Bruce Kaserman, Medicare Insurance Broker

Answer: No you do not have to pay extra to use a Local Medicare Licensed Insurance agent. The Medicare Insurance carrier pays the broker or agent their commission. However, there are services that the broker or Agent can offer besides Medicare planning. Check out each Broker or Agent's website to learn more

Answer: I believe that you still would need Original Medicare, which is Part A and Part B plus you would need a prescription drug plan , which is Part D. This would have you compliant with all Medicare rules without penalties.

Answer: It depends on how good that your health insurance is. I'd like to give you a recent example. It is my real life story. I turn 65 on July 25 and my Medicare birthday is July 1. We were using my wife's COBRA insurance but that ran out. In the interim, I had signed up for an Advisor's group health insurance plan with the idea to sign up for Medicare A and B. I decided to apply on April 1. Well being that you have to apply through Social Security and apply through ID.Gov or another website, you wouldn't believe the hoops and ladders that I had to go through to apply. I even got a letter from Social Security to call an 866 number and when I made that telephone call, it turned out to be deceptive as another insurance agent picked up the phone and would not sign me up for A and B unless I applied for Medicare Advantage through him. I then answered, "why would I let you make a commission on me and why are you using deceptive advertising" He quickly hung up the phone on me. So on May 5, Cinco de Mayo, I decided to pay a visit over to my local Social Security Offfice. I took my number and waited for an hour until my number was called. When I was called , I was told that I needed to wait for a telephone call and could not give me a date before my July 1 Medicare birthday. I asked him what I should do and the Social Security Employee told me to go without insurance. First of all, Social Security should NOT be giving recommendations like that. and I called the employee out on this. Finally he gave me a website and had me apply on this site: ssa.gov/medicare/sign-up and somehow it finally let me sign up for Medicare Part A and B. Now let's see if I get my Medicare card on time!

Answer: I b live that it doesn't matter. What I believe is important is the agent's level of experience, his or her competency and whether your personalities connect. A good advisor will be able to show you, either through conversation or through his or her actions whether they can work for you.

Answer: Thank you for sharing the question from the senior regarding how to distinguish between an experienced Medicare broker and an inexperienced one. Generally, an experienced Medicare broker will have a deep understanding of the various Medicare plans available, strong knowledge of the enrollment process, and a track record of helping clients find plans that best suit their individual needs. They should be able to clearly explain plan benefits, costs, and any potential changes year-to-year. Additionally, experienced brokers often have positive client testimonials and can answer questions confidently and accurately. In contrast, an inexperienced broker may lack detailed knowledge, provide limited plan options, or be less familiar with Medicare regulations and updates.

Answer: It creates significant financial strain to the federal budget. Extreme Heat alone costs the Federal Government over $1Billion.

Answer: Outpatient Surgery is not covered in Medicare Part A. Part A is for hospitalization. It's covered in Part B

Answer: Because it is designed to allow individuals to choose their own coverages based upon one's finances and one's specific needs. If you have the financial means, you can elect to take out a Medicare supplement and a specific Prescription Drug Plan. If you are just OK with Original Medicare (Parts A&B), then all you need to have is a separate PDP( Prescription Drug Plan) to meet the Medicare Requirement. Or if you want to take out a general Medicare plan for yourself, you can take out a Medicare (MA plan) that also includes PDP benefits. However those do have holes inside of them and an experienced Medicare Professional like myself, can help you fill out those holes with coverage that fits with those holes.

Answer: Not every plan may be in the service area that you reside. In addition, there may not be a PDP plan attached to the MA plan s in the area. You should work with an AHIP Medicare Agent or broker that works with a variety of plans, who can best service your specific needs

Answer: You should work with someone like me because I handle Retirement Income Planning and someone like me helps people understand their Medicare options and how it fits into their overall retirement income picture. My work as a Retirement Income Advisor focuses on how healthcare decisions interact with retirement income, out-of-pocket medical costs , and long-term planning

Answer: Yes it is because Medicare Supplements or Medigap is underwritten after the initial 6 month period when the beneficiary turns 65. Just curious, have you looked at other supplements where the premium may be higher because of underwriting>