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Benefits & Coverage

What to know as a new Medicare Advantage member 

Your first few weeks as a new Medicare Advantage member are important. Whether you’ve joined a Medicare Advantage plan for the first time or switched to a new one, you’ll need to take a few onboarding steps with your plan, your care providers and your pharmacy. This will help you avoid any care or coverage gaps and ensure you’re ready for all your new plan benefits. 

What to do in the first 30 days 

Here are a few essential actions to take in your first 30 days of coverage. These will get you set up for the upcoming year and ensure you get the most out of your plan.  

Understand your plan 

The first step—if you haven’t yet—is to review your Summary of Benefits document. The Summary of Benefits provides everything you need to know about your coverage. This can include things like medical transportation, in-network pharmacies, instructions for mail-order medications and supplemental benefits like gym memberships.  

If you’re a BSW SeniorCare Advantage member, you’ll receive a copy of your Summary of Benefits along with your New Member Kit. You can also find a digital copy on the MyBSWHealth member portal. 

Activate your member portal 

If your plan has an online portal, setting it up is essential for tracking your healthcare and claims. For BSW SeniorCare Advantage members, you can use your MyBSWHealth portal to pay premium balances (if applicable to your plan), access your supplemental benefits information and find a digital version of your member ID card—in case you lose your physical one.  

Without your portal activated, you may miss out on certain advantages, such as easy access to telehealth services. These portals are designed to make it easier for you to access these tools.  

Bring your member ID card to the pharmacy 

The next step is to confirm that your prescriptions are ready to be filled when you need them. If you’ve changed pharmacies or providers with your new plan, this is especially important so that you don’t miss any refills. When you need to fill a prescription, be sure to present your new member ID card to the pharmacy.  

Keep an eye out for other cards coming in the mail—like your dental care card or your over-the-counter (OTC) card. 

Schedule important visits 

Finally, consider scheduling your initial wellness visit—covered at no cost to you. This is an integral part of enrolling in a new Medicare plan and differs from your annual physical exam. Most plans require this visit to occur within the first 60 days of enrollment, though this may vary by plan.

Keep essential documents handy 

In December, you should receive paperwork from your new health plan. This typically includes your new member ID card, along with other plan materials such as a Summary of Benefits and other information on how to use your plan. Keep these documents in a safe place you can easily get to so you can find what you need when you need it. Essential documents include: 

  • Medicare card (red, white and blue card with member ID) 
  • Supplemental insurance cards (Medigap, Part D, Advantage plans) 
  • Photo ID and proof of address 
  • Social Security information 
  • Dental care card 
  • Over-the-counter (OTC) card 

Prepare yourself financially 

With a new plan comes new financial considerations. You’ll need to make sure you adjust to any payment due dates, provide up-to-date payment information for your coverage (if necessary), and understand your copay and coinsurance while receiving care. You may want to consider enrolling in automatic payments if your plan offers them. Most of this information should be covered in your new member paperwork, but writing it down and putting it on your fridge or on a note in your wallet will help keep it top of mind as you go through this year.  

Another thing to note is your deductible amounts for the year, if applicable to your plan, and your max out-of-pocket amount. That will help you know when you reach them. Knowing these prices can help you plan your care for the year. 

As always, if you have any questions about your care and onboarding as a new member of our BSW SeniorCare Advantage plans, we’re here to help. A Baylor Scott & White Health Plan licensed agent will walk you through the process, or you can contact customer service at 866.334.3141 (TTY: 711).