Decoding Your Insurance Mail

This time of year, the mailbox gets busy. Some envelopes hold important news about your coverage, and plenty of others are simply advertisements dressed up to look urgent. Here is a simple way to sort through the pile.

A quick sorting guide

• "Annual Notice of Change" or "Renewal Notice": Your plan explaining what changes next year. Read it, then bring it to your annual review.

• "This is not a bill": A summary of services you used and what was paid. Glance over it to make sure the visits look familiar, then file it.

• A new member ID card: Your updated card for the coming year. Swap it into your wallet and shred the old card.

• "Evidence of Coverage" or a large booklet: The full rulebook for your plan. Keep it on a shelf for reference.

• Tax forms, such as Form 1095: Proof of your health coverage for the year. Keep it with your tax papers.

• Letters from Social Security or Medicare: Official notices about your benefits. Read carefully and call us if anything is unclear.

• Bright envelopes urging you to "act now": Usually advertising from companies you do not use. Shred it, or bring it by if you are curious.

Set up a simple system

You do not need a fancy filing cabinet. One folder labeled for the current year works beautifully. Drop in anything from your plan, your agent, Medicare or Social Security, and bring that folder along to your yearly check-in. At the start of each new year, start a fresh folder and keep last year's close by for reference.

Shred anything with personal details

Old ID cards and letters that show your Medicare number, Social Security number or date of birth belong in the shredder, never the regular trash. If you do not have a shredder, many banks and community centers host free shredding days.

Watch out for scams

Medicare will not call you out of the blue asking for your Medicare number or bank information. If someone calls, texts or emails asking for personal details, hang up and call us or the number on the back of your card. A real company will always be glad you double-checked.

When in doubt, set it aside

If a letter looks important and you are not sure what it means, put it in your folder and give us a call. Reading confusing insurance mail is part of what we do every day, and we are always happy to take a look.

Got a letter you are not sure about? Call or text Maryellen at (727) 647-4448, or reach the office at (941) 999-1350.

We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options. Secure Insurance Agency LLC is a licensed insurance agency, NPN 17217331. Not connected with or endorsed by the United States government or the federal Medicare program.