What to Ask Your Agent When Enrolling in Medicare Coverage

eHealth Releases Top 10 Questions Checklist - Seite 2

5. Are there any specific benefits I do or do not need? - Do you need dental coverage? What about vision care? Some Medicare Advantage plans provide these kinds of benefits. Others may offer free memberships with local wellness programs and fitness centers. Are these valuable to you?

6. Will I need coverage in more than one locale? - A lot of seniors like to travel, and some will spend half the year in the north and half in the south. If you like to travel, you should know that some plans rely on specific networks of doctors and hospitals. Make sure that you'll have the coverage you need wherever you may be.

7. Will I face any coverage gaps if I enroll in this plan? - Make sure you understand where and when you may be on the line for out-of-pocket expenses, and what the outer limits of those expenses may be. For any given Medicare plan you're considering, ask your agent what the worst-case scenario may look like when it comes to out-of pocket costs. Can you afford it in an emergency?

8. Will my preferred doctors and hospitals accept this plan? - You may have a favorite doctor or medical clinic that you want to keep seeing. Some Medicare plans utilize specific networks of medical care providers. Make sure you understand whether any new plan you're considering will also cover your preferred doctors, or whether you'll be required to switch.

9. Is my agent recommending plans based on his or her commission? - You want to work with a licensed agent that represents multiple insurance companies and can give you a broad range of choices. Ask your agent frankly if a plan he or she is recommending pays the agent a higher commission. At eHealth, our only bias is toward you. Our agents are commission-blind and don't get paid differently based on which plans they sell.

10. What can I expect to pay in terms of premiums and out-of-pocket costs next year?  - You want to be an informed Medicare shopper. Now that you've tentatively picked a plan, look back at your estimates of what you can afford and what kind of coverage you think you'll need. Does the plan you've settled on meet those criteria? If the answer is "Yes," then you've found a winner.

About eHealth 
eHealth, Inc. (NASDAQ: EHTH) operates eHealthInsurance.com, the Nation's first and largest private health insurance exchange where individuals, families and small businesses can compare health insurance products from leading insurers side by side and purchase and enroll in coverage online. eHealthInsurance offers thousands of individual, family and small business health plans underwritten by more than 200 of the nation's leading health insurance companies. eHealthInsurance is licensed to sell health insurance in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. eHealth, Inc. also provides powerful online and pharmacy-based tools to help Medicare beneficiaries navigate Medicare health insurance options, choose the right plan and enroll in select plans online through PlanPrescriber.com (www.planprescriber.com) and eHealthMedicare.com (www.eHealthMedicare.com). 

For more health insurance news and information, visit the eHealth consumer blog: Get Smart - Get Covered or visit eHealth's Affordable Care Act Resource Center at www.eHealth.com/affordable-care-act.

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