If you depend on Medicare for health coverage, your mailbox is likely filled with offers from various Medicare “Advantage” Plans.

Medicare open enrollment started October 15.

If you are thinking of taking an advantage plan, be sure to read the fine print and understand what coverage you are actually getting.  Some advantage plans offer special services such as dental and eye coverages, gym memberships, transportation to doctor appointments, and even meals delivered to your home. 

The trade-off for these extra services is usually your loss of control and loss of choices in the services you receive.  If you take an advantage plan run by local hospitals, you most likely will be limited to the hospital affiliated doctors and to the facilities owned by or affiliated with the hospital sponsoring the advantage plan.  Should you want a treatment or service outside the hospital system, you will have to pay out of pocket.  Other advantage plans also have contracted hospitals and physicians, and you will be limited to those providers, if you expect full payment to be made for your care.  Again, the medical services you receive, will likely be controlled by the advantage plan.

Please weigh carefully your choices, balancing your finances, and the importance of having some control and choice in your future medical care.

The bottom line is there is nothing “free” when it comes to Medicare.  You will “pay” with money or freedom of choice.