Curtis Griffith, Medicare Insurance Agent
Curtis Griffith
Blue Ridge Agents Insurance
Medicare Agent Licensed in VA and WV
Contact Details
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Location
Winchester, VA
Curtis Can Help With:
About Me
Greetings! I'm Curtis, a Medicare insurance agent dedicated to serving your local area. Medicare is my area of expertise, and I'm committed to helping you pinpoint the most suitable plan for your individual needs and budget. I'll handle the research and comparison of plans from top national and local companies, so you can relax. Plus, my assistance comes at absolutely no cost to you. Reach out to me today to discuss your Medicare insurance possibilities, and remember to mention you found me through Medicare Agents Hub!
Q&A with Curtis Griffith
What's the process for signing up for Medicare if I'm already on disability benefits?
Answer: If you are receiving SSDI checks for Disability, from Social Security, you will be auto-enrolled into Parts A and B, after 24 months. If you're eligible for Medicaid or Extra Help (LIS), you will also be auto-enrolled into a Part D or Prescription Drug Plan (PDP), if you do not choose your own, after the Initial Enrollment Period (IEP) expires. In any case, it is highly advisable to make sure you are enrolled in a Part D Plan. There are penalties for not being enrolled before your IEP ends, which will stay with you for the rest of your life.
My friend got her cataract surgery covered by Medicare, but they didn't cover the lens she wanted. How does that work?
Answer: Cataract surgeries are considered medical procedures, so they are covered by Medicare Part B. And lens coverage, of course, is strictly Vision,
Isn't it suspicious that Medicare Advantage plans offer gift cards and incentives to enroll?
Answer: It would be incredibly suspicious and very much in violation of CMS Regulatory rules. So, if anyone ever offers gift cards or any other incentive to enroll, I would immediately assume it is a scam and report it to the Insurance Commission, CMS, or Medicare. If, on the other hand, a plan offers an incentive to spend time at the gym or other healthy related activities, or for completing a Health Risk Assessment or other related survey. But it is CMS noncompliance to offer any incentive to enroll in any Plan.
What benefits are there to working with a Medicare Agent near me vs remote/virtual?
Answer: It is really up to you and what your preferences are, Fortunately, we are able to accommodate you in whichever way you feel most comfortable with. Don't hesitate to let your Agent know, up front, what type of experience you would prefer. And if he or she is unwilling or unable to work with your needs and preferences, there are plenty of Agents out there who will.
What role do you think technology will play in the future of Medicare?
Answer: Where I see the greatest potential for technological advances in Medicare, is in the ability for Agents and Beneficiaries to utilize Artificial Intelligence, to assist them in analyzing which plan will likely be the most beneficial to enroll in, quicker and more efficiently, than without it.
What is the trap of Medicare Advantage plans?
Answer: I believe there are really two big traps of Medicare Advantage Plans, and I am not sure which is the bigger trap, quite frankly. First of all, the incredibly low cost of the Premium, versus the cost of a Medicare Supplement Plan, often leads to Medicare recipients to immediately gravitate towards an Advantage Plan. However, it is very important to consider the fact that there are CoPays and CoInsurances to consider. This is not necessarily ALWAYS the case, but as a very general rule of thumb, an Advantage Plan is often more cost effective for those who are healthier than the average bear. And conversely, a Supplement Plan is usually more cost effective for those who need more medical attention than the average bear.
Second, there are many people who get caught up in the additional benefits of an Advantage Plan, such as Dental, Vision, and Hearing. As great as those benefits are, it is very important to make sure your focus is on maximizing the plan's medical benefits.
What is one of the the most common misconceptions people have about Medicare?
Answer: I talk to a lot of people who believe they are automatically enrolled in Medicare, once they turn 65. Unless you have been receiving SSDI payments for Disability, from the Social Security Administration, for 24 months, you will need to register for Medicare, through the SSA.