Here's how to compare 2016 Medicare Advantage Plans Follow these simple tips and find the best Medicare Advantage Plan for 2016.
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Medicare Advantage Plans are Medicare health plans offered by private insurance companies. All Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B benefits are included. Plans often include Part D drug coverage and extra benefits like dental and vision.
To learn about the differences between original Medicare and Medicare Advantage watch:
2016 Medicare Advantage enrollment tips:
Sources to find available plans:
Medicare.gov
Plan Websites
Online Comparison site
Local agent or broker
Medicare.gov is a good place to start and will include all available plans, but in-depth plan information is not included. If you intend to compare plans by visiting plan websites, you will need to visit multiple sites.
Online comparison sites like PlanPrescriber allow you to compare multiple plans and often give you the opportunity to speak with a licensed agent toll-free.
Compare Medicare Plans — Call: (888) 310-0376 TTY 711
Meeting with a local agent can give you a one-on-one experience when you compare Medicare plans.
Review these resources:
Summary of Benefits — The Medicare advantage Summary of Benefits is a complete listing of all covered services and what you can expect to pay. Cost-sharing amounts may be in the form of deductibles, copayments, or coinsurance. Your Maximum out-of-pocket cost will also be included.
Medicare Advantage Provider Directory — Check for your primary care provider, specialists, hospitals and ancillary facilities.
Medicare Part D Formulary — The formulary lists all medications covered by the plan. Make sure all your drugs are covered and use a drug look-up tool to estimate your annual Part D costs.
The best 2016 Medicare Advantage Plan will include your providers, have reasonable out-of-pocket costs, include all your drugs and have an affordable monthly premium.
What would happen if you got a Medicare Advantage Plan and then have a
health problem and it turned out to be a pre-existing condition?
+Bob Wilson Not a problem. Pre-existing conditions are not an issue with
Medicare Advantage.
Cummon fella, take a little personal responsibility. Opportunities to
select from several options is a GOOD thing but the onus is on you to
investigate. Good for you for seeking info like this. Educate yourself and
you will be better for it. BTW Obamacare has nothing to do with what you
are talking about. And if you were under 65 with a preexisting condition
you would be kissing the earth for the opportunity to get coverage.
Technically, plans are to include all Part A and Part B benefits… but
they can design plans with a different cost-sharing structure. One example
would be where outpatient services received out-of-network may have a
coinsurance amount higher than 20%… often plans charge 30%. It pays to
really look at the plan’s Summary of Benefits.
Your welcome!
I also got a Dear John and am now scrambling. In comparing benefits I am
surprised to see that in certain categories some plans offer less than
original Medicare. I wouldn’t have thought this would be possible.
Unfortunately that one of the hazards of having a Medicare Advantage
Plan… it may not renew the following year. You can reduce the headache of
searching for hours online. Give PlanPrescriber a call toll-free at (888)
310-0376. Their licensed agents can help you sort through dozens of plans.
There are many services like this, but they seem to get it right.
I MUST find a plan because the one I was enrolled into sent me a “Dear
John” letter informing me that my plan would no longer be offered.
Neighbors of mine also received “Dear John” letters from their Medicare
Advantage providers so it seems as though many of the plans won’t be
offered any more. It’s a real chore trying to weed through the available
“offerings.” I’ve been online for no less than 5 hours to various sites
trying to make sense of what is available for my situation & affordability
Today is October 1 and I spent more than 4 hours over there but the
information is very limited. I even called a couple of the toll-free
numbers to see if I could get any additional information but the CSRs had
no idea and one told me to call back after October 15, another couldn’t
answer my question, transferred me to a voice mail system but I don’t know
why. I also called Medicare on two occasions, but never got through because
of the high call volume. I’m still at it. Thanks for your video.
At least you took the time to review what changes may be in store for 2014
related to your plan. Many people ignore these notices and then are upset
when things are not the same after January 1st.
Having received my 201 plan documents, I have decided I probably want to
make a change. It’s a pain in the a** checking it all out, but I am
checking. Obamacare is already affecting things…..
Thanks. This helped a lot.
Plans for 2014 are not published until October 1st. Visit medicare.gov
after October 1st. And if you are becoming newly eligible prior to January
and need to enroll in a 2013 plan, you will be able to toggle between 2013
and 2014 plan information.
When I went to medicare.gov they only give information for 2013.
Hi – some good information regarding Medicare, but want to let you know
that the medicare.gov site DOES have great comparison tools. You can
compare up to 3 plans, and clicking on any specific provider will bring up
everything about that plan. FYI