What insurance is accepted at Mayo Clinic?

Before you switch from an Advantage plan to traditional Medicare make sure you can get and then afford the premium for medigap coverage if you so desire it. Medigap coverage is not a guarantee when you switch from an Advantage plan and you may have to pass a physical/health exam. If you reside in IL there is a free program called SHIP to help seniors navigate the pros and cons of traditional vs advantage plans. Call your local hospital since most have SHIP counselors.

Mayo Clinic no longer takes Humana Advantage plans so I thought I could schedule a visit under self-pay. They won’t accept self- pay if you’ve been on Advantage plan. When I initially went there I was told you’ll always be considered a patient, not really. They still accept Medicare but that doesn’t help now.

This subject (as most on the forum) has been beating to death. Asking "what insurance Mayo accepts" and then debating based on anecdotal information is valueless. I will start with the high level. Each Mayo location has different accepted insurance, some based on state regulations, some based on Mayo policy, some based on carrier limitations and payment policies. Then there are the insurance companies themselves. Every "Aetna" (or other carrier) plan is not the same and again an uncertain answer. As to Medicare, straight CMS Medicare and "most" related supplements are accepted in all locations. Advantage plans and other "managed care" plans are a complete other issue. Advantage Plans ARE NOT Medicare. They are private insurers who are paid by CMS to manage your healthcare based on their own rules and policies.....they are FOR PROFIT so they are the LEAST PAY.... These plans are selected by YOU, in many cases at the attraction of lower costs.....and Joe Neimeth driving you to bingo. There is no "free lunch...pay me now or pay me latter". So, you want to know what Mayo accepts, contact the Mayo finance office directly. They will ask for your information, including insurance provider and associated plan numbers. From there and ONLY there will you receive a "factual" answer for YOUR particular situation. All this "I did this, they did that, I heard it through the grape vine......yada, yada, yada...is wasted time and energy..... The problem with most people today is they do not wish to put "personal effort" into their health care.....it's truly complicated and self-initiative is your friend.

This goes hand in hand with the ever-eternal question "How do I get into Mayo". Kind of like Carnagie Hall....practice, practice, practice... Or in the case of Mayo, preparation, patience and polite persistence. Again, this forum can't do your leg work and homework for you. Get a referral if you can... Most credible doctors will provide you with a referral letter....if the won't, find another doctor. Gather ALL your records, imaging, tests, anything related to the issue you are attempting to have Mayo address. With all this in hand, contact the scheduling department and "checking emotions at the door", go through the process of scheduling which will first involve an evaluation of your condition and records... (remember, I said be prepared, not "I'll have to gather that up"...and no detail is too small). With that pile, be prepared (again, without emotion) to draft a cover narrative stating your case....and per scheduling instructions, sent if off....... Now comes the patience. The Mayo system is a "VERY FINITE" resource and not everyone is going to "make the cut" or even if accepted going to get in soon....months is not out of the question. This is where the polite persistence pays off. If they say you will hear back in 3 weeks, give it five before "politely, emotions checked" make that call to follow up. Flexibility is another key. We have been doing "MAYO" for over 35 years and the one thing we have learned is "whatever you say, whenever you say". Heck, in a recent round of visits we camped in our motorhome for two weeks after a consult to wait for the doctor to take his vacation and come home to do a procedure.... Our standard line is "we are here for the duration, no matter how long that may be"...and our providers know and appreciate that.

Care at Mayo and other "centers of medical excellence" should be treated as a privilege in today's world. Mayo is Mayo due to the level of excellence they require of all their providers....these are not "doc in the box" normal doctors and nor does Mayo operate as your standard "clinic". I realize these are hard words to swallow, but it's just the way it is. Want in, "work at it"........ Oh, and for those looking for "miracles", Mayo is not the place..... They will do the best they can, but some outcomes will not be what you want...... I have "ranted" enough on this topic....as I have in the past. Consider this a refresher.....

