For most people the beginning of the year means New Year’s resolutions have been made and perhaps broken. For many people with employer coverage, those with coverage through the Federally Facilitated Marketplace (Obamacare), Medicare Part D plans or Advantage plans – January means the beginning of a new plan year.

Here are some tips for making the most of your new plan year:

  1. Make sure ID cards have arrived. The pile of mail on the kitchen table may contain an ID card. There may alternatively be a letter from the company directing you to log in to a member portal to access a .pdf document of a new plan ID.
  2. Set up an on-line member portal. While this is used primarily to see claim information, payment history and access member documents, some companies give reward points for setting this up. There may be additional discounts or benefits accessible through this portal.
  3. Check to see if the company offers an app that would allow access to member information from a smartphone. This can offer timely access to information at a provider’s office or other medical facility if a physical ID card is not available.
  4. Explore any virtual care benefits offered to be ready to access care in case of minor incidents that require medical consultation over the weekend. If traveling on vacation out of state, emergency services may be the only thing your plan covers. Knowing in advance if there is access to 24/7 virtual care may be crucial. It is also a good idea to be familiar with any local urgent care facility considered to be in network.
  5. If choosing to pay with a credit card, double check that the payment method won’t expire during the year. Prevent non-payment or delinquent notices caused by an expired credit card.
  6. Make sure to present the new plan ID information when going to the doctor’s office, urgent care or hospital for treatment. Disposing of outdated cards will make decision making easier months down the road.

Starting a new plan can cause confusion and if there are other more complicated issues that arise, contact your insurance agent to assist. The licensed insurance agents at On Point Insurance Agency are ready to help!