My first blog suggested that you should consider seven things when choosing a Medicare plan. They are:
Cost
Coverage
Any other Coverage
prescription Drugs
Doctors and Hospitals
Quality of Care
Travel
My previous blogs covered the first four and this blog will cover the final three.
Doctors and Hospitals:
Seniors frequently have doctors they like and have seen for years.
As Seniors our health will unfortunately change and we need greater access to doctors and hospitals.
What Seniors do know is that nothing is more important than your health except how to pay for it and how to get the best care.
This is where Medicare comes in. Seniors can choose a network of doctors and hospitals that they feel comfortable with and are confident that they are getting the best medical available. This network frequently works in their budget and has doctors they currently see. Medicare though has dozens of Network Plans called advantage plans with different benefits. These Advantage Medicare plans also have specific contracted Hospitals that Seniors would use for their care.
Medicare also offers Supplements along with original Medicare that allows Seniors to choose any doctor and hospital that takes Medicare. Seniors that have these Supplements generally don’t pay the doctors or hospitals out of their pocket.
The bottom line is that Medicare offers Seniors lots of choices for medical Doctors and Hospitals.
Quality of care:
Medicare is so large and powerful that Seniors have assurances and oversight that doctors and hospitals must meet standards. Think of Medicare being on your side. Medicare provides a quality of care that isn’t available to people under 65.
Travel:
Once again Medicare has you covered. Your choices are particularly important if you know that you will travel throughout the United States. If you have original Medicare with parts A and B you can go to any doctor or hospital in the United States as long as they take Medicare.
If you have an advantage plan you are covered on an emergency basis.
If a Senior knows they will travel they might want to consider a Supplement so they can get medical care beyond an emergency.