Medicare! Me? Yes, 65 Is The Magic Number

It is Open Enrollment (10/15-12/7) for Medicare recipients and needless to say, there are always questions!

We welcome Josh Kinzel, Benefit Advisor at Seniority Benefit Group. He is an expert when it comes to Medicare.

In this episode, we start to demystify Medicare, as we discuss its issues and confusions.

Even if we are not old enough for Medicare, we may be assisting our older relatives to navigate the complexity of this program.

And actually, that is what Seniority Benefit Group, and other “connectors” provide – to start to demystify the process.

Let’s make sure we have the overall understanding of Medicare – and know the acronyms that come with it.

There are 3 basic areas that we need to remember during Medicare Open Enrollment –

the basic “Medicare Plan” and what it covers,
the “Supplement Plan” and what it covers,
as well as the “Part D – Pharmacy Plan” and what it covers.

Depending on the individual’s needs and preferences, this could be 3 different parts of their health care. Or it could be all rolled into an Advantage plan.

Here’s an example we consider. “I am turning 65 and know I need to be on Medicare. What should I do in preparation for my 65th Birthday?”

As someone turning 65, you need to understand your own medical history and needs in order to choose the best plan.

How does an individual describe their health issues and physical abilities? And are there specific areas in each plan that an individual should pay very close attention to?

Part D which covers prescriptions has been a hot item for years. Any points that a new Medicare patient should beware of?

Let’s say an individual gets through their first year of Medicare with no problems. There may be issues that they wish they knew about before making decisions on health plans.

Josh shares what mistakes or problems he sees that individuals often undergo their first year, but could have avoided. He also offers us a list of things to watch for to avoid making obvious mistakes.

For those who are already on Medicare, are there changes to the law for next year which may make changes to Medicare plans?

Resources we mentioned we would include in our episode show notes.