Medicare Open Enrollment and Other Ways to Stay Healthy Using Tech

Medicare Open Enrollment happens every fall; this year, it takes place between October 15th and December 7th. This is the only period you can make changes to your Medicare provision, which means it is a common time of year for seniors to evaluate not just their healthcare, but also ways in which they can improve their overall health. In this article, we will cover everything you need to know about Open Enrollment, as well as some tips on how the internet and modern tech can keep you fit and healthy in the upcoming year.

Medicare Open Enrollment

Even if you’re fairly happy with your current plan, it is still a good idea to review your coverage and make sure that you could not be getting a better deal elsewhere. For instance, if you are enrolled in Original Medicare, you may want to consider switching to a Medicare Advantage plan. These often include extra benefits and can sometimes even be cheaper. Medicare Advantage Plans can offer plans with expanded prescription coverage, dental, vision, hearing, and more.

If you already have a Medicare Advantage plan, you could shop around to see if you can find a better one. In this case, you can also switch during the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, which happens every year from January 1 to March 31.

When looking at alternative plans, start by forecasting your upcoming year’s health needs and reviewing your current plan’s notice of change (you should have received this already). You should also check that your preferred doctor and pharmacy are covered in your desired plan.

It’s important to note that Open Enrollment is only for those already enrolled in Medicare. Even if you become eligible during this period, the rules of the Initial Enrollment Period will apply, whereby you have seven months to enroll without incurring a late enrollment fee.

Similarly, if you rely on Medigap to supplement your Original Medicare, you should know that the fall Open Enrollment doesn’t apply to Medigap. While you can switch your Medigap plan at any time, your initial Medicare Supplement Open Enrollment period (six months after your Plan B coverage starts) is the only time that insurers have to take you without questions.

Tech to Keep You Healthy

As well as being the time to review your healthcare coverage, fall is a great time to start forming good habits. After all, the easiest way to save money on healthcare is to work on staying healthy! Senior tech has come a long way in the past few years, and it’s worth looking into ways you can take advantage of its many benefits

One of the best innovations for seniors is smart tech. A few particularly great smart devices for seniors include smart lights that make homes safer, smart medication dispensers that reduce mistakes, and smart home sensors that make it easy to call for help in case of an emergency.

Meanwhile, there is a wealth of apps out there that are perfect for seniors who want to improve their health and fitness. Try MyFitnessPal for monitoring your nutrition, Sleep Cycle to get better rest, or MapMyWalk to track your walks and motivate you to keep moving. You could also invest in a fitness tracking device — these usually come with their own apps for easy monitoring.

Whether it’s for apps or smart devices, you will probably need a high-quality smartphone. Several providers have excellent deals that allow you to get the latest models for cheaper, meaning you could even get the iPhone XS Max, with its extended battery life and wireless charging system, without blowing your budget. Of course, if you’d prefer an Android phone, then you have quite a few incredible options to choose from.

Switching Medicare plans online is not particularly difficult, but researching the best plan can be pretty complicated. Luckily, there is a wealth of online resources available to help you with your decision, and you have almost three months to make your decision (and change your mind as often as you want). As you make this choice, consider how you can make healthy changes to your lifestyle and think about the ways you can use modern tech to support these decisions.

See also:

Low-Cost Healthcare Resources
What is Medicare?