Faq: Proposed Medicare Advantage Plan
dateMay 6, 2021
Frequently Asked Questions About the Proposed Medicare Advantage Plan. For a full list of questionnaire and reference chart, link here.
Q: My primary care physician does not accept Medicare. I am currently reimbursed according to Medicare rates but pay extra to see him. Will this remain the same or will I not be reimbursed according to the Medicare schedule?A: If your primary care provider accepts Medicare but does not accept Medicare Assignment of Benefits , you will still be able to see the physician under the MA plans.Q: Will the $50 deductible, no-copay feature still be available under the Medicare Advantage plan?A: All of the plans being considered must meet the same coverage as the GHI SeniorCare Plan now offered. GHI SeniorCare currently has an annual deductible of $248 per participant, plus a $25 deductible for ambulance, durable medical equipment, and private duty nursing after the Medicare Part B deductible has been reached.
Do All Doctors Accept Medigap Plans
When you are turning 65, one of the questions you may be asking is, do all doctors accept Medigap plans?. Although this question leads to much consternation and misunderstanding for those new to Medicare, the answer is actually very straight-forward.
For Medigap plans, this is dependent on whether your doctor accept Medicare itself. Medigap plans follow Medicare. In other words, if a doctor or hospital accepts Medicare , they will also accept your Medigap plan, regardless of which company or plan you have. Medigap plans themselves do NOT have networks.
If your doctor is a non-participating provider with Medicare itself , then they will NOT accept your Medigap plan either. If Medicare is not accepted, there is nothing for the Medicare Supplement/Medigap plan to supplement.
This is not the case, obviously, with many other types of insurance which rely heavily on network arrangements to determine which doctors you can/cannot see. For example, under-65 individual plans, group plans, and Medicare Advantage plans all typically use a PPO or HMO network of providers.
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Medicare Providers And Medicare Advantage Plans
Some providers belong to Medicare Advantage plan networks. Medicare Advantage plans are offered by private insurance companies contracted with Medicare to provide at least the same benefits as Medicare Part A and Part B
Unlike Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans have regional service areas. In addition, they typically have networks of Medicare providers who are contracted with the Medicare Advantage plan and have an active, ongoing business relationship with the plan and other Medicare providers in the network.
Medicare Advantage plan networks must include hospitals, dialysis centers, primary care physicians, specialists, and other health-care professionals and suppliers.
However, Medicare Advantage plans dont have to contract with every Medicare provider in their area. Instead, they contract with Medicare providers who agree to coordinating patient care, improving the quality of patient care, and accepting the Medicare Advantage plans reimbursement schedules and administrative rules.
There are different models of Medicare Advantage plans. The Medicare provider arrangement is a key factor distinguishing the models. Common models include:
A Medicare Advantage plan will assist you to find suitable Medicare doctors and other health professionals in the network, as needed. If you have hospital and physician preferences, be sure to check to see if they are in the plans network.
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Why Wont A Doctor Accept A Medicare Supplement Plan
If a doctor wont accept a Medicare Supplement Plan, it is most likely due to the person mistakingly referring to their Medicare Advantage plan as a Medicare Supplement plan, according to Medicare.org. Medicare Advantage Plans have their own networks and are usually PPOs or HMOs. These networks change annually, sometimes in the middle of the year. If youre on a Medicare Advantage plan and your doctor wont accept it, they might not be in your network anymore.
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Can I Go To Any Doctor With A Medigap Plan
Yes. You can go to any doctor provided that he accepts Medicare. It is best to ask your medical provider first if he accepts Medicare to avoid rejection of payment during your appointment.
If the doctor accepts Medicare, it means they agree that they will not charge you more than your share of the cost . You usually pay for the coinsurance or copayment out of your pocket, but if you have a Medigap, the policy will pay all or part of the amount depending on the type of plan you have.
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What Is Medicare Assignment Of Benefits
The assignment of benefits is when the insured authorizes Medicare to reimburse the provider directly. In return, the provider agrees to accept the Medicare charge as the full charge for services. Non-participating providers can accept assignments on an individual claims basis. On item 27 of the CMS-1500 claim form non participating doctors need to check yes when they agree to accept Medicare assignment for the full charge on the claim.
What Types Of Ma Plans May Require Network Providers
Heres a list of some common types of Medicare Advantage plans and whether they limit you to plan network providers.
- HMOs, or Health Maintenance Organizations, are a popular type of Medicare Advantage plan. Plan costs are sometimes lower than those of other Medicare Advantage plan types, but youre usually limited to doctors in the plans provider network. You typically need to choose a primary care physician . Most plans cover certain prescription drugs. Read more about Medicare Advantage HMO plans.
