I have been helping clients with making their Medicare decisions for years now. The main question is almost always the same, how do I get the most out of my new benefits.
This is a great question, that we discuss this with our clients every day, I am going to cover getting the most out of your Medicare benefits once you’ve joined.
There are three factors to consider.
1. Which program did you join? Original Medicare or Medicare Advantage?
These two are very different types of Medicare and have different types of benefits.
Sometimes Medicare Advantage will have extra things like dental & vision coverage, a free gym membership, and things like that. Original Medicare can have those too and they are usually inside your Medigap plan.
I don’t recommend that you pick a program simply based on those free perks. However, if you have the extra benefits make sure that you’re getting the most out of them.
2. Confirm which type of Medicare your doctor accepts.
One of the most important things for getting the most out of your Medicare benefits is making sure that your provider accepts your Medicare benefits. If you go to your doctor who’s not accepting your Medicare plan, you’re not going to get the most out of your benefits.
I know that this sounds simple, but I’m always shocked by how many times people come to me and they say, I had no idea that my doctor did not accept Medicare, why am I getting this huge bill? Can you help me?
In order to get the most out of Medicare at the lowest cost, you need to be confident that the doctor you’re seeing accepts your plan.
3. Understand the extra services that Medicare covers.
Amongst the preventative services I mentioned above, Medicare also covers a lot of surprising services. Some of those include certain chiropractic care, as well as certain acupuncture.
The reality is Medicare is fantastic health insurance if you:
1. You pick the right program and plan for you.
2. You understand how the benefits work, what benefits are included, and how to get the most out of Medicare.
If you have any further questions or would like a Medicare review, feel free to schedule an appointment with Colten or one of our specialist.
