Whether you're enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan for the first time, switching your current coverage, or renewing your current coverage, it's important to know what to review before choosing a plan. In this video, we're going to go over our pre-enrollment Medicare Advantage checklist so that you can feel more confident in your decision.

Your pre-enrollment Medicare Advantage checklist will include:
• Which doctors are in your plan's network
• Your plan's coverage area
• Cost-sharing
• Summary of benefits
• Drug formulary (if the plan includes prescription drug coverage)

The first item on the checklist is doctor networks:
• Most Advantage plans are HMOs or PPOs with limited networks so it's important to make sure that all of your physicians are within the plan's network
• If you have multiple doctors, make sure each one accepts the plan you're choosing
• Also, consider that you'll need a referral from your primary care physician to see a specialist

The next item on the checklist is the coverage area:
• Advantage plans do not travel with you – thus, if you travel a lot, an Advantage plan might not be the best option for you because some restrict you to the doctors within your county

Next up is cost-sharing/out-of-pocket costs:
• Cost-sharing varies from plan to plan
• It includes deductibles, coinsurance, and copays
• Check how much copays are to see primary care physicians and specialists
• If you see doctors often, these amounts can add up quickly
• Check what the maximum out-of-pocket limit is, as these vary from plan to plan; plans with lower monthly premiums tend to have higher maximum out-of-pocket amounts

Next, check for extra benefits:
• Not all Advantage plans include dental, vision, and hearing, so make sure your plan includes the extra benefits you want
• Ask your agent if there is a Part B reduction plan available to you – this is when the plan reimburses some or all of your Part B premium (not available in all areas)

Finally, you'll want to go over all the important documents:
• Summary of Benefits – Check the benefits (including exclusions), deductible amounts, coinsurance and copay amounts, out-of-pocket limit, direct links to preferred provider directory and drug formulary, as well as any referral requirements
• Annual Notice of Coverage & Evidence of Coverage – What you'll receive if you're already enrolled in an Advantage plan; These notify you of any changes that will take effect in the plan in the following year
• Drug Formulary – If the plan includes prescription drug coverage, this will include all the medications your plan covers; check that all of your medications are included on the formulary – also, check the deductible for prescription drugs, which varies from $0 to $445

The enrollment periods you can use to make changes to your Advantage plan are:
• Initial Coverage Election Period
• Annual Enrollment Period
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period

Thank you for watching this video! We hope you found it educational. If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments below. Please subscribe to our YouTube channel and join our Medicare Community on Facebook.

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Resources:
- https://www.medicarefaq.com/faqs/pre-enrollment-medicare-advantage-checklist/
- https://www.medicarefaq.com/faqs/medicare-advantage-open-enrollment-period/
- https://www.medicarefaq.com/faqs/medicare-annual-enrollment-period/
- https://www.medicarefaq.com/faqs/medicare-advantage-vs-medicare-supplement/
- https://www.medicarefaq.com/original-medicare/medicare-parts/medicare-part-c/
- https://www.medicarefaq.com/original-medicare/medicare-parts/medicare-part-c/medicare-advantage-prescription-d