Insurance plans operate in networks, and some are so broad that moving is no issue. Other health insurance plans like Health Maintenance or Preferred Provider Organizations are a different story because the networks are narrow. Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage highlight this point.
The question then extends to can versus should. Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage are the inverse of each other when it comes to changing plans after moving.
This Isn’t an Issue with Original Medicare
Original Medicare is a combination of Medicare Parts A and B, and together, they drastically reduce your inpatient and outpatient costs. The fact that you can go to any healthcare provider and receive treatment is one of Original Medicare’s best selling points. Medicare is a federal health insurance program. As long as you’re in the U.S., it doesn’t matter where you move. No need to make any extra phone calls or undergo the enrollment process yet another time.
Switching with Medicare Advantage
There’s nothing forcing you to switch plans, but this is the most logical choice you have. Medicare Advantage policies operate in a much smaller network. You have to adhere to your policy, or else you will have to pay more to see an out-of-network provider. Worse yet, an out-of-network physician may decide not to treat you at all.
Unless you’re moving to a nearby city and the select providers in your network are within driving distance, you’ll need to take advantage of the Special Enrollment Period.
The Special Enrollment Period’s length depends on when you alert your plan that you’re moving. If you let your plan’s providers know beforehand, then you’ve got from the month before moving to two months after you move. If you tell them after, then you’ve got until two months after you’ve moved to switch plans.
If you don’t do anything, then you’ll be enrolled in Original Medicare after you’ve been disenrolled from your Medicare Advantage Plan.
Even if You Move
With Trusted Senior Specialists, you only move forward. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and an ever-growing customer base. To find out more, call us today at (855) 952-1941 or you can also video chat with us for free.
