Angela Wainright, Medicare Insurance Broker
Angela Wainright
North Premier Insurance, Inc.
Medicare Broker Licensed in MN, AZ and ND
Contact Details
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Location
Brainerd, MN
About Me
Medicare Guidance—Tailored to You
At North Premier, we focus on Medicare education, enrollment, and support—but what truly sets us apart is how we do it.
We proudly serve the Brainerd Lakes, North Central, and Central Minnesota regions with a highly personal, service-first approach. Our work is centered on building meaningful, long-term relationships with the people we serve—because Medicare isn't just a decision; it's a journey.
Directions to My Office
Q&A with Angela Wainright
What do you like most about being a Medicare agent?
Answer: Medicare is a complex subject. I love being able to break it down into simplified, understandable pieces of information. Taking a client from confusion to clarity and confidence is very rewarding for me. Additionally, I love helping my clients long after the education and policy selection. I am there to help decipher documents, such as explanations of benefits, and assist with prescription drug coverage, costs, and refill processes. I'll take questions from clients and find the answers, so they don't have to spend their time waiting on hold to speak with someone.
Would expanding Medicare to younger Americans improve or hurt the program?
Answer: It's a great question—and one that gets a lot of attention. It could have both positive and negative effects, depending on how it's done. On one hand, bringing in younger, generally healthier individuals could help stabilize long-term finances by balancing out costs. It could also improve access to care for people who currently struggle with high insurance premiums or go without coverage.
On the other hand, Medicare is already facing funding challenges. Adding millions of people without a clear plan to pay for it could strain the system. It could also impact provider access or current beneficiaries if payments to DRS and hospitals are stretched too thin.
Any major change would need to be carefully planned and funded to ensure it strengthens, not weakens, the program.
My role is to help individuals navigate the system as it exists today and prepare for changes if and when they happen.
I thought I signed up for both Part A and B when I got my Social Security, but now I'm getting bills for Part B. Did I miss something during the enrollment period?
Answer: This is a common question. When you apply for Social Security, you’re typically enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B automatically if you're 65 or older. Part B isn’t free—it comes with a monthly premium, which is likely what you're seeing in those bills.
If you're already receiving Social Security benefits, that premium is usually deducted directly from your monthly check. But if you’re not yet receiving payments (or only recently started), Medicare bills you quarterly for Part B instead.
So in most cases, you didn’t miss anything—this just means:
You are enrolled in Part B, and Medicare is billing you directly because they’re not taking it out of Social Security (yet or at all).
What benefits are there to working with a Medicare Agent near me vs remote/virtual?
Answer: There are many good reasons to work with a local agent versus someone remote; 1. You receive face-to-face support. I enjoy meeting and getting to know my clients. Building that relationship also ensures I fully understand their unique situation and needs. It's nice to be able to ask questions, see printed materials, and walk through everything at your own pace. No technical issues! 2. A local agent will be most familiar with and understand which doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies are in-network in your community. We can flag differences in plan networks that others might overlook. 3. We know the regional landscape. Whether it's how Medicare interacts with MN Medigap plans, county-specific Advantage Plans, or local Veteran services, we have more local insight and connections. 4. Availability and support AFTER enrollment. I won't disappear after the paperwork is done. I am here-ALWAYS to support and guide my clients with whatever challenge they are facing, sometimes, it's not even plan-related. 5. Most importantly, you are likely working with a small local business with a trusted community presence. You're not a number, you're a neighbor.
What is the biggest mistake seniors make when enrolling in Medicare?
Answer: The biggest mistake seniors make when enrolling in Medicare is trying to do it alone.
There’s no need to navigate the process by yourself—working with a licensed Medicare agent costs you nothing.
Why not enlist the help of someone who specializes in Medicare every day?
It can save you time, reduce your stress, and help you avoid costly mistakes down the road.
My plan covered my cataract surgery but not the lenses I actually needed-how do they get away with that?
Answer: You’re right to feel confused. This is one of those tricky Medicare gray areas that catches a lot of people off guard.
Medicare does cover cataract surgery if it's medically necessary, and most plans will cover basic, standard intraocular lenses (IOLs). But if your doctor recommends upgraded or premium lenses—like ones that correct astigmatism or reduce your need for glasses—those are usually considered elective or “not medically necessary.”
That’s how they “get away with it.” The coverage stops at the basic option, and anything beyond that becomes your responsibility—just like choosing frames at the eye doctor beyond the covered pair.
It's not always well explained ahead of time, and that’s part of the problem. I always encourage people to ask up front whether any part of a procedure involves “upgrades” that aren’t fully covered, so there are no surprise bills.
I have multiple medications; how can I ensure my Medicare Part D plan covers them all without breaking the bank?
Answer: If you're taking multiple medications, the key to choosing the right drug plan is making sure it's tailored to your prescriptions. First, I'll use my comparison tools to identify which plans cover your exact prescriptions and what each will cost each month. Second, we'll want to pay attention to tiers and copays. Not all plans treat your medications the same. Some might put a drug on a higher tier, which means higher copays or coinsurance-even if it's technically covered. 3rd, we want to check for requirements like prior authorization, quantity limits, or step therapy. These can delay access or require extra steps to get your meds filled. Lastly, the pharmacy you use matters. Some plans offer significantly lower copays at "preferred" pharmacies. This can make a big difference over time.
How does the Part D "catastrophic coverage" phase work once I hit the out-of-pocket max?
Answer: Once your out-of-pocket drug costs reach $2,000 for the year (in 2025) (this includes deductibles, copays, coinsurance, and what you’ve paid for medications), you’ll pay nothing for your covered prescriptions for the rest of the year.
That's right—$0 copays for all covered medications once you hit the cap!
Why do doctors not like Medicare Advantage plans?
Answer: Doctors dislike Advantage plans, not because they are bad plans, but because of how they are structured behind the scenes. MA plans are run by private insurance companies, which often have prior authorization requirements, more paperwork, and tighter utilization controls. It can slow down the process of administering care to patients, which is certainly frustrating for all involved. Some plans also have limited networks, meaning doctors have to be in-network to get properly paid. Speed of payment can be another point of frustration: traditional Medicare pays promptly, some MA plans might reimburse doctors less, take longer to pay, or deny more claims. In short, Medicare Advantage Plans aren't a bad option; many people are very satisfied with their MA plan. Staying in-network and having minimal prior authorizations makes for a good experience. And so many enjoy the extra benefits like dental, vision, over-the-counter, and fitness benefits.
How do you educate clients who are completely new to Medicare?
Answer: First, I much prefer to have a face-to-face meeting. 2nd, we break Medicare into smaller, more digestible pieces of information. I spend as much time as needed to ensure my clients understand each part. If we have to loop back around further into the conversation to revisit a piece, we will do that. Sometimes it might take more than one visit or conversation to ensure full understanding and I am always more than happy to do it, in fact I encourage it where necessary.