Resources
The Houston Medicare Prep Sheet
Good Medicare choices start with good inputs. Almost every mess we clean up in Harris County traces to one missing detail: a drug left off the list, a specialist at the Texas Medical Center nobody verified, an HR letter nobody requested.
Run this list before you shop. Twenty minutes, tops. It is the same sheet we bring to kitchen tables in Katy, Pearland, and The Heights.
- Everything to pull before you compare
- The dates you cannot miss
- Five questions any honest agent can answer
Step 1
Pull your paperwork
- Your red, white and blue Medicare card, or the Social Security confirmation letter
- Whatever insurance card is in your wallet right now, plus the plan name
- The Annual Notice of Change your plan mailed this fall
- A creditable coverage letter from an employer, TRICARE, or the VA
- A rough household income figure in case Extra Help applies
Step 2
Write down what you actually use
Doctors and hospital
Your primary care doctor, every specialist, and the system you trust. Houston Methodist, Memorial Hermann, Kelsey-Seybold, or an MD Anderson team.Prescriptions
Exact names, dosages, how often you take them, and the pharmacy you drive to. Snap a photo of the bottles.Expected care
A scheduled knee replacement, weekly therapy, or standing labs should steer the plan choice.
Step 3
Lock in your dates
- Your 65th birthday and the seven month window wrapped around it
- The day Part B starts, because it opens your six month Medigap window
- October 15 through December 7, the Annual Open Enrollment stretch
- January 1 through March 31 if you already hold an Advantage plan
- Your last day on the job if you are pushing Part B back
Unsure which window is yours?
Read Turning 65 if you're new, or Switch Your Plan if you're already enrolled.
Step 4
Put any agent through this
A real independent agent answers these on the spot. Which carriers are you appointed with? Are my doctors in network on this exact plan for next year? What does each of my drugs cost on this formulary? What is my total expected spend for the year, premium plus everything else? What are my options if I want out in twelve months?
Vague answers mean keep shopping. See how we work or start with the FAQs.
List finished? Let us run the numbers.
Send what you gathered. We line up the Harris County plans we represent side by side and show you which ones keep your doctors and cover your prescriptions.