08/10/2026
📢 IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLANS
I want to share something that I believe is important information for anyone on Medicare, or anyone helping a parent or grandparent make decisions about their Medicare coverage.
First, let me say this: I am not here to tell anyone which insurance plan they should choose. Every person’s healthcare needs and financial situation are different. My goal is simply to share what we are experiencing firsthand in healthcare, because I believe patients deserve to understand their options and ask questions before making a decision.
Medicare Advantage plans are not the same as Original Medicare.
Medicare Advantage plans are offered by private insurance companies and can have different networks, coverage rules, referral requirements, and prior authorization requirements. Your primary care doctor may accept your plan, but that does not necessarily mean every specialist, hospital, rehabilitation facility, skilled nursing facility, or home health provider will.
We are seeing this firsthand at Cockrell Family Medical Center.
We currently have patients who are having difficulty accessing specialists, rehabilitation, home health, and other services because of the particular Medicare Advantage plan they have chosen. Some patients are having to travel to Tupelo or Jackson to see specialists, and some are facing waits of several months.
Unfortunately, this can become especially difficult when someone is sick and needs care immediately.
This is personal for me as well. Several years ago, my own mother broke her hip. She had a Medicare Advantage plan, and the hospital had difficulty finding a facility that would accept her insurance. She waited three days before she could be transferred because they could not find a facility that would take her plan. We ultimately made the decision to switch her back to Original Medicare.
Again, I am not saying Medicare Advantage is bad or that it is wrong for everyone. For some people, it may be an excellent choice. But I strongly encourage you to look beyond the television commercials and ask questions before making a decision.
Before choosing or changing plans, ask:
• Does my doctor accept this plan?
• Which specialists in my area accept it?
• Which hospitals and rehabilitation facilities accept it?
• What about skilled nursing and home health?
• Will I need referrals or prior authorization?
• What happens if I need care outside my local area?
• What are my out-of-pocket costs if I become seriously ill?
Please know what you are choosing before you enroll.
I also want to be transparent about a difficult decision we have made at Cockrell Family Medical Center.
Because of the ongoing difficulties we are experiencing with some Medicare Advantage plans, our clinic has made the difficult decision not to accept any new Medicare Advantage plans at this time. We are also going to have to make some very difficult decisions about whether we can continue accepting the Medicare Advantage plans we currently have.
These decisions are not being made lightly. We care deeply about our patients and want to continue providing them with the care they deserve. But we also have to acknowledge the challenges these plans are creating for both our patients and our practice.
This isn’t about telling you what insurance to choose. It’s about making sure you understand what you’re choosing.
Please talk with a trusted insurance professional, your healthcare providers, and your family. Read the details of the plan—not just the advertisement.
And please share this information with your parents, grandparents, friends, and anyone who may be making Medicare decisions.
Sometimes the most important thing you can do for someone you love is simply help them ask the right questions before they make a decision. ❤️
