Medicare typically only covers hospital and medical insurance through Parts A and B, respectively. And, if you want drug coverage, you will need to separately add a Part D plan.
On the other hand, a Medicare Advantage plan is considered an all-in-one alternative that bundles Parts A, B, and usually D. Most Medicare Advantage plans will also include coverage for services outside Original Medicare, such as dental, hearing, and vision.
Medicare Advantage plan members typically pay a lower premium or no premium at all, compared to Original Medicare, but this doesn’t come without its drawbacks.
Those with Medicare Advantage plans are restricted to a smaller group of doctors approved by their plan. And while the premiums may be lower, out-of-pocket costs can quickly pile on if you get sick. These are just a few of the reasons why it’s important to carefully consider Original Medicare plans and Medicare Advantage plans before committing to one or the other.
6. Find a Medicare Doctor That Is Right for You
Once you’ve found the right Medicare plan for you, you’ll need to find a doctor who can provide you with high-quality, value-based care.
You may be asking yourself, what is value-based care? It is a care model practiced by doctors who place an importance on connecting with patients to form a meaningful relationship in order to provide higher quality care and treatment. This means providing personalized treatment for you, more one-on-one time during appointments, easier appointment scheduling, and more.
You can easily find a value-based Medicare doctor by using our Find Your Doctor tool.
