5 Ways to be Proactive About Your Healthcare & Medicare Plan

How committed are you to staying healthy? By being proactive about both your healthcare and Medicare insurance you’ll be able to make the best medical decisions for yourself. Here are five ways to take action today so you’re ready to face any medical complications that may arise in the future.

See your primary care doctor at least once a year

Set up an annual checkup with your doctor at the start of every year. Your doctor has a better view of your overall health and is more likely to detect any possible problems when he sees you once a year. This appointment also gives you a chance to discuss any health concerns you have.

Bonus step: Contact your doctor right away if anything in your health changes. This includes, but is not limited to: side effects from medications, new moles or skin growths, trouble sleeping, abnormal pain, or difficulty digesting food.

Change your diet and exercise routine

The food you eat and the exercise you get each day have an impact on your health. And while a healthy diet and exercise can’t prevent all sickness, they strengthen your heart and lungs, improve your blood circulation, and lower your risk of high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Seniors also recover more quickly from the flu and colds when they are exercising on a regular basis and eating a nutritious diet.

Locate your closest urgent care and emergency room

If an unexpected accident or sickness occurs, do you know where your closest urgent care or emergency room are? Make sure you and anyone you live with knows how to get from your house to the nearest emergency facility. If you travel often, find out where the nearest urgent care will be.

Keep a list of medications and a list of medical conditions in your wallet

It may not be pleasant to think about an emergency happening to you, but being proactive means being prepared for possible emergencies. If an accident should happen, any paramedics, doctors, or medical staff need to be aware of your current medical conditions and the medications you’re taking.

Review your Medicare insurance plan each year

If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan (MAPD) or a Prescription Drug Plan (PDP), you can change your plan during Medicare’s Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), which takes place between October 15 and December 7. For those who have Medicare Supplement plans, speak to a Medicare insurance agent to find out which special enrollment periods allow you to change your plan.

When reviewing your Medicare plan, take into account monthly premiums, annual deductibles, the cost of prescription drugs (specifically the medications you currently take), and other costs such as co-payments, emergency care, surgery, and lab and diagnostic services. Being aware of the cost of medical appointments and procedures can help you plan for the future use of them.

Have more questions? We can help. Caress Insurance Agency, Inc. can answer your Healthcare and Medicare questions at no cost to you. We work with Mercy Scripps Hospital to help answer your Medicare questions and provide you with the latest information on your Medicare insurance plans.

Need to compare plans? We’ve created an online tool to easily compare plans and get a custom quote tailored to your unique needs: click here to get a quote in just minutes!