Are you in the wrong Medicare Advantage plan? What to review now

abcnews.go.com:

Many people choose Medicare Advantage plans without exploring their options or noticing what changes their plan may have made, according to research

Many people choose Medicare Advantage plans without exploring their options or noticing what changes their plan may have made, according to research from KFF, a health policy nonprofit. But now that a new year has started, you may realize the plan you picked during Medicare’s fall open enrollment doesn’t work for you. Or maybe you stuck with your old plan and it changed this year. (That can happen, too.)

Medicare Advantage open enrollment, which runs from Jan. 1 to March 31, gives members the option to switch Medicare Advantage plans or move back to Original Medicare.

“It’s set up especially for people who begin the year enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan and allows them to make certain changes,” says David Lipschutz, associate director of the Center for Medicare Advocacy.

Here’s where to start.

DOES YOUR CURRENT COVERAGE WORK FOR YOU?

Even if you haven’t had a chance to stress test your plan yet, do some research while you still have time to change your mind. Are there providers or specialists you want to see or hospitals you prefer? Make sure they’re in your network.

Check your medications, particularly if you’re on a newer drug that may be covered differently by different plans. How much do your prescriptions cost under your plan?

Then, think about your situation this year. “Are there any procedures, like a surgery that’s coming up?” says Christopher Fong, director and co-founder of Smile Insurance Group in Mesa, Arizona. “Is it outpatient? Inpatient? How many emergency room visits do you have? Do you need an electric scooter?” The more you can predict your health