Mid-Year Medicare Review: 6 Things Worth Checking Before Fall
You do not have to wait until Medicare Annual Enrollment to take a closer look at how your current coverage is working.
A mid-year Medicare checkup is not necessarily about changing plans. In fact, many people cannot simply change Medicare plans whenever they want.
Instead, it is an opportunity to catch problems, understand your benefits, and make a list of anything that deserves attention when your next enrollment opportunity arrives.
Here are six things worth reviewing.
1. Are Your Doctors Still Working With Your Plan?
Start with the doctors and facilities you actually use.
Consider your:
- Primary care doctor
- Specialists
- Preferred hospital
- Outpatient facilities
- Therapy providers
If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, provider participation can be especially important.
If there has been a problem getting an appointment or using a particular provider, write it down now rather than trying to remember months later.
2. Have Your Prescriptions Changed?
Medication needs can change during the year.
Make an updated list of your:
- Prescription names
- Dosages
- Preferred pharmacy
- Mail-order prescriptions
Also make note of unexpected prescription costs, prior authorization problems, or medications that have become difficult to fill.
These are useful details to have during your next Medicare review.
3. Have You Had Any Billing Problems?
Pull out any medical bill you did not understand.
Compare it with your plan's Explanation of Benefits and ask questions if something does not look right.
Common issues worth following up on include:
- Unexpected copays
- Denied claims
- Services you do not recognize
- Bills that appear different from your plan benefits
- Pharmacy pricing problems
Small billing questions are usually easier to address before they turn into a pile of paperwork.
4. Are You Actually Using Your Extra Benefits?
Some Medicare Advantage plans include additional benefits that members forget about during the year.
Depending on your plan, benefits might include dental, vision, hearing, fitness, transportation, or over-the-counter items.
Review what your specific plan includes and whether there are benefits you intended to use but haven't.
There is little value in having a benefit if you do not know how to access it.
5. Has Anything Changed With Your Health?
Your plan may not be the only thing that has changed.
Think about whether you have:
- Started seeing a new specialist
- Been diagnosed with a new condition
- Added medications
- Had surgery or a hospital stay
- Started anticipating additional care
- Changed pharmacies or doctors
Those changes can become important when it is time to review coverage for the following year.
6. Start a List for Your Fall Review
You do not have to solve every Medicare question today.
Instead, keep a simple list of anything you want reviewed later.
Include questions about:
- Doctors
- Prescriptions
- Costs
- Benefits
- Bills
- Pharmacies
- Upcoming procedures
When your Annual Notice of Change arrives, you will already know what needs your attention.
A Mid-Year Review Is About Being Prepared
The goal of a mid-year Medicare checkup is not to look for an excuse to change your coverage.
It is to make sure you understand the coverage you have, use the benefits available to you, catch problems early, and be prepared when it is time to review next year's options.
Read my complete Mid-Year Medicare Checkup:
[INSERT YOUR ORIGINAL MID-YEAR BLOG URL]
You can also use my Mid-Year Review resources here:
https://shawnrayinsurance.com/mid-year-review
If you have questions about how your current Medicare coverage is working, you can schedule a time with me here:
Schedule a Medicare review:
https://shawnrayinsurance.com/calendar
A few minutes spent checking your coverage now can make your next annual Medicare review much easier.
