Medicare
Medicare Is Complicated. Your Choices Don't Have to Be.
Medicare Supplement. Medicare Advantage. Prescription drug coverage. Networks. Premiums. Copays. Birthday Rules. It’s easy to become overwhelmed.
My job isn’t to tell you which type of Medicare coverage is ‘best.’ There isn’t one. Which is better for you?
Supplement or Medicare Advantage?
Medicare Advantage plans can be attractive. Many have low or even $0 plan premiums, although you must continue paying your Medicare Part B premium. Plans may also include benefits not provided by Original Medicare. For the right person, Medicare Advantage can be an excellent choice. But it isn’t automatically the right choice. Provider networks, referrals, prior authorization, copays, maximum out-of-pocket limits, travel considerations, prescription coverage and other plan rules can matter. Medicare Supplements work differently. They generally involve an additional monthly premium but can provide greater flexibility in using providers who accept Medicare, depending on the plan and circumstances. How do you want to receive your healthcare?
If You Have a Medicare Supplement, Are You Paying Too Much?
Medicare Supplement benefits are standardized by plan letter. A Plan G from one company provides the same standardized medical benefits as a Plan G from another company, although premiums, underwriting, discounts, service and other factors can differ. If the benefits are standardized, why pay substantially more than necessary? Sometimes there’s a good reason to stay exactly where you are. Sometimes there isn’t. That’s why I review.
I Don't 'Write and Run.
Getting the policy is the beginning of my job, not the end. Medicare Supplement premiums change – sometimes significantly.
When rates change and another company may offer better value, I’ll look at the options and determine whether changing makes sense. Sometimes we change. Sometimes we don’t.
You are still my client after the application is signed.
The Birthday Rule
Several states have rules allowing certain Medicare Supplement policyholders to change coverage around their birthday under specified conditions without going through the usual medical underwriting. The exact rules vary by state. For clients who qualify, that can create an opportunity to review pricing periodically and potentially change carriers while maintaining appropriate standardized benefits.
I Helped Bring the Birthday Rule to Nevada
When I moved from California to Nevada, I discovered that Nevada Medicare Supplement policyholders didn’t have the same Birthday Rule opportunity I’d used to help clients in California.
I saw firsthand how that could leave someone paying substantially more for coverage with fewer options to change because of health. So I contacted a Nevada legislator.
That conversation ultimately contributed to legislation establishing a Nevada Medicare Supplement Birthday Rule. It’s one of the accomplishments I’m proudest of in my career – because it gave Nevada seniors more choices.
The way agents are compensated and permitted to assist with standalone prescription drug plans has changed substantially. That doesn't make prescription coverage any less important. Drug formularies change. Pharmacies matter. Medications change. Premiums and costs change. Even when there isn't a commission involved, I'll still help my clients understand where to look and how to evaluate their choices within the assistance I'm permitted to provide. You're my client - not my commission.
Then I'll help you with Medicare Advantage. I don't believe Medicare Supplement is always better. I don't believe Medicare Advantage is always better. They solve healthcare costs and access differently. The right answer depends on the individual: health, doctors, prescriptions, finances, travel, tolerance for networks and out-of-pocket costs, and what matters most. We choose the coverage after we understand the person.
Then perhaps we do nothing. If your coverage fits your needs and represents good value, changing simply for the sake of changing doesn't help you. Keep what you have.
Maybe you're approaching 65. Maybe you've had Medicare for twenty years. Maybe your Supplement premium just increased dramatically. Maybe you're wondering whether Advantage or Supplement makes more sense. Or perhaps you simply want a second opinion. I'll help you understand what you have, what alternatives may be available and whether there's any reason to make a change.
• Sometimes the best outcome is saving money.
• Sometimes it’s improving your coverage.
• Sometimes it’s discovering you’re already exactly where you should be.