Will I be able to keep my current doctors with Medicare?

Quick Answer

It depends on which Medicare path you choose. Original Medicare gives you the most flexibility with providers nationwide. Medicare Advantage plans use networks, so keeping your current doctors depends on whether they participate in the plan you pick.

Detailed Explanation

Original Medicare (Parts A and B) works with almost any doctor, specialist, or hospital in the country that accepts Medicare. Most providers do, though it is always worth confirming a specific doctor accepts Medicare assignment before your first visit.Medicare Advantage is different. These are plans run by private insurance companies, and they use networks. Some are HMOs, which generally require you to use in-network providers and get referrals to see specialists. Others are PPOs, which give you more flexibility but usually cost more when you go out of network. If your doctor is not in a plan's network, you may pay significantly more or not be covered at all.Before you enroll in any Medicare Advantage plan, look up your doctors on that plan's provider directory. Do not rely on a general list of doctors who accept Medicare. Acceptance of Medicare and participation in a specific Advantage plan are two different things. Provider networks also change from year to year, so a doctor who was in-network when you enrolled might not be in-network the following January.If keeping a specific doctor is your top priority, Original Medicare paired with a Medicare Supplement plan (also called Medigap) tends to offer the most flexibility. Plan details vary, and you should verify current network information directly with the carrier before enrolling.

How This Applies in Utah

In Utah, if your care is centered at Intermountain Health, SelectHealth Medicare Advantage plans are built around that system and may be a natural fit. University of Utah Health has its own network relationships, so verify your specific providers are included before choosing a plan. Rural Utahns should be especially careful with HMO-style plans, as network options in counties like Kane or Daggett can be quite limited.

What This Means For You

For you, this means before you commit to any plan, pull up the provider directory and search for every doctor you see regularly, not just your primary care physician.

Disclaimer

‍How Resting Sycamore Advisors Uses CMS Data

Our Commitment to Reliable Medicare Information

At Resting Sycamore Advisors, we work to provide accurate, current, and trustworthy information about Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D, and Special Needs Plans.

To do that, we use data published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which is the official source for Medicare plan and enrollment information.

CMS Data Sources We Rely On

Our Medicare plan pages and comparison tools are powered by CMS datasets, including:

  • Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape Files for annual plan availability and benefit details
  • Plan Benefits Package (PBP) Files for detailed benefit and coverage information
  • Part C and Part D Performance Data for quality ratings and plan performance measures
  • Monthly Enrollment Data for enrollment counts by contract, plan, state, and county

When possible, we link to the original CMS resources so you can review the source material directly.

How Often We Update Our Data

We follow the CMS release schedule and update our website as new data becomes available.

Annual Plan Year Updates (September)

We load new plan year Landscape and PBP files before the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 through December 7). We also monitor CMS.gov for updates or revisions and refresh our content when needed.

Mid-Year Updates

We update enrollment and performance data as CMS publishes revised files, which are typically released monthly or quarterly.

Ongoing Maintenance

We routinely monitor CMS announcements for corrections, reissued files, or other changes and update our pages accordingly.

Each plan page includes a Last Accessed date so visitors can see when the source information was most recently reviewed.

How We Prepare CMS Data for Our Website

CMS data can be difficult to read in raw form. To make it easier to use, we format and organize the data for clarity.

This includes:

  • Standardizing plan identifiers such as contract ID, plan ID, and segment
  • Normalizing terminology so common Medicare terms are presented consistently
  • Organizing plan information by state, county, and ZIP code to match how people shop for coverage

All data values come from CMS. We do not change the underlying values beyond formatting, organization, and presentation.

Version Tracking and Transparency

We keep internal records of the CMS dataset versions used on our site.

Major Version History

  • Current Version: CY2025 Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape Files (v1.0, published October 2025)
  • Prior Version: None. Resting Sycamore Advisors first began publishing structured Medicare plan information in March 2025

If CMS issues corrected or revised files, we update our website to reflect the latest available version.

Important Limitations

Please keep the following in mind:

  • CMS is the official source of truth. For enrollment and coverage decisions, always confirm details with Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE.
  • Data timing can vary. Enrollment and performance updates may appear on our website a few weeks after CMS publishes changes.
  • Plan details can change. Plan availability, costs, and benefits may change. Always verify current details directly with the plan provider.

Need Help From Official Medicare Resources?

For personalized Medicare assistance, please use these official resources:

  • Medicare.gov Help Center — https://www.medicare.gov
  • 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) TTY: 1-877-486-2048
  • State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) — free local counseling for Medicare beneficiariesIf you want, I can also give you a shorter legal-style version for a footer or /disclaimer page summary.