Plain-English guides to Medicare: enrollment, costs, Medicare Advantage, Part D, Medigap and common mistakes to avoid.
The phone rings on a quiet afternoon. A friendly, authoritative voice on the other end says, “Hello, this is the Medicare Support Network. According to your file, you suffer from chronic back and joint pain. You qualify for a brand-new, premium orthopedic back brace, and Medicare will cover the cost at 100%. All we need … Read more
You open your mailbox on a Tuesday afternoon and find a small, padded envelope you didn’t order. Inside is a plastic tube, a cotton swab, and a glossy, professional-looking brochure. The headline reads: “Free Cancer Screening: Find Out if You Are Genetically Predisposed to Cancer. 100% Covered by Medicare.” All you have to do is … Read more
It’s a Tuesday morning in late October. The Medicare Annual Election Period has just begun. Your phone rings, and the screen flashes “Spam Likely” or perhaps a local area code you don’t recognize. You answer it out of curiosity. A polite, highly professional voice on the other end says, “Hello, this is the Medicare Advisory … Read more
If you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, a Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan (D-SNP), or certain other health plans, your coverage may include a benefit you are not using. Many of these plans give members a prepaid Over-the-Counter (OTC) benefit card that is loaded with a set allowance every month or quarter. The … Read more
Every Fall during the Annual Election Period (AEP), your mailbox is flooded with glossy brochures promising $0 monthly premiums and free dental care. It is incredibly tempting to just pick the cheapest plan and move on. But picking a Medicare plan based solely on the monthly premium is like buying a car based only on … Read more
Every year, millions of seniors are captivated by the promise of Medicare Advantage: zero-dollar premiums, free gym memberships, and dental perks. But what happens when you actually get sick and realize your favorite doctor is out-of-network, or you are hit with a massive hospital copay? If you act quickly, the federal government gives you a … Read more
A Medicare MSA plan pairs a high-deductible Medicare Advantage plan with a savings account the plan funds. Here is who qualifies and what to check before you enroll.
Most Medicare Advantage plans require prior authorization for some care. Here is why regulators are looking at denials and delays, and what to do if your request is denied.
Every year between October 15 and December 7, the United States enters the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP). During this crucial 54-day window, millions of Medicare beneficiaries have the statutory right to review, change, or completely switch their Medicare Advantage (Part C) and Part D prescription drug plans for the upcoming coverage year. Despite the … Read more
Turn on the television during Medicare’s Annual Enrollment Period, and you will be inundated with slick commercials promising “$0 monthly premiums” alongside comprehensive dental, vision, and hearing coverage. For millions of seniors struggling with the high costs of routine healthcare, these extra benefits—commonly called “perks”—are the single biggest driving factor behind enrolling in a Medicare … Read more