How to prepare for your new 2020 Medicare plan
Now that Medicare open enrollment ended on December 7, it is time to prepare for your new 2020 Medicare plan. People wanting to disenroll from or switch Medicare Advantage plans can do so during the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (MA-OEP) that runs from January 1st through March 31st, 2020.
If you changed health or drug plans for 2020, your new coverage begins January 1, 2020. By now, you should have received a Welcome Kit with your new Medicare card and Medicare Number. Make sure you bring your card to any appointments with your doctors, so they have your new number in their systems. If you still have not received membership information you can contact either:
- your agent
- your plan’s Member Services department
- a Medicare representative 1-800-633-4227
Don’t forget Medicare also covers preventive services, like yearly wellness visits and screenings for breast cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and other services. Most of these services are at no cost to you. Preventive services are key to maintaining your wellbeing, as they keep you from getting sick and help find health problems early. Check Medicare.gov for a complete list of Medicare-covered preventive services.
Check your plan’s formulary for Drug Coverage
Medicare does not cover all prescription drugs. Each Medicare drug plan has its own list of drugs called a formulary. The formulary will include generic and brand-name drugs. The plan’s formulary must meet Medicare’s requirements. Check to see if the plan covers your prescription drugs. Browse Any Medicare PDP Formulary. This includes Prior Authorization, Quantity Limits or Step Therapy in Medicare Part D. If your drug has restrictions, you need to work with your doctor to meet requirements or ask your 2020 plan for a formulary exception. Since a formulary exception request is not guaranteed, you should also speak with your provider about finding an alternative medication to non-formulary drugs.
Check your pharmacy and providers.
Go to your plan’s website and make sure your current pharmacy is a preferred network pharmacy. In general, preferred network pharmacies have lower cost-sharing as compared to standard network pharmacies which means you may pay less for your prescriptions. If you enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, check with your plan to ensure that your hospital, doctors, and other healthcare providers are included in your plan’s network.
Continue to beware of scams!
Medicare.gov warns that new numbers can still be used to commit health care fraud. Protect your Medicare card just like your credit cards. Only give your Medicare Number to doctors, pharmacists, other health care providers, your insurer, or people you trust to work with Medicare on your behalf. Medicare will never call you uninvited and ask for your Medicare Number or other personal information. Don’t give your Medicare Number to anyone who calls you and asks for it. If Medicare learns that your Medicare number has been compromised, you’ll get a new card with a new number and a letter explaining the situation.
We Can Help
If you are a senior and have Medicare questions call Empower today. Let us help with your Medicare questions so you can get back to the activities you enjoy the most. 1-888-446-9157 or click here to get an INSTANT QUOTE