When you turn 65, or become eligible for Medicare, a flood of mail and phone calls can hit your home. It can feel like a lot. There are so many choices, but the most important one is picking a plan that lets you keep seeing the doctors and getting the care you trust right here at NMC Health.
At NMC Health, we believe you should feel good about your Medicare plan. That’s why we created this guide. It’s a simple way to help you put your health first and find the best fit for you.
Step 1: Know Your Own Health Needs
The first step to choosing a good Medicare plan is to look at your own health. Before you start looking at any plan details, take a few minutes to write down some key things. Think of it as a personal health story.
- Your Doctor Network: Who do you see now? Write down the names of your family doctor, any specialists you visit (like a heart doctor or a bone doctor), and the hospitals you use. This is a very important step. Your plan needs to cover the doctors and hospitals you already trust.
- Your Medicines: Make a list of all your prescription drugs, big and small. Write down the name, how much you take, and how often. This list will be the most important tool you have when looking for a plan that covers your drugs at a price you can afford.
- Your Health Needs: Do you have a long-term health issue like diabetes or heart disease? Are you planning to have a surgery or a procedure soon? Thinking about what you need now, and what you might need later, is a smart way to choose a plan.
Once you have this list, you’re ready to start looking at your options with a clear goal in mind.
Step 2: Understand Your Choices
When you enroll in Medicare, you will choose between two main paths: Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage. The good news for you is that NMC Health works with a variety of plans. This means you have choices.
- Original Medicare (Parts A & B): This is the basic plan from the government. It lets you see any doctor or go to any hospital in the U.S. that accepts Medicare. At NMC Health, we accept Original Medicare at all our locations. This means you can keep seeing your trusted doctors and get care at our hospital, our immediate care clinic, and our specialty clinics without having to worry about a limited network. But, with Original Medicare, you will need to think about a couple other things.
- Prescription Drugs: Original Medicare does not cover prescription drugs. You will need to get a separate Medicare Part D plan for that.
- Cost Gaps: Original Medicare doesn’t cover all your costs. You will be responsible for things like deductibles and coinsurances. Many people buy a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan to help cover these costs.
- Medicare Advantage (Part C): These plans are offered by private companies that have a contract with Medicare. They often combine your hospital, doctor, and prescription drug coverage into one plan. Many of these plans also give you dental, vision, or hearing care. But there is a trade-off.
- Limited Network: Most Medicare Advantage plans use a specific network of doctors and hospitals. To save money, you must stay within this network.
- Preauthorizations: Most Medicare Advantage plans require approval before you can receive many medications, procedures, and even screenings.
Step 3: Make Sure You’re Covered at NMC Health
Your goal is to choose a plan that works for you and keeps your care close to home. This is especially true if you are looking at a Medicare Advantage plan.
- Check Our List: We have a list of all the Medicare Advantage plans we work with. This list is a great place to start. If a plan is not on this list, it may not be your best choice if you want to be treated at NMC Health.
- Give Us a Call: We know this can be confusing. That’s why our patient financial experts are here to help. They can check if a specific plan is accepted at our hospital or clinics. They cannot tell you which plan to choose, but they can give you the peace of mind of knowing you will be covered here. You can call them at 316-804-6255.
Your health is our main focus. This enrollment period is your chance to take control. Use your health as a guide, and remember that our team is here to help you get the facts you need to make the best choice for you.
