Abigail Turner, Medicare Insurance Broker

Answer: I love helping people but more specifically, I'd have to say I love clearing up mis-information and providing solid education. Medicare is actually a pretty simple program but it has been made out to be complicated and confusing and I love breaking it down for clients, helping them understand it in a way that they feel confident to make a decision for their themselves.

Answer: Nothing worthwhile is free and that certainly goes for your insurance. In the world of Medicare, $0 premium does NOT mean free. There are going to be costs for services received while on a Medicare Advantage plan. However, the $0 premium does mean you will only pay for services when you need them, as you need them, and not automatically every month.

As a general rule, if it's marketing, proceed with caution! An independent agent can help you see through the "noise" of marketing and get to the real info that matters.

Answer: This is going to vary and be dependent on what plan you have. Original Medicare is not an international health insurance program so the coverage available internationally will be based on your Medicare plan.

Several Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plans (specifically Plans C, D, F, G, M, and N) offer 80% "foreign travel emergency" coverage, subject to plan limits.

Many Medicare Advantage plan companies also offer some international coverage. In general, Emergency Room and Urgent Care is covered by some companies and may or may not have a copay associated. At least one other company also covers ground ambulance transportation internationally for a copay.

Checking with your broker/agent or going through your plan's full Explanation of Benefits documentation will give you the coverage available with your specific plan.

Answer: This is definitely going to depend on the type of Medicare plan you've chosen and frequency of doctor visits. With Medicare supplement (also known as Medigap) plans, typically the higher the premium payment means greater coverage from plan letter to plan letter (such as Plan N costs more AND covers more than Plan A but Plan G costs more AND covers more than Plan N). So price can certainly determine coverage.

With a Medicare Advantage plan, many are $0 premium per month but you WILL be billed or charged copays for any services rendered or doctor visits made.

Answer: The first place I'd go to check would be the carrier's website. With a few clicks and putting in your zip code, you can review plans available in your area, including the one you're trying to verify. You can see the summary of benefits that would confirm the benefits available in the plan and you'd know from there if the benefits were "legit". If you have a broker/agent, I'd give them a call as a second opinion to make sure they explain ALL of the plans available to you so you don't miss anything.

Answer: Yes, your zip code definitely matters but I wouldn't use the word "random". There are two different Medicare plan options and from your question, you and your friend have two different Medicare options. Plans that are $0 premium are nice but you will get bills and/or have to pay copays for doctor visits, ER, ambulance, etc. If you're paying a high monthly premium of $200/month, you likely don't pay copays or get bills; paying your monthly premium takes care of most or all of your medical expenses. Talking with a licensed Medicare broker/independent agent will be key to help you understand the different options, the pros and cons of each option, and ultimately deciding which option is the best fit for you personally.

Answer: Star ratings are based on a number of factors. In general, we feel comfortable recommending a plan with three stars or higher. That means they are doing their job at least at an average level and have met CMS (Medicare) expectations. The higher the star rating, the "better" they're doing at the metrics CMS has set up for measuring plan success. Anything lower than a three star, we are a bit leery. Those ratings aren't given lightly so that plan/company has some work to do.

Answer: Medicare Part B is your Medical coverage, providing coverage for most things you will have done. This is where every provider bills Medicare (from your primary doctor, to any specialists, to surgeons and anesthesiologists) as well as your durable medical equipment (DME - CPAP, nebulizers, CGMs, oxygen, etc) and Part B medications (Chemo, dialysis, infusions, etc). So outside of being admitted to the hospital, many of your charges are coming through Part B.

Is it enough...certainly not. What Part B will NOT cover is anything in-patient in the hospital as well as in-patient rehab (Skilled Nursing). So if you ever need hospital or in-patient rehab care, you need Medicare Part A as well.

Answer: My personal answer to this question is YES! While Medicare is pretty proactive and preventative friendly in coverage, it's not so much "alternative treatment" friendly in most cases. But I don't think this is just a Medicare issue and is a health insurance issue at large. We are more educated than ever and have access to information that confirms things like diet, certain vitamins/supplements, hormone therapies, etc are hugely successful and cost effective but are currently not covered by insurance or approved by the FDA for general medical use. I hope this changes as I have seen the benefits in my own life. For now, the best answer I can give is use your insurance for traditional treatments and if you can, put a little extra cash aside to pay out of pocket for some of those "alterative" treatments.

Answer: This is true for so many on Medicare and one of the first things your agent should go over with you. Are there any specific programs you would qualify for and if so, help you apply.

The main program to help with Medicare prescription drug costs is Extra Help, also known as low-income subsidy (or LIS). This program will dramatically lower the costs of your medications, both name brand and generics, putting a cap on your copays along with possible help towards plan premium costs and deductibles. Extra Help allows for a slightly higher income level than Medicaid (your state aid agency) allows for so you may still qualify for Extra Help even if you don't qualify for Medicaid.

Medicaid is another program you can apply for that can go beyond prescription cost help and may also help pay your Medicare Part B premium and possibly even medical copays. Again, this is where a licensed agent is so helpful as they should know what questions to ask to determine eligibility and be able to help walk you through the application process.

Answer: Your enrollment windows will vary based on the plan you're in. Here is a simple breakdown:

The annual enrollment period (AEP) is every year from October 15th through December 7th. This is when you can change you Medicare Part D (prescription only) and Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage) plans. Any plan changes will take effect January 1st.

There is also Open Enrollment which is January 1st - March 31st, where you can make a one-time change to your Medicare Part C plan or reenroll back into Original Medicare only.

There can be special enrollment periods (SEP) as well and those will vary extensively. Situations like moving to a new city/state, losing Medicaid benefits, gaining Medicaid benefits, having a five-star rated plan in your area, having a qualifying chronic health condition, etc can open up SEPs.

Your Medicare Supplements (also known as Medigap) plans can actually be reviewed year round; you can change those anytime with a couple of exceptions, depending on your state. Those plans have medical questions in most states so you have to qualify to switch so they don't make you wait until a certain time of year for a review. Some states allow for a guaranteed change once a year but most states do not. A licensed agent will know your options based on your state's rules.