This subject (as most on the forum) has been beating to death. Asking "what insurance Mayo accepts" and then debating based on anecdotal information is valueless. I will start with the high level. Each Mayo location has different accepted insurance, some based on state regulations, some based on Mayo policy, some based on carrier limitations and payment policies. Then there are the insurance companies themselves. Every "Aetna" (or other carrier) plan is not the same and again an uncertain answer. As to Medicare, straight CMS Medicare and "most" related supplements are accepted in all locations. Advantage plans and other "managed care" plans are a complete other issue. Advantage Plans ARE NOT Medicare. They are private insurers who are paid by CMS to manage your healthcare based on their own rules and policies.....they are FOR PROFIT so they are the LEAST PAY.... These plans are selected by YOU, in many cases at the attraction of lower costs.....and Joe Neimeth driving you to bingo. There is no "free lunch...pay me now or pay me latter". So, you want to know what Mayo accepts, contact the Mayo finance office directly. They will ask for your information, including insurance provider and associated plan numbers. From there and ONLY there will you receive a "factual" answer for YOUR particular situation. All this "I did this, they did that, I heard it through the grape vine......yada, yada, yada...is wasted time and energy..... The problem with most people today is they do not wish to put "personal effort" into their health care.....it's truly complicated and self-initiative is your friend.

This goes hand in hand with the ever-eternal question "How do I get into Mayo". Kind of like Carnagie Hall....practice, practice, practice... Or in the case of Mayo, preparation, patience and polite persistence. Again, this forum can't do your leg work and homework for you. Get a referral if you can... Most credible doctors will provide you with a referral letter....if the won't, find another doctor. Gather ALL your records, imaging, tests, anything related to the issue you are attempting to have Mayo address. With all this in hand, contact the scheduling department and "checking emotions at the door", go through the process of scheduling which will first involve an evaluation of your condition and records... (remember, I said be prepared, not "I'll have to gather that up"...and no detail is too small). With that pile, be prepared (again, without emotion) to draft a cover narrative stating your case....and per scheduling instructions, sent if off....... Now comes the patience. The Mayo system is a "VERY FINITE" resource and not everyone is going to "make the cut" or even if accepted going to get in soon....months is not out of the question. This is where the polite persistence pays off. If they say you will hear back in 3 weeks, give it five before "politely, emotions checked" make that call to follow up. Flexibility is another key. We have been doing "MAYO" for over 35 years and the one thing we have learned is "whatever you say, whenever you say". Heck, in a recent round of visits we camped in our motorhome for two weeks after a consult to wait for the doctor to take his vacation and come home to do a procedure.... Our standard line is "we are here for the duration, no matter how long that may be"...and our providers know and appreciate that.

Care at Mayo and other "centers of medical excellence" should be treated as a privilege in today's world. Mayo is Mayo due to the level of excellence they require of all their providers....these are not "doc in the box" normal doctors and nor does Mayo operate as your standard "clinic". I realize these are hard words to swallow, but it's just the way it is. Want in, "work at it"........ Oh, and for those looking for "miracles", Mayo is not the place..... They will do the best they can, but some outcomes will not be what you want...... I have "ranted" enough on this topic....as I have in the past. Consider this a refresher.....

@flrvingbob Your post informed us of many things we all need to know. But please note that your statement: "Advantage Plans ARE NOT Medicare. They are private insurers who are paid by CMS to manage your healthcare based on their own rules and policies.....they are FOR PROFIT so they are the LEAST PAY.... These plans are selected by YOU, in many cases at the attraction of lower costs." That is true when they are purchased from the big insurance companies. I've had 2 Medicare Advantage Plans over the years that are both non-profit. No big insurance company is involved. When the Advantage Plans are former employer group plans accessed through retirement benefits, places like Mayo in Rochester fully accepts them, my copay for 2 days of tests, surgery and a 5-day hospital stay including medications was about $450. Yes! people need to do their own insurance checking. My cardiologist referred me, sent tests and all the rest, I was accepted as a patient within a couple of weeks. Having your doctor do the referring is the best way to go.

@walkinggirl Don't wish to debate, ok yes a few "advantage plans" are not "self-selected" and may be employer "self-insured" managed care plans but are not in any way to be mistaken for CMS Medicare. Employers, especially local governments contract with third party administrators to manage "self-funded" plans....and yes, control costs. And while I also understand that Mayo MN does accept some "managed care" plans, there are underlying reasons that may be state related or otherwise. Fact is neither Jacksonville or Scottsdale accept "managed care plans" as I get both letters every year warning me. The upshot is this question should be directed to Mayo directly lest someone has false information and thus false expectations......

The point is "personal details and outcomes" are not relevant, but encouraging a direct path for factual data gathering is. There are thousands of "health care payment plans" out there. Only Mayo's financial responsibility office can tell someone if a particular "payor/plan" will be accepted. This forum should discourage sharing of conjecture, anecdotal information and hear-say and encourage direction to the proper mechanisms within Mayo Clinic.