CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Medicare is the federal health insurance program for people who are 65 or older, certain younger people with disabilities and people with certain diseases.
Experts at the Medicare advisory organization, Chapter say there are four factors you need to consider when you are looking at plans.
- How important is cost to you?
- What doctors do you see?
- What prescription medicines you take and which pharmacies do you prefer to fill them at?
- What is your lifestyle and do you travel a lot or not at all?
Here in Corpus Christi, there are more than 100 plans to choose from.
"These plans change every year," senior Medicare adviser Ari Parker said. "That means your coverage is changing even if you're already on a plan and the time in which you have maximum flexibility to review your plan and reconfirm your coverage is Oct. 15 to Dec. 7."
There are also two types of additional coverage for Medicare. Medicare Supplement insurance helps fill "gaps" in original Medicare and is sold by private companies.
Medicare advantage plans, sometimes called "Part C" are offered by Medicare-approved private companies that must follow rules set by Medicare.
Demand for these policies is increasing.
"There's absolutely been an increase in people being concerned about their health care and wanting the best fitting coverage in case they get sick," said Parker.
Medicare sign-ups run from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7.
Do you want to join a medicare health or drug plan? Click here.
And to make an appointment with a medicare adviser visit Chapter.
