Medicare Initial Enrollment Period

Failing to sign up for Medicare during your Initial Enrollment Period may mean late-enrollment penalties.

• Some of these penalties can apply for the life of your Medicare coverage
• Each component of Medicare (Part A, Part B and Part D) has its own penalty calculation

Avoid costly lifelong Medicare penalties. Enroll during your Initial Enrollment Period and consider an all-in-one Medicare Advantage plan that includes your Sutter Health-affiliated doctor.

Learn more about Medicare’s Late Enrollment Penalties.

Consider an all-in-one Medicare Advantage plan. These plans help simplify the complexity around Medicare, and may offer more comprehensive and cost-effective benefits – including Part A hospital insurance, Part B medical insurance, and Part D prescription drug benefits. Some also include dental and vision care.

Here’s how you can benefit from choosing an all-in-one Medicare Advantage Plan during your Initial Enrollment Period:

• Obtain comprehensive coverage
• Avoid lifelong Medicare penalties
• Consolidate your Medicare medical, hospital and prescription drug coverage into one plan that may also additional benefits
• Potentially save on doctor visits (including low no co-pays), and prescription drug costs
• Limit your annual out-of-pocket costs
• Receive a coordinated approach to your care, including referrals to specialists from your primary care doctor, if required
• Receive preventive services, including annual physicals, and possibly other comprehensive coverage including, X-ray and lab services, routine dental and vision care
• Travel with peace of mind knowing you have urgent and emergency coverage access nationwide, as with Original Medicare

Having the right health insurance coverage is important to staying healthy. Medicare Advantage patients:

• Are twice as likely to receive preventive care
• Are half as likely to go to the emergency room
• Go home from the hospital one day earlier
• Are less likely to be readmitted to hospital after discharge*

*When compared to people on fee-for-service Medicare.
Source: The Boston Consulting Group: Alternative Payer Models Show Improved Health-Care Value. May 2013.

This is not a complete description of benefits. Eligibility may be limited to certain times of the year.

Find out if a Medicare Advantage plan with access to the Sutter Health network is right for you.  Compare plans at eHealth.