In this day and age, it seems like no one stays in the same state anymore. Moving has become common, as people relocate to try and find work. While that may be necessary to keep body and soul together, what about your Medicare needs? Opting in and out of Medicare supplements can prove to be confusing, unless you get smart and talk to a competent Illinois health insurance agent.
While you may think you have enough on your hands trying to move from one state to another, you really need to give some consideration to what to do about your health insurance. Just because you had a super plan in one state does not mean you will get a similar one in your new home. The timing on health insurance premium payments will change, the prices may be different, and you might have to go health insurance shopping – again! It’s frustrating to say the least, but it doesn’t have to be.
Health insurance has been called many things, and some of them not so nice, by people who did not understand what was actually available to them in terms of health insurance. Sure, searching for the right kind of health insurance for an individual or family in a new state may be a major nightmare, but it’s easy enough to get to the bottom of the problem by talking to a highly qualified, local, health insurance agent. This is the right person to start asking about opt in and opt out provisions.
This may change depending on which state you are in, but in some areas you are able to opt in to Medicare supplements between November 15th of the prior year and December 31st. Then, you’ll be locked in until the next opt out period. While this may sound simple, it really isn’t. Ask about this because there are a lot of exceptions to the rules, and this is not information you are going to find on a health insurance website.
Here is an example of another exception. There are situations where you can opt in to Medicare supplements between January and March rather than the 15th of November to December 31st. And, if you are leaving one group health care plan or moving to a different service area, this may make a difference in what type of plan you get in your new state.
Confusing? Save time and hassle by asking your local health insurance agent about opt in and out regulations. It’s better to ask the experts than trying to sort things out on your own.
Randy Gillespie is with Illinois health insurance agency, Focus Insurance Group. To learn more about Illinois health insurance, Illinois health insurance quotes, Illinois group health insurance or to get an Illinois health insurance quotes, visit Focusinsgroup.com
