3 Things You Need to Know for Medicare Enrollment

Medicare Enrollment: 3 Things You Need to Know 

You’re about to turn 65 and you know the time is coming – Medicare. But you also know all the troubles you’ve heard that arise from trying to sign up for Medicare. There are so many plans to choose from, between Medicare supplement plans and Medicare Advantage plans, and then there’s knowing what prescriptions are covered and whether your doctors are within the network for the plan you choose. 

Whew. 

It honestly just sounds like a lot of headache and stress. 

But it doesn’t have to be! 

At Southwest Senior Advisors we’re here to help you every step of the way. We have made this business our passion and that passion is fueled by your successes. Taking the complicated mess of Medicare, and turning it into something plain, simple, and easy for you to understand, well, that’s a success for us. 

So here’s 3 things you need to know about Medicare in order to make your enrollment a success.  

1. Penalties and Windows

So here’s the bad news first. Missing Medicare enrolment windows will result in penalties. The open enrollment window is 3 months before turning 65 and runs until 3 months after your 65^th birthday. Not getting signed up within this window can potentially give you penalties that are applied to your premium. Those who don’t make it within this timeframe could potentially end up paying double the amount on their premium depending on how long they wait to sign up. And what’s more, these penalties never go away! 

Don’t let this be you! These penalties are easy to avoid if you just remember the enrollment window and start preparing yourself before the time is up. Whether you do your own Medicare research, or let us do it for you, doing this research before your window closes is the first step to success. 

2. How to Enroll 

So now you know when you need to enroll, but how do you go about doing it? There are 3 simple ways to start the Medicare process

1. You can go online to ssa.gov and enroll 
2. In person by going to a local Medicare office, like here in Farmington NM at 4650 N Butler Ave
3. You can call 1-800-772-1213 and enroll over the phone

Here’s where Southwest Senior Advisors comes in to make this process a breeze. While you could do all the research on your own, you would miss out on valuable insight and experience we’ve gained over the years as we’ve helped other clients. Our passion is to sit down with you and work through your needs in order to find a plan that fits your needs best. We sift through budget, medical expenses, prescription drugs, doctors and networks – all in order to optimize your coverage. You can leave our office feeling relieved, knowledgeable, and with the perfect Medicare plan for you. 

Choosing a plan doesn’t have to be stressful! Come chat with us today and let our experience help you find the plan that fits you best. 

3. Medicare is NOT all inclusive

So you’ve enrolled, picked a plan, and now you’re good right? Well, not quite. Believe it or not, Medicare isn’t going to cover all your health costs from here on out. That’s where Southwest Senior Advisors wants to make sure you’re covered! While Medicare will eventually pay at an 80/20 ratio, there’s no cap on that 20%. So what does that mean? It means if you have a really difficult year that results in a lot of medical expenses, you’re left footing the bill at 20%...until it’s fully paid! Where most insurance plans have a “cap” or a stopping point for patient payment, Medicare doesn’t have a limit on how much you’ll pay. And if you’re paying a rather large bill, that 20% can get expensive fast! 

But we know how to help. With Medicare supplement plans, or gap coverage added to your Medicare plan, you will eventually hit a max out of pocket payment and then you can rest easy knowing the rest of the bill is taken care of. 

Not all advertised plans are inclusive in terms of doctors and networks. A plan may look fantastic online and seem to fit your budget and needs perfectly. But what happens if your doctor doesn’t accept it? Then you’re left having to choose to either pay out of pocket for the doctor you like, or find a new provider in your network. 

With Southwest Senior Advisory we have those local connections and relationships already established with providers in the area. We can quickly let you know which doctor accepts Medicare and what would be the best plan and coverage for you. 

So Now You Know 

Now that you’re aware of Medicare’s enrollment window, the penalties and gap coverage, you can have a better sense of what to do when that time arises. Our motto is that “we take the stress out of Medicare” and we want to do that for you today! Our goal is to help you feel prepared, informed, and confident that you’re getting the coverage you deserve at the cost that’s right for you. 

Come visit us today and let us help you get started on your successful Medicare journey!