Main Reason Medicare Beneficiaries Have Trouble Planning for Health Care Costs

Planning for health care is an important decision for an aging population, but information on medical costs and how to manage them is hard to find. Medigap Advisors is filling in the blanks with a live teleseminar just for Medicare beneficiaries.
 
Jan. 17, 2012 - PRLog -- Surveys repeatedly indicate that the majority of Medicare beneficiaries fail to find coverage that effectively reduces out-of-pocket costs or they spend more than necessary for a Medicare plan because they lack information.  Medigap Advisors is offering two ways that beneficiaries can get the information they need to address both issues.  The essential “Cliff Notes” for Medicare plans as well as individual answers to call-in questions will be provided during a live program.  Beneficiaries can find accurate and up-to-date information during a complementary teleseminar Tuesday, January 24 at 5 PM Eastern.  Registration is available at http://www.MedigapAdvisors.com/teleseminar.htm.

According to Wiley Long, president of Medigap Advisors, “Many people have relied on work-based coverage and have little experience analyzing health care or insurance.  Even those who have shopped for coverage face a very different market with Medicare, and they are even less likely to understand what medical services cost.”  New resources are needed to help Medicare beneficiaries understand the health care costs they face so they can develop an effective plan to manage increasing costs during retirement.  

Many people compare prices on products they frequently buy.  They typically have the time and opportunity to see what different pharmacies charge for maintenance medications, for example.  Few have the opportunity to make similar comparisons for medical services when an accident or illness catches them unaware.  This is one of main reasons that Medicare beneficiaries need a Medicare plan that effectively manages the health care they don’t anticipate needing.

When medical problems arise, beneficiaries are subject to high levels of stress that impede judgment.  No one shops for the best coronary bi-pass surgeon until they have to, but that’s precisely when they are least likely to be able to process information.  Trying to absorb medical explanations and evaluate possible outcomes is hardest when worried about the consequences of making an uninformed choice where no second chance is allowed.

Preparing for a medical emergency is easier and more effective when done in advance.  That’s the time to consider whether a Medicare plan that has contracts with primary care doctors and specialists offers greater choice in areas where few doctors are accepting new Medicare patients.  

Since many Medicare plans set up rules specific only to a certain plan, several other questions need to be asked.  For instance, certain plans provide no coverage outside of emergency situations to see specialists who have not agreed to negotiated rates.  Plans may also require beneficiaries to get a referral before a specialist is covered.

Many beneficiaries are surprised to learn that not every medication is covered under all plans, and that plans separate prescription drugs into different tiers of coverage.  Out-of-pocket costs are lowest for generic equivalents, and brand-name drugs are covered at varying rates.  

The time to make decisions about costly medical care is optimal when beneficiaries first become eligible for Medicare.  That’s when they are most likely to have a guaranteed right to get certain Medicare plans, but additional opportunities may be available depending on their location and situation.  Annual enrollment is also available for Medicare Advantage plans and more than a dozen of such plans may be available in many areas.  With Medigap Advisors live question-and-answer session, beneficiaries and their children and other caregivers can assess the Medicare plan options they have on Tuesday, January 24 at 5 PM Eastern.  Complementary registration, as well as online information about Medicare plans, can be found at http://www.MedigapAdvisors.com/teleseminar.htm.

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About Medigap Advisors:

As the nation's leading independent online expert on supplementing Medicare, Medigap Advisors offers personal service to help Medicare beneficiaries strip the mystery from Medicare.

Along with beneficiaries, children of parents approaching retirement and other caregivers may participate in live Question and Answer Sessions during the monthly How to Get the Most from Medicare teleseminar. Registration is available at www.MedigapAdvisors.com/teleseminar.htm.

Medigap Advisors also provides confidential consultations to compare coverage options from different insurance companies by calling 1-866-323-1441 between 9 AM and 11 PM Eastern. In addition, powerful online tools to cut the cost of healthcare are available at http://www.MedigapAdvisors.com/member-benefits.htm.
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