The Medicare Annual Election Period is fast approaching. If you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan or a Part D Prescription Drug Plan, you should be reviewing your plan choices each year to ensure you are enrolled in the most appropriate plan for your needs. You can switch your Medigap any month as long as you can answer the medical questions.
“If I’m happy with my plan, do I need a review?” Yes, you do! Even if nothing on your end has changed – you have the same doctors and are taking the same medications, the plans change. Plan provider networks change from year to year. Sometimes the changes are small but there have been times in the past where the entire network has changed. You need to make sure your doctors and preferred hospitals are still participating in your plan’s network for 2020. Drug formularies also change. You need to make sure that your medications are still covered for 2020 and that your current plan will still have the most cost-effective drug pricing. You don’t want to find out in January that your doctor is no longer in the network or that the plan is no longer covering an important medication. Not to mention there may be new plan choices that could offer you more benefits.
“I’m already a Medicare client with American Retirement Advisors, how do I get a plan review?” Good News! It’s an automated process that will save you time. You don’t have to come into the office unless a change needs to be made. Our first round of emails to our Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C) and our Prescription Drug Plan (Part D) clients requesting updates to your doctor and medication lists are scheduled this month.Watch for that email and get your response submitted as soon as possible. Even if your doctors and medications have not changed, you MUST fill out the online form with your current information in order for our system to prompt our research analysts to do the plan review for you. Once the plan review is done (mid-October – when we confirm accuracy of Medicare’s data), you will receive an email instructing you to either “STAY” with the plan you are on (if you are happy) or give us a call to schedule an appointment to “GO” to another plan that is more appropriate for you.
“I’m not currently a Medicare client of American Retirement Advisors but I would like a plan review, how do I get one?” Give the office a call at (602) 281-3898 and they will get you on the calendar to meet with an advisor during the Annual Election Period. Spots fill up fast so don’t delay!
Sometimes our emails go to SPAM so please check your SPAM or JUNK folders.
As a note, we TRY NOT do Medicare Supplement (Medigap) reviews during the Annual Enrollment Period as those plans can be changed at any point during the year.