- Do you qualify for payment assistance or have access to other coverage through any of the following… :
- Medicare Savings Program?
- Part D Low Income Subsidy?
- Employer/Military/Other Insurance?
- Medigap Plan?
- Which providers/facilities will you want to use?
- How important is it to you to continue seeing them?
- Do they accept Medicare?
- What Medicare Advantage Plan networks do they participate in?
- Are you comfortable with your care choices being directed… :
- By going through a primary care physician?
- By obtaining referrals to see specialists?
- By having to get prior authorization for some services?
- Do you travel outside your general home area?
- How often?
- How do you feel about having care access limited to emergency coverage and urgent care if you are outside your general home area?
- What medications do you take?
- What Plan’s formularies include your medications?
- How much are the co-payments for your medications?
- Can you take generic medications?
- How important are limits on your annual maximum out-of-pocket costs?
- What is the value for you of some coverage for other possible services?
(Examples: Dental, hearing and/or vision care, health club membership.) - How do you weigh the convenience of staying with a coverage option for most of your care versus continual annual checking to ensure providers/coverage requirements are not changing?
- How do you feel about a Medicare Advantage plan potentially having the ability to challenge your doctor’s determination that your care is reasonable and necessary?
- Will you be more likely to seek care if it is… :
- Easily accessible (Almost all providers/suppliers are available)?
- Convenient (Coverage available for care in most geographic areas)?
- Lower cost?