- PPOs, or Preferred Provider Organizations*, might charge you less if you use doctors in the plans network. These plans generally let you seek care outside the plan network, but you may have to pay higher coinsurance or copayments if you do. You generally dont need to choose a primary care physician . Most plans cover certain prescription drugs. Read more about the difference between Medicare Advantage HMO and PPO plans.
- HMO Point of Service plans generally have provider networks. You might be allowed to see out-of-network doctors for a higher cost. Most plans cover certain prescription drugs.
- PFFS, or Provider Fee-for-Service, plans may decide what to pay providers and what to charge members for certain Medicare services. You may be able to see any doctor who accepts Medicare assignment and accepts the terms of the PFFS plan. Some PFFS plans have provider networks that have agreed to always accept and treat plan members. Some PFFS plans cover prescription drugs.
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What Happens If I See A Primary Care Doctor Who Doesnt Accept Medicare
If you have a primary care doctor who is a Medicare non-participating provider, you can still see him or her for your health care. If a doctor doesnt participate with Medicare, it simply means he will see Medicare patients, but wont accept Medicare reimbursement as payment in full.
That doesnt mean you have to pay the full amount charged to people with private insurance, however. Federal law limits the amount a non-participating doctor can charge a Medicare patient to just 15% over Medicare reimbursement rates. In other words, if an office visit normally costs $100, but the Medicare reimbursement rate is $35, you can only be charged $40.25 for the visit .
If youve met your Part B deductible for the year, you would pay 20% of the $35 reimbursement rate plus the $5.25 excess charge for a total of $12.25. Some states limit excess charges even more New York, for example, allows doctors to charge just 5% above Medicare reimbursement rates.
If your primary care doctor is an opt-out provider, however, youre likely on the hook for the full cost of your care. An opt-out provider has signed an agreement with Medicare to be excluded from the program. An opt-out primary care doctor must disclose this to you before you get care, and reveal the full cost of services. He must also provide you with a private contract indicating you understand you are responsible for payment in full.
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More Disadvantages Of Medicare Advantage Plans
Dr. Brent Schillinger, former president of the Pam Beach country Medical Society, has pointed out a host of potential problems he encountered with Medicare Advantage Plans as a physician. Here’s how he describes them:
- Care can actually end up costing more, to the patient and the federal budget, than it would under original Medicare, particularly if one suffers from a very serious medical problem.
- Some private plans are not financially stable and may suddenly cease coverage.
- One may have difficulty getting emergency or urgent care due to rationing.
- The plans only cover certain doctors, and often drop providers without cause, breaking the continuity of care.
- Members have to follow plan rules to get covered care.
- There are always restrictions when choosing doctors, hospitals, and other providers, which is another form of rationing that keeps profits up for the insurance company but limits patient choice.
- It can be difficult to get care away from home.
- The extra benefits offered can turn out to be less than promised.
- Plans that include coverage for Part D prescription drug costs may ration certain high-cost medications.
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Not Every Type Of Medicare Advantage Plan Requires A Primary Care Doctor
- A Medicare HMO plan generally requires the use of a primary care doctor, and you must obtain referrals before seeing a specialist. You typically cannot receive out-of-network care that will be covered by your HMO, except for emergency situations or when out-of-network kidney dialysis is required.
- Medicare PPO and Medicare PFFS plans do not require a referral from a primary care doctor in order to see a specialist. Members are also not typically required to select a primary care physician, though you still have the option of using a primary care doctor in order to coordinate your care.
For Original Medicare , you do not need to utilize a primary care doctor. Any doctor who accepts Medicare and is enrolled in the federal Medicare program should be able to provide you with covered health care services.
What If My Doctor Does Not Accept Medicare Assignment
There is a difference in accepting Medicare and accepting Medicare assignment. Medicare assignment is the terminology that essentially means whether or not a doctor accept the Medicare payment as payment in full. Medicare has a pre-defined payment schedule for each service or procedure. This is the amount that they will pay to a provider for a certain service or procedure, and it is based on where you are located .
Most providers DO accept Medicare assignment . This means they accept the terms and conditions on the Medicare payment schedule. However, there are some physicians who do not .
If a physician does not accept assignment, he or she can charge up to 15% above the Medicare payment schedule. This is called a Part B Excess charge. This is typically billed to you after the doctor visit. There are a few states that have prohibited the charging of these excess charges, including CT, MA, MN, NY, OH, PA, RI and VT . In those states, doctors can not charge above the Medicare payment schedule if they are going to accept Medicare patients.
Even when doctors do charge excess charges, many of the standardized Medigap plans cover these Part B Excess charges, including Plans F and G. Plan N is the most common plan among the plans that do not cover Part B excess charges.
