Remember that open enrollment is in effect until the end of December 2009. Take the time to find out what the new changes to Medicare will bring for 2010.

If you know now what the changes to Medicare will be for 2010, it won’t be such utter confusion when it comes to choosing Medicare plans and Medicare supplements. Even though you may have been getting a similar Medicare plan every year, the new changes are going to make the playing field a bit rocky. You will be faced with some potentially difficult decisions that will affect you for 2010.

While there is a great deal of information available about open enrollment and the coming changes next year, there is a point when people simply stop reading about the differences because it’s just "too much" to keep track of, and it all becomes a bit of a mishmash. The hardest part is to know who to believe when it comes to how much to pay for Medicare and Medicare supplements.

It isn’t just the price that determines how a senior should be shopping for Medicare, it is also how "that" particular plan suits them or not. The most important thing right now for seniors to understand is that the plans are going to be changing, and they need to know how they will be changing in order to make informed decisions about what to buy.

Some things will cost more, some will cost less. The deciding factor on how the newer plans will be marketed often has to do with the insurance company marketing them. If they are larger, they sometimes charge what they think the market will bear – which might be rather high. On the other hand, smaller companies may offer very reasonable prices and decent service. Now that’s a real plus.

It can’t be emphasized enough that if you want to save money on your Medicare plans and Medicare supplements, shop around and talk to a licensed, highly skilled insurance broker who will take the time to answer all of your questions thoughtfully. It’s important to be comfortable with the agent you choose and to know that they are getting you the best deal that suits your budget. This is why you want to call around and ask about pricing.

One other thing that might interest you is that with the changes coming in 2010, you may find Medicare health insurance and Medicare supplements are the cheapest they have ever been. Why? This will be because of the new changes creating a different risk pool of people prior to the June 2010 changes and another risk pool after the changes. Insurance companies in the middle of these changes will be competing like mad for new customers, hence a good possibility of cheaper health insurance policies.

Act now to find out what will be changing for you, and keep in mind that Medicare and Medicare supplements don’t need to be expensive; not if you are a smart shopper and know your stuff.