Medicare is a federal health insurance program for seniors. It can help you pay for medical care, prescription drugs, and other health-related items or services that are not covered by your private health insurance plan. Understanding Medicare can be challenging with so many different plans available in the marketplace. This blog article will walk you through 5 easy ways to get the most out of your Medicare benefits so when it’s time to pick your next plan, you’ll know which one is right for you.
Understand your Medicare plan
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed with all the different types of Medicare plans available. There are five main categories that can be broken down into dozens of other plan options. The good news is, you don’t need to understand every option within each category in order to find one that fits your needs. To get started, focus on understanding what type of coverage best suits your health care needs and which benefits fit most closely with how you use healthcare services.
Once you’ve identified these two areas, sit down to meet with a licensed insurance agent or broker who specializes in Medicare products (like us) for guidance through the process. They’re specially trained experts able to walk you through everything from pricing out costs like premiums, deductibles, co-pays, and more.
Know what to do when you get sick
Medicare plans can be complicated to understand and use. You don’t want to wait until you’re already sick to begin the process of understanding how you can get medical care. Even if you’re feeling fine, make sure to begin the process of finding a plan.
As founder and CEO of EasyHealth, a 400-person Medicare platform, David Duel understands the best ways for patients to benefit from Medicare. He says, “One way consumers can get more out of their Medicare benefits is by understanding what options they have when it comes time for them to go see a doctor or fill prescriptions. Most plans include some sort of coverage called “Part A” which covers hospital care and/or “Part B” that helps with medical services like lab work, x-rays, outpatient procedures, etc… Make sure you understand your benefit limits so there are no surprise costs that may come up during treatment.”
Get the most out of your doctor’s visits
Good healthcare is available when you get sick, but the best healthcare keeps you healthy in the first place. Preventative care is key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and can help you get the most out of your healthcare. Don’t wait until it’s too late and you’re sick to schedule appointments with doctors or specialists that can help keep an eye on your overall health status.
Part B plans cover preventative services like office visits, vaccines, lab work, etc… It will typically require you to pay 20% after deductible costs towards these types of medical services so getting in front of issues before they become more expensive problems down the line will be much cheaper than waiting until something goes wrong. You should also consider how often you visit the doctor at present and what type of specialist may benefit your well-being (family practitioner vs optometrist, for example).
Make use of your Medicare benefits for prescription drugs and medical equipment
No matter how great your medical care is, the time will come when you need to take maintenance medication and potentially get some medical equipment for yourself. Many Medicare plans cover your prescription drugs so there are no out-of-pocket costs during times when you need them most.
Part D is an optional plan that covers 100% of all drugs prescribed by a doctor and filled at participating pharmacies in your area. The cost will depend on what type of drug it is as well as whether or not they’re generic vs brand name (which generally have higher prices). Your agent/broker should be able to run numbers based on how much you use prescriptions now compared to past years throughout their duration which will help estimate future expenses more accurately.
David Duel adds, “As far as medical equipment goes, each plan varies but most cover certain pieces that can help keep you healthy and safe in your own home. Some of the most common include walkers, wheelchairs, hospital beds, etc… For more information on what specific plans are offered, please contact us at (insert website or phone number for readers to reach out).”
For More info on David Duel, visit his website at https://dueldavid.com/
and read this recent press release:
USC Alumni David Duel Endows Scholarship Program to
Brings Jewish Alums and Students Together