Medicare Advantage Plans California Medicare Supplement » Medicare Advantage Plans http://www.medicareplanssite.com California Residents: Fill the gap original Medicare does not cover with Medicare Supplement Plans (Medigap) and Medicare Advantage Plans. Fri, 18 Nov 2011 22:08:25 +0000 en hourly 1 10 Important Things To Know Before You Enroll In An Advantage Plan http://www.medicareplanssite.com/10-important-things-to-know-before-you-enroll-in-an-advantage-plan/ http://www.medicareplanssite.com/10-important-things-to-know-before-you-enroll-in-an-advantage-plan/#comments Fri, 10 Jul 2009 21:52:26 +0000 hains http://www.medicareplanssite.com/?p=200
  • Find out your Advantage plan’s regulations before you enroll as not all Medicare Advantage Plans work equally. You must follow the rules of your plan, like getting a referral to see a specialist or getting prior approval for certain procedures to avoid higher costs. Check with the plan. If you see a health care provider who doesn’t belong to the plan, your services may not be covered, or your costs may be higher, depending on the type of your Medicare Advantage Plan.
  • You can join a Medicare Advantage Plan even if you have a  pre‑existing condition, except for End-Stage Renal Disease.
  • You can only enroll in, switch or cancel a plan during a certain period of the year. In most cases, you are enrolled in your Advantage plan for a year.
  • A few Medicare Advantage Plans may pay all or part of your Part B premium
  • If you have limited income you can contact your State Medical Assistance (Medicaid) office to see if you can get help paying your Part B premium costs or for your Part D premium and other prescription drug coverage costs
  • When you join a Medicare Advantage Plan, you will have to provide your Medicare number and the date your Part A and/or Part B coverage started (you can find this information on your Medicare card)
  • You can usually get prescription drug (Part D) coverage through your plan. In most cases, if you are in an Advantage plan that includes prescription drug coverage and you join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan, you will be dis-enrolled from your Medicare Advantage Plan and returned to Original Medicare.
  • Once you selected a Medicare Advantage Plan, you may be able to enroll by completing a paper application, by phone or submitting an online application..
    Contact your plan provider or health insurance specialist to find out how you can join the plan you selected.
  • If you have Employer or Union coverage,
    you need to talk to your employer or union benefits administrator about their rules before you join a Medicare Advantage Plan. In some cases, joining a Medicare Advantage Plan might cause you to lose employer or union coverage. In other cases you may still be able to use your employer or union coverage along with the plan you enroll in.
  • In most cases, if you drop your Medigap policy in order to join a Medicare Advantage plan, you won’t be able to get it back. However, under certain circumstances you may have special Medigap protection.
    • ]]>     http://www.medicareplanssite.com/10-important-things-to-know-before-you-enroll-in-an-advantage-plan/feed/ 0     When Can You Enroll In, Switch Or Cancel A Medicare Advantage Plan? http://www.medicareplanssite.com/enroll-in-switch-cancel-a-medicare-advantage-plan/ http://www.medicareplanssite.com/enroll-in-switch-cancel-a-medicare-advantage-plan/#comments Fri, 10 Jul 2009 21:02:59 +0000 hains http://www.medicareplanssite.com/?p=198 You can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage Plan at these times:

    • When you first become eligible for Medicare (3 months before you turn age 65 to 3 months after the month you turn age 65)
    • If you get Medicare due to a disability, you can join during the 3 months before to 3 months after your 25th month of disability.
    • Between November 15–December 7 2011 (your coverage will begin on January 1 of the following year)

    However, you can’t enroll in or switch to a plan with prescription drug coverage during this time
    unless you already have Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D). You also can’t cancel a plan with prescription drug coverage or join, switch, or drop a Medicare Medical Savings Account Plan during this period.

    In most cases, you must stay enrolled in your current Advantage plan for that calendar year starting the date your coverage begins.

    However, in certain situations, you may be able to join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage Plan at other times. Some of these situations include the following:

    • If you move out of your plan’s service area
    • If you have both Medicare and Medicaid
    • If you qualify for “extra help”
    • If you live in an institution

    To switch to a new Medicare Advantage Plan, simply join the new plan during the period listed above. You will be disenrolled automatically from your old plan when your new plan’s coverage begins.
    If you are planning to switch your plan and need more information, please feel free to contact us.

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