Christopher Dewey, Medicare Insurance Agent
Christopher Dewey
May River Medicare
Medicare Agent Licensed in SC, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV and WY
16+ Years of Experience
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Bluffton, SC
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About Me
Founded in 2011 in Bluffton, South Carolina, May River Medicare Insurance is an independent medicare brokerage agency licensed with over 30 different national insurance carriers such as Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Cigna, Mutual of Omaha and many other A-rated carriers. Although the bulk of our business is concentrated in Bluffton, Hilton Head, Beaufort and all of Georgia, we are licensed over 32. Over the years, we’ve educated empowered and enrolled clients in the ideal medicare plans based on their particular needs rather than the needs of the insurance carriers-we are the best-kept secret in the medicare business. We pass our wealth of medicare knowledge on to you – absolutely free. There is never a charge for our services. May River Medicare consulting is free.
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Q&A with Christopher Dewey
I just moved to a new state. Do I need to do anything with my Medicare coverage?
Answer: You should change your address by reporting this change to Social Security by logging into your my Social Security account to update your address under profile settings. Or call Social Security at 800-772-1213 and change your address by phone. Why? Your new address determines your plan eligibility if you’re on a medicare advantage plan or Part D drug plan, and if you report a change of address to your insurance plan, the clock starts ticking, and you only have 90 days to change plans. If you alert your current insurance plan before your official moving date, your window spans 3 full months: the month before the month you move, the month of the move, and the month after you move. If you have a medicare supplement, you do not need to change anything because your supplement or medigap plan goes with you in all 50 states, but if you can pass underwriting, you may want to change carriers or plans for a lower rate in the new state. You will need to change drug plans and your Advantage plan, as these plans are local/regional plans with a limited network.
What's a common Medicare myth that even some agents still believe?
Answer: Plan G is the best plan money can buy:
Agents often consider Plan G to be the best Medicare supplement for seniors, but agents don’t consider that Plan N typically offers better long-term value. Since January 1, 2020, Plan G has been the primary "Guaranteed Issue" plan. This means individuals with chronic health conditions can enroll without medical underwriting. These high-cost claims have caused Plan G premiums to skyrocket. In contrast, Plan N requires stricter medical underwriting in most situations, keeping its risk pool healthier. As a result, Plan N clients experience much lower, more stable rate increases. Coverage comparison between both plans is nearly identical with only three minor differences on Plan N: Doctor Copays: $0 Up to $20 per visit, Emergency Room: A $50 copay (waived if admitted), and Excess Charges: You pay the 15% difference if a doctor charges above the Medicare-approved amount, though this is rare and in my fifteen years I have not encountered it yet.
What does Medicare Part B cover? Is it enough?
Answer: Medicare Part B covers all services done outside the hospital (excluding Part D drug coverage) but a huge expense is Part B drug coverage as Medicare Part B only pays 20% of part B services and Part B drugs are injectibles and infusions which can cost tens of thousands. You pay 20% of the cost. Medicare Part B alone is not enough. What if you get cancer and must undergo radiation or chemo? You’ll pay 20% of all costs with no maximum-out-of-pocket limit. You get billed 20% for outpatient surgery, MRI’s, CT scans etc. And those bills are large. The problem with only medicare part B is that there is no limit to what you could spend in a year unlike being on a medicare advantage plan which has a max-out-of-pocket. CMS set the max out of pocket at $9,250 but I’ve seen advantage plans with a max-out-of-pocket as low as $2000 per year in some states. But with original medicare Part B, you pay 20% coinsurance for of all Part B covered services For example, You are much better of with a medicare advantage copay rather than coinsurance, which is a percentage of the total cost. Take outpatient surgery, with only medicare Part B, you will pay 20% of the cost of outpatient surgery which can be very high depending on the surgery. You are better off with a copay of say $450 per outpatient surgery, which many advantage plans offer.
What do I need to do if I didn't take Medicare at 65 and am now retiring?
Answer: You need to submit two forms to avoid a part B penalty and to prove you had continuous health coverage since turning 65 :Form CMS-40B: This is your actual application for Medicare Part B. You can complete it online or download the PDF via the CMS Medicare Part B Application page. You also need a request for employee information Form also known as CMS-L564: This form verifies your employment-based health coverage. You must fill out Section A, and your employer's HR department must fill out Section B. You can download it directly from the CMS Employer Coverage Verification page. We help you with this. Simply send us a picture of your medicare card with Part A on it and scan and email REQUEST FOR EMPLOYEE INFORMATION FORM TO US, and we will upload forms to the social security website. You will receive an email confirmation seconds after we upload both forms. Once you verify email from social security the application will be process.
Can I backdate my Medicare enrollment if I missed my initial window due to a medical emergency?
Answer: No, you generally cannot backdate your Medicare Part B (medical insurance) enrollment due to a personal medical emergency. While it is stressful to handle health issues alongside administrative deadlines, Medicare's strict guidelines mean that Part B coverage almost always starts on the first day of the month after you sign up. You cannot retroactively start Part B coverage to cover medical expenses incurred while you were uninsured. However, you can use an Exceptional Circumstances Special Enrollment Period (SEP) to sign up immediately without waiting for the yearly General Enrollment Period. The Social Security Administration (SSA) evaluates unexpected life events on a case-by-case basis. If a severe illness, hospitalization, or cognitive incapacity physically prevented you or your caregiver from filing your paperwork during your IEP, you can petition for relief. Obtain the Correct Form: Download Form CMS-10797 (Application for Medicare Part A and Part B Special Enrollment Period for Exceptional Conditions). Gather Your Documentation: Collect detailed hospital records, admission/discharge summaries, or a certified letter from your physician outlining the precise dates you were incapacitated. Submit Your Package: Send the completed form and medical evidence to your local Social Security office by mail or fax.
What are the reasons why I should work with a Medicare agent?
Answer: Here are the key reasons you should work with an independent medicare agent licensed with dozens of carriers: the first is you have an advocate who can help with claims, denials and prior authorizations, and secondly, a true independent broker can change to your from a plan that had a steep rate increase to one with a much lower rate which can save you thousands over a few year period. A medicare only agent knows how penalties can hurt clients if they make the mistake of delaying Part B or D enrollment. They can navigagte the medicare maze so you are not stressed out and give you all options not just the ones that benefit the insurance company.
If you had to pick just one, what's the worst Medicare-related decision someone can make?
Answer: The worst medicare-related decision is enrolling in a medicare advantage plan from a TV ad or call center without doing your own research. Find out what the maximum-out-of pocket is? Does the plan have a robust regional or even national network? Understand you won’t have a independent agent to help with claims, provider issues, or drug coverage denials. Find a local or nationwide agent that takes the time to post educational videos on social media or youtube. If you live in a county with traditonally lower medicare supplement rates consider the Plan N supplement over an advantage plan so you don’t worry about prior authorziations and routine denials that sadly, are commonplace with medicare advantage plans.