Do you like to have a re-cap and look back at last year so you can hopefully learn something or avoid making the same mistakes over and over again? Sure cannot hurt and might even help!
Whether you reviewed your Medicare Prescription plan or not, did you review your Prescription benefits to avoid surprises? I’ve already gotten a few calls saying they just found out their premium changed. Since the Annual Election (enrollment) Period ended December 7, it’s too late to make any changes for 2019. Information about the 2019 version of your plan was provided in your Annual Notice of Change information mailed to you in early October. This included your 2019 premium and the amount of the deductible. A 2019 formulary book was also mailed. These will prove to be valuable resources for the year. You may have gotten a lot of mail during that time but it’s really important to read all the information your Prescription plan sends you. Formulary book? That’s the book that shows the prescriptions your plan covers and what tier they are in. The tier indicates how much your co-pay will be when you get your prescription filled. If “the dog ate your formulary book”, call the customer service number on the back of your ID card and request another book be mailed to you. To help manage the costs of your prescriptions, you may want to take this book with you when you go to the doctor. Taking some new prescriptions this year? Diagnosed with a new illness or condition? If so, how will these affect you and your medical costs? If you are healthy and energetic, what are you going to do to stay that way? Eat more chocolate? - dark chocolate, of course! Did you have your 2018 annual wellness checkup? Have you scheduled your 2019 annual wellness checkup? If so, you’re on top of things. . . if not, call your doctor’s office now. This visit may help find a minor condition that can easily be treated before it develops into a major situation. Don’t forget to take a list of your prescriptions to your appointment (and maybe include over-the-counter medications as well). Got some questions or concerns you’ve intended to ask your doctor? Make a list of any changes you’ve noticed as well as all your current existing health conditions. Reflect on last year. What do you wish you’d done differently? What would you like to do differently this year? Explore options for making those changes. Make a list to guide you through the things you want to consider and things you want to make certain that you do. I’m a big list maker, are you? Hopefully you have a team of advisors (doctor, pharmacist, insurance agent) who you depend on. When was the last time you called and thanked them? As you recap 2018 and think of something you’d like to talk about, call 501-868-6650 and say “Caroline, can we talk?”
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AuthorCaroline Beauchamp specializes in personalized life and health insurance solutions. Archives
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