Don't switch to Medicare Advantage Before reading this...

People with Original Medicare are often encouraged to switch to a Medicare Advantage plan with promises of lower costs, additional benefits, or other incentives.

Those benefits may be attractive. But before making the switch, there is another question you should ask:

What might I be giving up?

• Medicare Advantage is not the same as Original Medicare.

A Medicare Advantage plan is another way to receive your Medicare benefits. When you enroll, the private Medicare Advantage plan becomes responsible for administering your Medicare-covered health care.

That can mean different provider networks, copayments, plan rules, and prior-authorization requirements.

With Original Medicare, you can generally see any doctor or specialist who accepts Medicare. You can also choose a separate Part D prescription drug plan and, if eligible, purchase a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policy to help cover some of the costs Original Medicare doesn't pay.

With Medicare Advantage, your choices may be different depending upon the plan.

• Consider your return before you leave Original Medicare.

One of the most important issues is often overlooked:

What happens if you switch to Medicare Advantage and later decide you want Original Medicare again?

You can return to Original Medicare during an enrollment period. But returning to Original Medicare and getting a Medicare Supplement are two separate things.

The rules vary by state. There are narrow exceptions, like a first-year trial right but you often don't have a guarantee that you can purchase a Medigap policy. An insurance company may be allowed to consider your health history and decline your application.

That's why it's important to understand your Medigap rights before giving up existing coverage.

• Why would someone want to leave a Medicare Advantage plan?

Reasons include:

1. A doctor or specialist is no longer in the plan's network.

2. Benefits, costs, networks, or plan rules change.

3. Your health care needs change.

None of this means Medicare Advantage is a bad choice. For many people, particularly those looking to control monthly premiums or obtain additional benefits, a Medicare Advantage plan works best.

The important thing is to understand what you gain and what you may be giving up by changing.

• Don't make a Medicare plan decision based on the extras alone.

Dental, vision, hearing, fitness benefits, allowances, and other extras can be appealing. But access to doctors, hospitals, specialists, and medications — and your ability to change coverage later — is just as important. And some Medicare Supplements offer this extras too.

Before changing your Medicare coverage, ask:

What am I gaining? What am I giving up? And if I change my mind later, can I get back the coverage I have today?

The right Medicare choice is the one that fits your needs.

Learn as much as you can before making a decision because that decision affects your Medicare coverage for years.

• Need a Medicare coverage review?

	Call Mark Dierolf at: (831) 753-0507 for a review. Mark has over 40 years of experience with Medicare plans.
California residents: your birthday may provide an opportunity to change your Medigap coverage without medical questions. Call the month before to arrange a review.