Your parents always worked to help you make the right decision — now it is your turn. Now that your parent is reaching the age of Medicare qualification, they might be asking for your help with choosing a supplemental plan. Do not worry if you are not an expert, you can still help; read on to learn how.

Enrollment Period

You need to be informed about the enrollment period. How an individual uses Medicare is optional — but signing up is not. Generally, enrollment starts as early as three months before the age of 65 and ends three months after this milestone birthday. Failure to enroll on time may result in a fee, so mark your calendar.

Healthcare Needs

You likely already have some information, but an in-depth conversation about their healthcare needs is ideal. Supplement plans range in their cost and coverage. For example, some plans provide coinsurance payments for skilled nursing facility care, and some do not. The best plan is one that covers the majority of their healthcare needs.

Existing Providers

The medical treatment you receive is sometimes just as important as who provides it. Whether it is bedside manner or familiarity, the doctor matters. Not all providers accept every supplement plan, so if there is a desire to keep the same physician team, you need to contact each provider to determine what plans they take. 

Private Insurance

If your parent has private insurance that they will maintain beyond their retirement years, such as Tricare or a pension-sponsored program, it is helpful to learn how these plans work with each of the supplemental plans. For instance, if the private insurance does not offer coverage for a particular treatment, but Medicare does, find out if Medicare will automatically become primary in that instance, or if your parent will have to pay, and then wait to be reimbursed.

Authorized Access

Should you anticipate that you will ever need to contact Medicare on your loved one's behalf, you need to get authorized access. To go about this step, your loved one must contact Medicare to request this access. You will then have to submit your information and wait for approval. Once approved, you can call on your parent's behalf at any time. 

Taking a moment to assess each of these areas can help you assist your parent with making the most informed decision. Be sure to review all these factors and do not hesitate to ask for help when signing up for Medicare supplement plans.