The Little Things Matter: Last-Minute Medicare Reminders Before December 7

As we slide into the final days of Medicare Annual Election period, the internet is doing what it does best. It’s buzzing. Facebook groups, Reddit threads, and Instagram reels are all tossing out last-minute reminders to help folks avoid mistakes that can cost real money next year.

None of it’s glamorous. None of it’s fun. But all of it matters.

Here are the “little things” everyone’s talking about online as the clock winds down.

1. The Deadline. December 7. No Mulligans.

You’ve got until December 7. That’s the whole ballgame.

Miss it, and you’re riding your current coverage for another year unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. That’s fine if your plan still fits your life. It’s not so fine if your meds changed… or your doctor left the network… or your costs creep up next year.

Mary put it simply:

“This is the time of year when five minutes can save someone five hundred dollars.”

She’s not wrong.

2. Double-Check Your Current Coverage

Happy with your plan? Great. Check it anyway.

Plans update premiums, drug lists, copays, deductibles. They do it every year. And sometimes they bury those changes so deep in the paperwork you practically need a miner’s lamp to find them.

Alexis has been reminding everyone:

“Even if nothing in your life changed. something in your plan probably did.”

A quick review now saves a lot of surprises later.

3. Run Your Drug List (Yes. Even If You Did It Last Year)

Social media might argue about just about everything. But on this one point. they agree.

Run. Your. Drug. List.

A tiny shift in tier. a formulary change. or a medication being dropped can turn a $5 prescription into a $50 one. Medicare.gov’s plan finder is the official tool people trust. It’s quick and it’s accurate.

4. Look for New Benefits… and Lost Ones

Plans shuffle benefits every year. Vision. dental. hearing. gym memberships. transportation. They can show up or disappear without warning.

Don’t assume last year’s perks are still there. And don’t assume you’re not missing out on a benefit another plan now offers.

5. Keep an Eye Out for Scams

Scammers love open enrollment. It’s their Super Bowl.

If someone calls you asking for your Medicare number. hang up. If someone texts you about a new plastic Medicare card with a “chip.” ignore it. If someone online says you can get a preloaded card worth hundreds of dollars… well. you already know.

Legit help never demands your personal info out of the blue.

Mary summed it up perfectly:

“If you didn’t call them first, they don’t need your Medicare number.”

6. Use the Real Resources

Every post. every thread. every helpful person online keeps pointing to the same trusted places:

• Medicare.gov plan finder

• 1-800-MEDICARE

• SHIP counselors (free. unbiased. and patient as saints)

If you’re getting information from anywhere else… double-check it.

Community Questions Everyone Keeps Asking

Automatic Renewal

Yes. your plan renews if you do nothing.

No. that doesn’t mean the benefits stay the same.

Medigap vs. Advantage

This window is ONLY for Medicare Advantage (Part C) and drug plans (Part D). Medigap follows a completely different set of rules.

IRMAA & Penalties

Higher-income folks should be prepared for IRMAA surcharges.

If you don’t have creditable drug coverage. a penalty could follow you for life.

Doctor & Pharmacy Networks

Networks shuffle every year. Check your doctors. check your pharmacies. check your specialists. A two-minute lookup now prevents a major headache in January.

Where People Are Getting Their Info

Hashtags like #MedicareOE are blowing up right now.

Most posts. even the messy ones. keep pointing everyone back to Medicare.gov for final checks.

Final Word

These “little things” might sound small. but they stack up fast. A five-minute review can protect your wallet. your prescriptions. and your peace of mind for the whole year ahead.

Mary and Alexis are knocking out calls. messages. and questions from folks who just want to make the right choice before the buzzer. And they’ll tell you exactly what’s true:

“The only mistake you can make this week is doing nothing.”

If you need help. you know where to find us.