| Medicare FAQs | Medicare Glossary |
FAQs: Enroll with Humana
Tools and Resources to help you choose a plan
Comparing Plans
- What is the Plan Comparison tool?
- How do I access the Plan Comparison tool?
- Can I exit the Plan Comparison and continue later?
- Can I print Plan Comparison screens?
- How can I better understand health insurance terms?
- How can I decide which plan is the best choice for me?
- What are the different sections of the Plan Comparison area?
- What is Adobe Acrobat Reader and why do I need it to view various documents on this Website?
My Available Plans
- Which plans are displayed on the My Available Plans screen?
- How can I tell if the plan includes prescription drug coverage?
- Is there really such a thing as a zero-premium plan? How does that work?
- Why would I want to choose a plan that has a maximum medical out-of-pocket listed?
My Rx Coverage
- What does "Stage 1," "Stage 2," "Stage 3," and "Stage 4" mean?
- What does "Preferred Generic," "Preferred Brand," "Non-Preferred Brand," and "Specialty" mean?
- How can I estimate what my costs for prescriptions will be?
My Annual Costs
- How can I estimate what my costs for visiting my doctor will be?
- What does the Rx Calculator button at the top of the page do?
My Physicians
Comparing Plans
Q. What is the Plan Comparison tool?
The Plan Comparison is an online tool to help you decide which of the plans offered to you best suit your needs. You can compare the estimated plan premiums, as well as plan coverage, copayments, annual deductible, maximum out-of-pocket costs, and prescription drug benefits. You can also use tools like My Rx Coverage, My Annual Costs, and My Physicians to compare plans based on your costs and personal preferences.
Q. How do I access the Plan Comparison tool?
The plan comparison tool is easy to find. Simply enter your ZIP Code under "Compare & Enroll" and select a plan - or select "View All Plans." The site displays all available plans in an easy-to-read format that allows you to compare the details of each plan.
Q. Can I exit the Plan Comparison and continue later?
Yes, you can exit and continue later. However, your current selections will not be saved. You will need to enter them again.
Q. Can I print Plan Comparison screens?
Yes, you have two ways to print the screen: (1) Select "Print this Page" from the top of the screen, which will automatically allow you to print or (2) use the "View Printable Plan Comparison Worksheet" link at the bottom of the screen under Additional Resources, which loads a new window with a "Print" link.
Q. How can I better understand health insurance terms?
You can get more information in our Glossary.
Q. How can I decide which plan is the best choice for me?
Choosing a plan is a personal decision that depends on your specific situation and your health. However, the tools on Humana's Website can help you decide. If cost is a primary concern, use My Rx Coverage and My Annual Costs to estimate potential expenses. If ability to use certain doctors is important to you, use My Physicians to look up doctors available with each plan. Before you enroll in a plan, it's a good idea to review the plan details and download the Plan Benefit Summary or the Outline of Coverage.
Q. What are the different sections of the Plan Comparison area?
From the main page, you can select from three additional tools:
- My Rx Coverage helps you estimate drug costs with each available plan, based on the medications you take
- My Annual Costs allows you to estimate medical costs with each available plan, based on the healthcare services you expect to need
- My Physicians helps you find out which doctors are in the network for each of the plans available
Q. What is Adobe Acrobat Reader and why do I need it to view various documents on this Website?
Several documents on this Website are in Portable Document Format – otherwise know as PDF. These files contain complex graphs, images, and special text that cannot be presented easily through the regular Web browser such as Internet Explorer. This format also allows you greater flexibility when printing.
The creator of the PDF file format, Adobe Systems, offers a free viewer called Adobe Acrobat Reader, so you can view any PDF file on the Web. This software is available as a free download from the Adobe Systems Website at www.adobe.com. Installation instructions are also available there.
My Available Plans
Q. Which plans are displayed on the My Available Plans screen?
The plans shown vary depending on what Humana offers in your area. In many areas, we offer Medicare Advantage plans, prescription drug plans, and Medicare Supplement plans – so you may see a combination of plan types.
Q. How can I tell if the plan includes prescription drug coverage?
Check the "Rx Coverage" column on the chart. Plans that have "Yes" in that column are Medicare Advantage plans with prescription drug coverage already built into the plan. Under "Humana prescription drug plans" you will see a "Yes" along with "prescription drug coverage only."
Q. Is there really such a thing as a zero-premium plan? How does that work?
Yes. The government pays Humana to administer Medicare Advantage plans. In some areas, the amount we receive from the government covers the entire plan premium – so it's possible to get all-in-one medical and prescription drug coverage for less than drug coverage alone. If you enroll in a zero-premium plan, you're still responsible for out-of-pocket costs like doctor's office copayments, as well as your Medicare Part B premium.
Q. Why would I want to choose a plan that has a maximum medical out-of-pocket listed?
A maximum out-of-pocket protects you from very high costs in case of a serious illness or injury. The maximum is the most money you will be required to pay a year for medical plan deductibles and coinsurance, in addition to regular premiums.
My Rx Coverage
Q. What does "Stage 1," "Stage 2," "Stage 3," and "Stage 4" mean?
All Medicare drug plans have a four-phase design. As you spend money on prescription drugs during the year, you move to the next phase and your out-of-pocket costs change. Cost percentages vary by plan.
Q. What do "Preferred Generic," "Preferred Brand," "Non-Preferred Brand," and "Specialty" mean?
Some Medicare drug plans require you to pay a percentage of the drug's cost, others have set copayments for certain drugs, and some have a combination. If a plan has copayments, the amount you pay varies by category. The four categories are Preferred Generic, Preferred Brand, Non-Preferred Brand and Specialty.
Q. How can I estimate what my costs for prescriptions will be?
Click the Rx Calculator link at the top of the page. You can add medications you take to "My Drug List" and then estimate your costs with each of the plans available.
My Annual Costs
Q. How can I estimate what my costs for visiting my doctor will be?
To estimate your costs for the entire year, click the Medical Cost Calculator. Enter the number of primary care visits, specialist visits, and overnight hospital stays you expect and then click the Add to Chart button. The My Annual Costs page will reload and display your estimated costs.
For general information about how a particular plan covers doctor's office costs, click the Plan Details button under the plan name. The Physician Details section of the page shows costs for each primary care and specialist visit, as well as the plan's costs for hospitalization.
Q. What does the Rx Calculator button at the top of the page do?
This button takes you to the Rx Calculator, where you enter the medications you take on "My Drug List." When you're done, click the View Rx Plan Costs button for a summary of your costs with each available plan. Click the View Annual Costs button, then the View Annual Costs link, to return to the My Annual Costs page. When the page reloads, your estimated drug costs with each available plan will appear in the Rx Costs column.
For general information about drug costs with a particular plan, click the Plan Details button under the plan name.
My Physicians
Q. How do I find out if my doctor is in the network affiliated with a particular plan?
In the Compare & Enroll section of our Website, you can check to see if your doctor participates in Humana's network by selecting the "My Physicians" button in the top right corner of the screen. Click on the "Physician Finder" button and enter the doctor's name you want to check. If you are comparing Private Fee-for-Service plans or Medicare Supplement plans, these plans have no networks, but for a Private Fee-for-Service plan, you will want to be sure your doctor will accept Medicare and Humana's payments and terms.
If you have more questions about enrolling, you may want to see:
back to top