Help make Medicare coverage count: Tips for 2023
UnitedHealthcare is here to help people get the most out of their plans.
If you are new to Medicare or your coverage recently changed during the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period last fall, you may have some questions about how you can make the most of your benefits.
After all, it’s important to understand your Medicare coverage so you can make sure your health and wellness needs are taken care of — and any financial responsibilities that come with it.
Below are some tips to help you better understand your Medicare plan and make your benefits count this year.
If you enrolled in Medicare for the first time
When you first enroll in Medicare, it can take some time to learn all the ins and outs of your coverage. You may have chosen a Medicare Advantage (Part C) plan or opted to go with Original Medicare (Parts A and B). You may also have added a Part D prescription drug plan.
Here’s what that might mean for you:
Medicare Advantage
1. Begin by reviewing and learning how your plan covers hospital and medical items from Medicare Parts A and B.
2. Look at the list of prescription drugs covered by your plan and be sure your current medications are covered. You also will want to review how the costs change with different tiers and in the various Part D coverage stages to help you estimate your financial needs for the year.
3. Review the unique benefits offered by your plan, such as coverage for vision, dental, hearing, fitness, a 24/7 nursing hotline and more.
4. Look at the plan’s network to understand what providers are covered by your plan.
5. Review how your costs may change if you receive care from a provider not included in your plan.
6. Use any available online learning tools to help you understand your plan better and reach out to your plan’s provider if you have any questions.
Medicare Part D and/or Medicare Supplement
1. Review how Medicare Part A (hospital) and Part B (medical) may cover certain drugs and in which specific situations.
2. Look at how costs work with both Parts A and B. If you have a Medigap plan, which is a private health insurance plan that serves as a supplement to Medicare, it’s important to understand how Medigap may help in covering some of the out-of-pocket costs of Parts A and B.
3. Review your Part D plan’s formulary and make sure all the drugs you need are listed, which brands are and aren’t offered, as well as the tiers and costs of each.
4. If you have questions about your Part A and/or Part B coverage, or about how a specific item is covered, you can contact Medicare directly 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-800-633-4227. TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048. You can also search online at www.medicare.gov.
5. If you have questions about your Part D plan, contact your plan provider directly.
If your Medicare coverage changed
There are three ways your Medicare coverage may have changed during the previous year:
1. Your former Medicare Advantage or Part D plan was ended by your provider, and you had to enroll in a new plan.
2. Your plan provider made changes to your Medicare Advantage or Part D plan that took effect Jan. 1.
3. You left your former Medicare plan and enrolled in a new Medicare Advantage or Part D plan during the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period.
If you enrolled in a new plan during Annual Enrollment last fall because your plan was discontinued, or if you decided to switch to a different Medicare plan, be sure to review the new plan’s benefits, costs and if it has a network or not. Use the tips above to help you understand your plan better.
If you already had a Medicare Advantage or Part D prescription drug plan last year, your plan provider may have made some changes this year. Any changes your plan provider made went into effect Jan. 1. It’s important to review these changes more closely again to make sure you understand how your plan works, which benefits you have and how to plan financially for 2023.
Understanding the health care coverage your Medicare plan offers and how your plan works is key to helping you manage your overall health and wellness. Take advantage of available online resources to learn more. Doing so will help you stay organized and make healthy choices all year long.
Learn more about how to make the most of your Medicare benefits this year by visiting UHCMedicareNewsroom.com.
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