What Happens After You Enroll In A Medicare Plan
So, you’ve successfully enrolled in a Medicare Plan. Congratulations! You have taken the first step and are well on your way to receiving Medicare health insurance coverage. It’s important to be aware of what happens next, right after you’ve enrolled.
As a Plan Medicare client, you will receive an email alerting you that your plan has been accepted and you are successfully enrolled. Once you have received this email, you should be on the lookout for a few pieces of important mail that will be sent to you in 7-10 business days. These documents will come from your insurance carrier. Here’s what you should receive:
- Welcome Kit: The welcome package will include a Certificate of Insurance, billing information, review of Value Added Services and other notices and information.
- Formulary & Directory: You will receive a formulary and a directory for those who have enrolled in either a Part D Drug Plan or a Medicare Advantage Plan. The Formulary will tell you what drugs are covered in your plan. The Directory is a list of doctors in your plan’s network.
- Automatic Payment Authorization Form: For those individuals who chose not to sign up for automatic bank withdrawals at the time of application, an Automatic Payment Authorization Form will be sent in the Welcome Kit, and will need to be filled out and sent back to the insurance carrier.
- Member ID Card: This will be mailed separately from the Welcome Kit & Payment Form. Hold onto this card.
- Coupon Booklet: Some carriers will also mail a coupon booklet to you, separate from the welcome kit, which will entitle you to discounts at certain retailers.
Insurance carriers will also be sending you various communications throughout the year, letting you know important plan updates, and potential changes. Some carriers send out monthly newsletters with articles and tips for living a healthy lifestyle.
Every year, typically in the fall, you should receive an Annual Rate Notification from your insurance carrier. This document is intended to inform insured members of the company’s new rates for the coming year. This is also referred to as an Annual Notice of Change or an Evidence of Coverage document.
Additionally, most carriers will send out a Plan Review Kit towards the end of every year. This is a document that contains product and plan specific information regarding your coverage. Other communications may be sent throughout the year, such as legally required mailings, product changes and other retention-driven mailings.
If you are coming off of an employer plan, and have enrolled in a Medicare Supplement Plan you can double check that Medicare is your primary insurance by calling 1-855-798-2627. This is the number for Benefits Coordination. Sometimes your employer insurance will remain listed as your primary, even after you have successfully enrolled into a supplement plan, so it’s important to double check.
You can also always call 1-800-MEDICARE, to obtain general information about Medicare and your plan.
Now that you are successfully enrolled in a Medicare Plan, you should be thinking about additional ways to save and plan for your retirement. Plan Medicare offers a full suite of financial planning and insurance coverage, including:
- Dental Insurance
- Social Security Planning
- Long-Term Care Insurance
- Annuities
- Life Insurance
