Medicare Plans
Medicare Mistakes To Avoid
Across the Austin area, from Hyde Park to Sun City in Georgetown, the same handful of Medicare errors come up again and again. Very few come from choosing the "wrong" plan. Most come from a missed date, a wrong assumption, or a decision made off a mailer.
Here's what to watch for.
- Several of these mistakes are hard or impossible to undo
- Nearly all are avoidable with one honest review
- Deadlines cause more damage than plan choice ever does
The big ones
Seven mistakes that cost real money
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1. Missing your Part B window
Without employer coverage from active work, delaying Part B triggers a penalty that sticks with you for life. Run the numbers with our Part B penalty calculator before you assume it's fine to wait. -
2. Skipping drug coverage
Not taking any prescriptions today doesn't exempt you. Going 63 or more days in a row without creditable drug coverage after your Initial Enrollment Period adds a permanent premium surcharge later. -
3. Assuming your network stayed the same
Hospital and physician contracts get renegotiated every year. Check your doctors each fall instead of trusting last year's answer. -
4. Shopping on premium alone
A $0 premium plan with the wrong drug tiers can cost more over a year than a plan with a modest monthly cost. -
5. Letting the Medigap window close
Your one guaranteed-issue Medigap window opens with Part B and runs six months. After that, carriers can ask health questions before approving you. -
6. Buying straight from a TV commercial
National ads push one plan nationwide. They have no idea whether that plan works with your clinic on Burnet Road or your hospital of choice here in Austin.
7. Never taking a second look
The costliest mistake of all is set-and-forget. Plans change every January 1, and a short review each Open Enrollment is usually enough to catch it.
Also worth knowing
Smaller missteps that are easy to fix early
Some people add a standalone Part D plan while already on a Medicare Advantage plan that includes drug coverage. That single move can knock them out of the Advantage plan entirely. Others drop a Medigap policy assuming they can get it back later, then can't pass underwriting when they try. And plenty never mention a spouse's coverage, so a Special Enrollment Period goes unused without anyone realizing it was there.
None of this is complicated. It's just detail, and that's exactly what a local independent agent is for. If you're just getting started, read the Medicare overview and work through the Medicare checklist. Free, unbiased counseling is also available from Texas HICAP (Health Information, Counseling and Advocacy Program) at 1-800-252-9240.
Free review
Check where you stand today
If you think one of these mistakes already applies to you, a licensed Texas agent can look at your current coverage, your dates and your prescriptions, and explain your options. Leave your number and we'll call you back during business hours, or call 737-236-2017.
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A licensed agent will call you during business hours, Mon-Fri, 8:30am-5:30pm CT. If you'd rather not wait, call 737-236-2017 now.
Worried you already made one of these?
Many are fixable if they're caught early. Call for a free, no-judgment review of where you stand today.