Brian Williams, Medicare Insurance Agent

Answer: Mistakes are often in the selection of your agent and the true understanding of the different options available to you for your Medicare. In addition, always maintain your relationship with your agent. Your agent should be your trusted advisor with any decisions you make about your plan options.

Answer: I really enjoy helping navigate the Medicare options and finding the best options for the client. When clients understand all of their options they will make the best decision for their needs. I strongly recommend having a conversation with a licensed agent before a final decision is made. It it also important that everyone understand the different enrollment periods (AEP, OEP and SEP) and how they work. Making an ill advised change during one of these periods can impact your coverage until the next AEP in October.

Answer: No, the commercials bring awareness to what is available. What is important to the viewers is to pay attention to the fine print or the disclosures associated with the commercials.

Answer: I suggest contacting a licensed agent and have them assist you. An agent should be able to answer any question you have.

Answer: The Part B premium is standard for all Medicare participants that have Part A and Part B. You are able to reduce the cost of Part B with a Medicare Advantage plan that includes a Part B giveback. Contact a Medicare Agent to help you find a plan with that benefit.

You may also reduce the Part B premium if you qualify for Low Income Subsidy (LIS) or Medicaid.

Answer: Original Medicare has a deductible for Part B and Part D (prescription drugs). Once the deductible is met, you pay and coinsurance of 20% for most doctor services and outpatient care. A Medigap policy will cover the coinsurance expenses. A Medigap policy requires a monthly premium and require an underwriting process to determine eligibility and the monthly premium rate.

Answer: Medicare Supplement/Medigap is a good option to support your Medicare coverage. Every individuals needs are different and may require a different solution. Meeting with a licensed Medicare Agent and discussing your needs will help you get the best solution for your healthcare.

Answer: Since you are retiring or have retired, contact a Medicare Agent to review your options for your healthcare coverage after retirement. You should also contact the Social Security office to ensure that you are enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B.

Answer: No disadvantage, but depending on what you are looking for, an Agent that represents multiple providers can be of the most benefit. The ability to compare your options is very important. All plans are not created equal.

Answer: Some of the Medicare Advantage plans have allocations for wearables. This would suggest that they understand the value of the technology and the data that it can provide.

Answer: First contact a licensed Medicare Agent to discussions your options and have the Agent assist you with finding a plan that gives you the most value. All Medicare plans are not created equal, but there is a plan that will meet your needs, including having your Primary Care Doctor, Specialist Doctors, Pharmacy and your Prescriptions covered and the network. Contact a licensed agent to get enrolled in a plan.

Answer: The PPO plan gives you the most flexibility, but the co-pays are higher in exchange for the flexibility. This is something I go over with every client when comparing the PPO with an HMO. What is the core reason for the flexibility? Do you travel a lot? Do you just want to be able to go to any doctor without a referral? If you have a primary care doctor that you are comfortable with and you need the flexibility for Specialist, you may want to compare the PPO with an HMO-POS plan.

Answer: This is not common. Most of the Medicare Advantage plans have a National Dental Network for you to choose from. Depending on your location, it is possible that a private practice dentist may not accept the coverage. I recommend contacting the provider for assistance with finding a dentist in the network near you.

Answer: The first thing to do with any Medicare Advantage plan you have or change to, is read through the Evidence of Coverage. This will document every level of coverage you have with that plan. All plans are not created equal, so if you know Vision care is critical for you, consult a License Agent to help you find a plan that gives you the best Vision coverage

Answer: Contact a licensed Medicare Agent to validate and compare advertised benefits. Certain benefits may require qualification or eligibility to obtain them.

Answer: If the enrollment period was missed because of a state of emergency during that time (Natural Disaster), contact a licensed agent immediately to determine if you are eligible for a Special Election enrollment. If it was missed outside of that, the next opportunity will start on October 15 at the beginning of Annual Enrollment.

Answer: Some Medicare Advantage plans have a “zero” monthly premium. Plans vary in features and premiums and one size does not fit all. It is helpful to do a side-by-side comparison to see the difference in each plan.

Answer: Should I review my Medicare Advantage Plan each year, even if I like the plan that I have? Are all Medicare Advantage plans the same, if not what areas are significantly different?