Congratulations! You have enrolled in a Medicare plan. The hard work is done! Now that you have the right Medicare coverage, it’s important to know what comes next. Here is everything you need to know about what happens after you enroll in a Medicare plan.

Plan Medicare clients who have enrolled through a licensed Plan Medicare agent will be alerted at every step of the way once they have completed their enrollment. The first piece of information is an email alert, which you will receive as soon as your plan as been accepted and approved. This will come from Plan Medicare directly. 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, not from Plan Medicare. Here’s what you should be on the lookout to receive:

• The Plan Welcome Kit: Every insurance carrier’s welcome package is slightly different, but all of them will include a Certificate of Insurance, your billing information, review of Value Added Services and other notices and information.
• Automatic Payment Authorization Form: If you want to pay for your plan bills through auto-deduction, you will need to fill out an Automatic Payment Authorization Form, which will be included in your welcome kit. You can fill it out and send it directly back to the carrier.
• ID Card: Your ID card will be mailed to you separately from the welcome kit and any payment forms. It’s very important that you 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.
• Part D/ Medicare Advantage Formulary & Directory: If you have enrolled in a Part D drug plan or a Medicare Advantage Plan and would like to see a formulary and a directory for your plan you will need to reach out to the insurance carrier directly to request this.  The Formulary will tell you what drugs are covered in your plan. The Directory is a list of doctors in your plan’s network.

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 interesting articles for you to read. If you receive a piece of mail from your insurance carrier, and have any questions about it, you should always reach out to your Plan Medicare agent directly to have your question answered.

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. It is a very normal practice for plans to change costs and coverage options annually. You should read this carefully and reach out to your Plan Medicare agent if you have any questions about it.

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

You can read more about our additional services here.

Thank you for choosing Plan Medicare to be your trusted Medicare advisor. We are here to assist with all of your Medicare needs.