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Medicare’s annual enrollment period is now open, offering beneficiaries a chance to examine their coverage before selecting a plan for the coming year. Licensed agents with SANO say the choice should involve far more than the monthly premium.
“You’ve got to look at your prescription drug plans,” said Kim West, a licensed Medicare agent with SANO. She said some insurers are no longer covering certain medications, so people should not assume their current plan will remain the same.
A low premium may look appealing, but it does not tell the full story, according to fellow agent Kevin Cox.
“Premium is important,” Cox said. He advised people to consider the entire cost picture, including doctor visits and hospital stays, before enrolling. “You want to look at the whole package because sometimes low premium isn’t the best or going to meet your needs,” Cox said.
West said Medicare choices are becoming a bigger part of retirement planning. “It’s actually becoming a really large part of your financial plan,” she said. “Healthcare is expensive,” she said, pointing to rising copays and plan costs.
Coverage is not only for people 65 and older. Marlayna West, another licensed Medicare agent with SANO, said the agency also works with younger clients, including those leaving a parent’s plan, retiring early, or working for themselves without employer coverage. She said enrollment for those options begins soon.
Consulting a licensed SANO agent costs nothing, the agents said, and is meant to be a year-round resource rather than a one-time appointment.
Anyone with questions about Medicare or health insurance options can call SANO at 313-228-1939 or visit sano.org/wdiv.
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