Question: With all the mail I have been getting about insurance coverage and different plans, how do I know what to believe?

Answer: There is so much insurance information flying around, it is hard to know what to pay attention to. What information is accurate and complete, and what is information just sent to you, so that you call and ask questions, so they can convince you to change your coverage?

Each year it is advisable and reasonable to review your insurance and see if it still works for you. That time of year for everyone with Medicare is the Annual Open Enrollment (Oct. 15 to Dec. 7). Then Jan. 1 to March 31 is the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period. So, you may still be getting mail, trying to convince you to change your plan.

Add to that all the media around us that is continually blasting us with information. Much of what we hear on the news and read in the paper is about ‘predicted changes’ or ‘promised reforms’ or ‘Bills introduced in Congress.’ All of those are ideas, options or things that may happen. I usually reassure my clients and people I talk to that until I see it in writing on the www.medicare.gov website, or the Medicare & You handbook, I don’t believe it.

That doesn’t necessarily mean we should ignore everything we see or read or hear about. But we also need to learn to filter out what is yet to be fact and what is media hype created just to distract us from what is important.

Health care changes every year. Sometimes for the better, sometimes it’s not as good. Also remember that if you don’t like what is offered, you can change it. All of that mail you get is trying to convince you that your plan could be replaced with a better plan, offered by another insurance company.

Look at the material that your insurance company sends to you. Review what it says with someone who can help you. Know that there are insurance products available that could be better. There are also plans that could be worse. Watch for information from your company, with your name on it. That is more likely to be accurate and related to your plan.

Those other plans also could be useful, but you want to be sure and evaluate the whole product, not just the highlights they talk about. I use the analogy of movies. When we watch the trailers (advertisements) promoting the movies, they look amazing. Those short scenes show the highlights of the films. Sometimes when we go to see the whole film, we find the trailers showed us all the best parts. There wasn’t much worth watching after that. Sometimes the full movie is even better than the trailer and we want to see it again and again, and maybe a sequel.

Insurance products are like that. They give us the highlights, but you need to look at the whole product. The doctors you see, do they take it? The medications you take, how much will they cost? The dental coverage, does it work at your dentist office? The ‘covered’ eyeglasses, where can you get them locally and how much is actually paid for those glasses?

As I look to 2024, I see many plans and alternatives, but each plan is not the perfect plan for everyone. But there is likely a perfect plan for you.

You get all those mailers asking for you to call because you could get your Medicare Part B premium paid. Offered are “Free Dental,” or “Money back in your Social Security” – all sorts of ways of getting your attention. They are trying to sell you a product that is different than your current insurance. Be sure if you change, you are getting what you need, and not just what the flier, mailer or person on the phone talked the most about.

If you have questions, stop them and ask. If they are talking fast without listening to you, asking you what you need, you may not be getting the best product for you.

As I look to 2024, I am going to try to greet each new day with a new attitude and a goal to help others whenever possible. I am hoping you can as well.

Janell Sluga is a Geriatric Care Manager helping seniors in our community access services and insurance. To reach her, please email editorial@post-journal.com.