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What If My Doctor Doesnt Accept Medicare Assignment
Medicare assignment is a term used to determine if the doctor accept Medicare as payment in full. Doctors who accept Medicare assignments means that he agrees to the amount, payment schedule for services or procedure set by Medicare. Fact: 95% to 96% of doctors accept Medicare.
Only a few percentages of doctors, mostly specialist, does not accept Medicare assignments. If you visit them for consultation, they can charge you up to 15% higher than the Medicare amount. This is the Medicare Part B excess charge. The physician may also ask for payment right at the very moment of your appointment or bill you afterward. Some physicians may even ask you to file claims on your own.
Medicare supplement plan F and Medigap plan G are the only types of Medigap that provide coverage for Medicare Part B excess charges.
How To Find A Doctor Who Accepts Medicare
The Medicare website has a resource called Physician Compare that you can use to search for doctors and facilities enrolled in Medicare. You can also call 800-MEDICARE to speak with a representative.
If youre enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can call the plan provider or use their member website to search for a doctor.
For most of these tools, you can usually browse for a medical specialty, a medical condition, a body part, or an organ system. You can also filter your search by:
- location and ZIP code
- hospital affiliation
- doctors last name
In addition to online tools or calling your insurance provider, you should also call the doctor or facility to confirm that they take Medicare and are accepting new Medicare patients.
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What Do Doctors Prefer
Any doctor who accepts Medicare also accepts Medicare Supplement Insurance. So if you look at the number of doctors who accept Medigap, that would be the same as the number of doctors who accept Medicare.
Furthermore, it makes no difference to these doctors as to which plan you have. If you have Medigap Plan F, the doctor will not tell you, Sorry, we only accept Plan G here. Or if you have a supplemental insurance plan, they cannot tell you that they only accept Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B. To them, Medicare is Medicare is Medicare.
In recent years, there has been a decrease in the number of doctors accepting Medicare. This is only a subtle decrease and 90% of doctors still accept new Medicare patients. The number of doctors who accept Medicare Advantage on the other hand is slightly less universal than doctors who accept Original Medicare. People with Medicare Advantage must select from a list of service providers predetermined by each insurance carrier.
A senior health blog by the New York Times recently published an article about the shrinking number of doctors accepting Medicare. The report revealed that people exaggerate the number of doctors dropping out of Medicare. People 50-64 with private insurance filed more complaints about doctor availability than people surveyed with a Medicare health insurance plan.
When Should I Use My Medicare Prescription Drug Card
If you have a stand-alone Part D prescription drug plan, youll use the card from that Part D insurer at your pharmacy. Medicare Advantage enrollees with embedded prescription drug coverage can use their Medicare Advantage card to fill prescriptions. All Part D plans have pharmacy networks, and your co-pays will be different depending on if you use a preferred or non-preferred pharmacy. You can use the Medicare plan finder or call your Part D plan to see if you can pay less by filling your medications at a different pharmacy.
Part D insurers will only pay for medications from out-of-network pharmacies in an emergency. You will likely have to pay the difference between your insurers usual and customary rates and the out-of-network pharmacys charges.
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Is It Hard To Find A Medicare Doctor
Youre not tied to a specific doctor with Original Medicare, so you can switch providers at any time.
You might find that the doctor you want has simply stopped accepting new patients, just like youd encounter with private insurance. Medicare is great, but it cant magically solve healthcare problems.
A significant minority of Medicare beneficiaries have had to shop around for a doctor who accepts new Medicare patients. Its always a good idea to ask around and learn who your friends or coworkers see. You may have to call more than one doctor to find care, but there should always be a qualified doctor available for you.
If You Have Medicare Supplement
Supplemental insurance covers the cost of your care after Medicare has paid its share. Your doctor must arrange payments with Medicare and Medicare Supplement. They cant decline one and accept the other.
A doctor who accepts Medicare will be paid via Original Medicare. Your Medicare Supplement coverage will kick in afterwards. It wont replace that Medicare payment.
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Tip 2 Get Recommendations
Some people may not have a primary care physician or may need to find a new one due to the Medicare Advantage plan they choose. If this is you, it can be helpful to start by asking friends and family for recommendations. Its important to find a doctor you feel comfortable with and who provides high-quality service. With recommendations from people you trust, you can have a list of doctors who are likely to fit that bill. From here, it is a matter of finding out if they are in your network.
Are Medicare Advantage Plans Worth It
Medicare Advantage plans are certainly worth the zero-dollar premium however, its your choice to decide if the coverage is right. The value of an Advantage plan depends on your location, healthcare needs, budget, and preferences.
Some healthy people live in prime Medicare Advantage areas, and they prefer to pay as they go. But at the same time, people do leave Medicare Advantage plans for good reasons.
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