Medicare Open Enrollment Is 2 Months Away: Do These Things to Prepare Now

Around this time of year, the retail world tends to rush the return to fall. Walk around your local supermarket, and you'll probably see Halloween candy on display. And don't be surprised if you start seeing pumpkin spice-everything pop up as well.

But as much as you may want to continue basking in the glory of summer, there's one fall event you should pause your beach plans for -- Medicare open enrollment.

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Medicare open enrollment runs Oct. 15 through Dec. 7. During that time, you can make changes to your coverage, which could mean switching from one Part D drug plan to another or getting a new Medicare Advantage plan.

But it's important to prepare for open enrollment in advance. Here are three ways to do so now.

1. Figure out if your current plan is working for you

You may be inclined to stick with your current Medicare plan because it's familiar. But if that plan is costing you more money than necessary or has other flaws, it's best to identify them now and see whether there's a better fit.

To that end, make a list of the things you like about your plan and what you don't. That could make it easier to compare your coverage to other options that may be available to you once you start looking in October.

2. Review your provider network

If you have original Medicare, you can typically see any doctor in the country who accepts Medicare. If you're on a Medicare Advantage plan, your choices may be more limited.

If the latter applies to you, now's a great time to review your provider network. If you see that some of your specialists are no longer part of it, you can seek out options during open enrollment that allow you to see the doctor you prefer.

3. Review your prescriptions

One of the most crucial things in the context of open enrollment is knowing which prescriptions you take, how often you take them, and what your dosages are. Medicare plan formularies can change from one year to the next. So it's important to compare the cost of your medications under your current plan versus new ones.

It may also be a good time to talk to your doctors about switching to generics, if applicable. That could impact your costs and plan choices.

Although Medicare open enrollment is still two months away, preparing in advance could make that period less stressful. So it's worth taking the time in August to complete the steps above. But don't worry -- you can still groan at those Halloween displays, which really should not be out at a time when many folks are still walking around in flip-flops.

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