To a person who is not familiar with the way in which the insurance sector works, it is certainly difficult to understand the program structure of any of the Medicare Advantage Plans. There are just a few important points that you need to keep in mind while choosing one of these plans. As a person who is approaching the age of 65, it is necessary to know the mandatory actions that you have to go through to be eligible for an Advantage plan.
Annual Exam
A thorough physical examination is a must if you want to be part of an Advantage plan. It does not matter whether you have done this in the past already; going through a physical exam is mandatory and you are likely to forfeit your benefits if you skip this annual physical examination. Please also note that this is not something that you can do at your local clinic. It should be in a proper hospital or at the place of a person who has been registered as a medical practitioner, authorised to give you a clean chit. Now, if you suffer from a prolonged illness, this has to be registered too. You also need to have a doctor write about the condition of your eyesight, hearing, and teeth-related problems. If you have to take a couple of tests, x-rays, and other diagnostic services; these could also be claimed under Part C, which are the benefits of an Advantage plan.
Additional Benefits
These are benefits that got integrated into Part C of Medicare plans – also called Advantage plans. These additional benefits were day-care for senior citizens, cost of local conveyance for a person who had to travel a certain distance for an annual physical examination, or payment for full time or part-time nursing. These are just a few of the additional benefits that have been covered in these plans. Since 2019, OTC drugs have been included, making it easy for people to submit such medical bills for reimbursement. What is usually done is this: people first register for Part A and Part B. Once this is done and they reach the specified age, they can opt for an Advantage plan that gives them access to multiple things that they would otherwise have to pay hefty sums for.
In case you are not too confident about the choice that you have made, please check with a reliable insurance company.