Are You Prepared for Medicare Open Enrollment? 3 Key Things to Do Today and 1 to Do Soon.

If you're enrolled in Medicare, October is an important month. On Oct. 15, Medicare's annual open enrollment period will begin. It runs through Dec. 7. During this time, current enrollees can make changes to their coverage.

That could include:

• Switching from one Medicare Advantage plan to another.
• Dumping Medicare Advantage in favor of original Medicare.
• Getting a new Part D drug plan.

Given that open enrollment is less than two weeks away, now's the time to start preparing. These moves could make the process of looking at or choosing new coverage go a lot smoother.

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1. List your current medications and dosages

The prescriptions you need coverage for should play a big role in considering a new Medicare plan. Make a list of the medications you take, along with their dosages. Having this information handy will make it easier to figure out how much your prescriptions might cost under a new plan.

2. List your preferred healthcare providers

If you're looking for a new Medicare Advantage plan, it's important to make sure your preferred providers are in that plan's network. Otherwise, seeing them could become expensive. To that end, make a list of the doctors and specialists you want to keep seeing so you can verify your coverage under different plan options.

3. See how your current plan is changing

Before you decide on a new Medicare plan, find out what your current one has in store for you in the new year. It may be that your Medicare Advantage plan is adding providers and benefits, or taking some benefits away. Or, it could be that your Part D plan's drug formulary is changing, resulting in a different set of copays.

Medicare plans are generally required to send out an annual notice of change by the end of September. If yours is missing, contact your plan administrator.

4. Figure out if your health needs are changing

If you were recently diagnosed with a new condition or expect to need surgery in the new year, these are things that should factor into your plan choice. You may want to proactively schedule a checkup with your primary care provider and/or specialists to get a sense of what your needs might look like in 2027. That could help you choose a plan that offers the best coverage.

Getting yourself organized ahead of Medicare's open enrollment period could make it easier to explore your options for coverage with less stress. So it pays to make these key moves sooner rather than later.

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