Medicare Mail Is Coming: What to Look for Before Open Enrollment
If you have Medicare, fall can bring a lot of mail.
Some of it is advertising. Some of it is important information from Medicare or your current insurance plan. With Medicare Open Enrollment approaching, knowing what to keep and what to review can make the process much less confusing.
Here are the important documents to watch for.
If You Have Original Medicare
Original Medicare is sometimes called Traditional Medicare. It includes Medicare Part A and Part B.
Each fall, Medicare makes the Medicare & You handbook available to beneficiaries. If you receive the printed version, it generally arrives in the fall. The handbook explains Medicare coverage, costs, rights, and choices for the upcoming year.
Don't automatically throw it away.
You don't have to re-enroll in Original Medicare every year, but Open Enrollment is still a good time to review your coverage and make sure it continues to meet your needs.
If you have Original Medicare plus a separate Part D prescription drug plan, you should also receive information from your drug plan about changes for the coming year.
If You Have a Medicare Advantage Plan
If you receive your Medicare benefits through a Medicare Advantage plan, your plan should send you an Annual Notice of Change, often called an ANOC.
The ANOC explains what will change with your plan beginning January 1.
It may include changes to:
Premiums and other costs
Copays and coinsurance
Benefits
Prescription drug coverage
Provider or pharmacy networks
Other plan rules or requirements
Even if you like your current plan, take a few minutes to review the changes.
If You Have a Part D Prescription Drug Plan
If you have a separate Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, you should also receive an ANOC from that plan.
Pay particular attention to your medications.
Check whether the medications you take are still covered and whether there are changes to what you will pay or to the plan's coverage requirements.
Not Sure What Kind of Medicare You Have?
You're not alone.
Start by looking at your Medicare card and insurance cards. You can also log into your Medicare account at Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE for help understanding your current coverage.
Knowing whether you have Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and/or a separate Part D plan will make it much easier to understand which information applies to you.
What Should You Review Before Open Enrollment?
You don't need to become a Medicare expert.
Instead, focus on a few practical questions:
Are my doctors and healthcare providers still available under my coverage?
Are my medications still covered, and have my costs changed?
Have my premiums, deductibles, copays, or other out-of-pocket costs changed?
Have any benefits I regularly use changed?
Have my own healthcare needs changed during the past year?
If something doesn't make sense, ask questions before making a change.
When Is Medicare Open Enrollment?
Medicare Open Enrollment runs from October 15 through December 7 each year.
During this time, people with Medicare can review their coverage and, depending on their situation, make changes for the following year.
Changes made during this enrollment period generally take effect January 1.
One Important Reminder
During Medicare Open Enrollment, you may receive a lot of advertisements, phone calls, postcards, emails, and other marketing.
Don't feel pressured to make a quick decision.
Before changing your Medicare coverage, make sure you understand what you currently have, what is changing, and how a new option would affect your doctors, medications, healthcare needs, and costs.
At Aging Ally, we believe healthcare decisions deserve time, good information, and thoughtful consideration.
Keep the important Medicare mail. Ask questions. Verify information. And make the decision that works best for you and your healthcare needs.
Aging Ally Is Here to Help
Aging Ally helps adults, with a special focus on seniors and their families, navigate healthcare decisions, organize information, prepare questions, and understand their options.
We don't sell Medicare insurance plans. Our role is to help individuals and families become informed participants in their healthcare.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not insurance, legal, or financial advice. Aging Ally does not sell or recommend specific Medicare insurance plans. For official Medicare information and Medicare coverage options, visit Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE.
