Can I Get Medicare Plan C If I Have Humana RX Plan?

Humana Rx is a basic, stand-alone Humana Medicare Part D plan for prescription coverage; but before we delve into details, let’s have a quick rundown to learn what Medicare Part C and Part D plans are.

Medicare Part C also known as Medicare Advantage offers an alternative to cover your medical expenses in a non-traditional manner. Most of the private health insurance companies provide these policies as they are approved from Medicare. 

Medicare Advantage offers basic benefits that Medicare Part A and B provide, with special add-ons, such as routine visits to specialists. To get medicine coverage for your Medicare Part C plan, you need to enroll in Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug Plan or in Original Medicare with a PDP policy.

If your current Advantage Plan doesn’t offer any prescription drug coverage, then you may add the PDP policy. However, before making any changes, talk to the insurance company, as they’ll be able to guide you better, when it comes to state policies.

This means, you can’t buy a Medicare Advantage Prescription plan, if you’re already enrolled in a stand-alone Part D policy. There are two ways to add medicine coverage facilities to your Medicare Advantage plan:

Firstly, you can change the Advantage policy and get one that offers the required benefits

Secondly, you can completely drop off the Advantage plan and switch to Original Part A and B Medicare plan to add stand-alone Part D policies.

However, it’s not easy to add or drop plans in you Medicare Policy. There is a certain time limit during which, it can be done. Here, we have discussed few basic enrollment requirements for Medicare Plans.

Medicare Initial Enrollment Period:

Enrolling for Medicare Part A is automatic, once you hit the age of 65. Unlike Humana, several insurance companies opt for manual enrollment in initial seven months period. You can even enroll before your initial enrollment period starts, if:

  • You don’t qualify for retirement benefits, or
  • You Delay Your Social Security Benefits

Medicare Advantage Enrollment Plan:

To enroll in Medicare Advantage Plan, you should have Original Medicare Plan A and Plan B, and then reach out to private insurer. You’re eligible to register during two different enrollment periods: the Initial Coverage Election and Annual Election Period.

Initial Coverage Election period starts three month prior to your Medicare Part A enrollment dates whereas October, 15 and December, 7 is the Annual Election Dates every year. During the latter, you can even add or drop Advantage Plans.

To switch or dis-enroll from the Advantage Plan, look for Open Enrollment Period that falls during January 1st- March 31st, each year.

Medicare Prescription Drug Enrollment Period:

Since it’s a voluntary insurance, the enrollment isn’t automatic. To enroll for stand-alone PDP, you can opt for Initial Enrollment Period for Medicare Plan D, which is the same as Medicare Part A and B. However, you are only eligible for Part D, if:

  • You live in a service area covered by health plan, and
  • You have Medicare Part A and/or B

If you don’t enroll for PDP during the Initial Enrollment period, you can wait for Annual Election Period, which occurs from October, 15-December, 7 every year.

If you would like to know, if you are eligible for PBP or Advantage Plan, you can talk to a professional agent at Health Exchange Agency.

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