Charise Karjala, Medicare Insurance Broker
Charise Karjala
Charise Karjala Health Markets
Medicare Broker Licensed in CA, AZ, CO, PA and WA
13+ Years of Experience
Contact Details
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Location
Palm Desert, CA
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Phone
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Website
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About Me
Hi, my name is Charise Karjala, and I am your dedicated Medicare concierge, advisor, and agent. Navigating Medicare can be daunting, but I specialize in finding the best strategy and plan tailored to your unique needs and financial situation.
Why Choose My Services?
Expert Guidance: I will compare plans from well-known national and local companies, ensuring you get the best coverage.
Personalized Assistance: Your health and financial needs are unique. I provide a personalized approach to find a plan that fits perfectly.
Cost-Free Service: My expert services are completely free for you!
Contact Me Today!
Let's simplify your Medicare journey together!
Directions to My Office
Q&A with Charise Karjala
What benefits are there to working with a Medicare Agent near me vs remote/virtual?
Answer: Granular market specific information is only available through a specialist that works in your community. Meeting face-to-face with your agent is an important way to assure yourself that you were getting specific, relevant, verified and accurate information regarding your network of hospitals, doctors, facilities, and prescription drug delivery systems
Furthermore, your agent can get to know you, personally, and thereby understand your needs more thoroughly than a phone call or a Zoom call.
Can you describe a time when you helped a client navigate a complex Medicare issue?
Answer: A present, my most pervasive challenge is navigating the dual eligible market. That means for people who are either aging in or have Medicare and Medicaid.
This market is always particularly challenging in my area because the networks are constantly shifting. Medicaid is going under massive changes and there’s a lot of uncertainty with the Provider networks. In addition, those networks are very busy and flooded with patients. So I’m consistently challenged to make sure that I have the most timeline and relevant information
I just got Medicare Part A, and I'm worried about hospital stays. How do I know if my overnight stay will be covered fully?
Answer: Your part A benefits are for hospitalization. Your medi-Gap policy should cover the majority of the patient coinsurance; or you Medicare Advantage policy will cover it per your explanation of benefits.
Please find a Medicare agent to assist with your needs analysis and policy description so you can rest easy without worry about the what -ifs.
What's your go-to strategy for helping someone decide between Medicare Advantage and Medigap?
Answer: I have a seven question algorythm that is 99% accurate. Seven questions and the appropriate strategy is evident.
What happens if I am already retired and collecting Social Security when I turn 65?
Answer: Typically, Social Security will send out your Medicare Benefits card 3 months prior to your 65th birthday month.
You may also be eligible for Medicaid, which makes things a little more complicated in accessing different plans, or you may involuntarily be enrolled in a plan without your knowledge.
Get with a competent Medicare broker (non a salesperson); they can do a thorough needs and situation analysis and assist you to understand your options and develop a winning healthcare strategy.
How do I report a suspicious Medicare billing error without getting in trouble myself?
Answer: Call 1800 Medicare for assistance. Provide them with the information and your questions will be reviewed under compliance.
Am I eligible for a Special Enrollment Period if I lose employer coverage?
Answer: Yes absolutely. There's no need to use COBRA. You can activate your part B premiums if you are over 65 and then be in a plan very quickly. Please don't overspend on COBRA, except under certain circumstances.
Why do some clients ignore your advice and end up in bad Medicare plans-what makes them resistant?
Answer: Fear. Resistance comes from fear.
Fear of making the wrong decision; fear of unknown; fear of the system; fear of being victimized by insurance companies.
Fear of bad advice is the common theme here. Agents and Brokers are not a homogenous bunch -- there are people with only a little knowledge of one or two companies in the same category of 'agent' as those with decades of experience, advanced designations in underwriting and financial planning and inside industry knowledge. From the outside looking in, these agents all kind of look the same.
I suggest to consumers to ask these questions to determine if your prospective 'agent' is worth listening to:
What year did you start representing medicare products
How many carriers do you broker for.
Can I check your insurance license number.
What training and industry experience do you have.
What is the most difficult client you have taken on.
What is your website and review information.
Responses to these conversation openers will inform the consumer of the depth, breadth and capacity of the agent to be reliable and accurate.
Once these clarifying background questions are answered, the consumer generally has a greater ease in trusting the advice of the agent.
I just got a $300 bill for an ambulance ride I thought was covered. Am I the only one who didn't know Medicare doesn't pay for all emergency transport?
Answer: Sounds like you’re in a Medicare advantage policy. Each Medicare advantage policy has different co-pays and some of them have $300 co-pays for Ambulance.
The summary of all of the co-pays is included in the evidence of coverage you received when you signed up. You may want to refer to that just to confirm.
If it is not outlined specifically in your evidence of coverage as being $300, then contact the carrier and dispute the charge.
That’s your right.
How do I know if a Medigap policy is right for me, and what's the best time to buy one?
Answer: I use an algorithm to determine if the Medicare supplement policy is appropriate for my given client.
If you’d like additional assistance with this reliable method of determining whether a Medicare supplemental policies appropriate please reach out to me. Charise Karjala 760-831-2736.
I picked the plan with the lowest premium, but now every doctor visit feels like a surprise bill. Should I have gone with a higher premium instead?
Answer: Medica policies are very different from one another. You probably came up short with your needs analysis or listen to a friend who suggested their ““ Best” policy.
A careful needs analysis and consideration for finances is the most appropriate way to determine which policy is “best” for you.
If you’d like assistance with this analysis, please contact me for a free consultation at 760-831-2736.