Can I keep my doctors on a Medicare Advantage plan?

It depends on the plan's network. HMOs usually require you to use their doctors, while PPOs let you go out of network for a higher cost. Before you choose, David looks up your doctors and hospitals in each plan.

More detail

Say you see a heart doctor you trust. Before you join a Medicare Advantage plan, I check whether that doctor, your primary doctor and your hospital are in the plan's network. In an HMO, you'll usually need a referral to see a specialist, and non-emergency care outside the network without approval may not be covered at all.

One thing people don't expect: doctors can join or leave a plan's network during the year. If that happens, you usually can't switch plans right away, but you can choose a new doctor in the network. Your plan must tell you if your primary care doctor is leaving.

Emergency care is covered either way, in or out of network.

What to have ready: • The names of all your doctors and specialists • The hospital you'd want to use • Your pharmacy

Send me your list, and I'll check it against each plan before you decide.