Dave Boehm, Medicare Insurance Agent
Dave Boehm
Boehm Insurance Group
Medicare Agent Licensed in TX, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, FL, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MN, MO, NM, NV, OK, SC, TN and WY
Contact Details
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Location
Flower Mound, TX
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Phone
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Website
Dave Can Help With:
About Me
My Clients call me Medicare Dave and save me in their phone that way, and I hope you do too. I help people get the best possible Medicare solution. Plain and simple, I work to get you the best coverage for the best price! My clients trust me because I treat them like family. I am a trusted local partner with Metroplex Medical Centers, Oak Street Health, Beacon Financial, and many more
Q&A with Dave Boehm
Can I change my Medicare plan after open enrollment ends?
Answer: The Short answer is yes, but the long answer requires me to go into more detail.
If you just turned 65 and used your open enrollment option on a plan, then you need to wait till the Annual enrollment, which starts 10/15 of each year and ends on 12/7, to make changes. These changes are for Medicare Advantage (Part C) and Drug plan Changes (Part D).
-If you have opted for a Medicare supplement (Medigap plan), those have an open enrollment of 6 months from when you got your Part B, and in some states (like CA and OR), a recurring open enrollment around your birthday every year.-
If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, you can also make a one-time change during the first 3 months of each year (Jan 1 through March 31), called the Open enrollment for Medicare Advantage plans.
Lastly, you can change Medicare supplement plans from one plan to another whenever you want as long as you medically qualify. That is because they are medically underwritten policies. This will save you money if you switch from time to time (like care and home insurance). Finally, there are Special election periods for Medicare Advantage and Drug plans where you can change throughout the year due to special circumstances, and this is like if you moved or have a chronic condition.
All in all, call me Dave Boehm (Medicare Dave) so I can help you navigate this and get you into the right plan for you.
Does original Medicare require referrals before visits to specialists?
Answer: No, original Medicare does not require referrals. Some Doctors may still ask for them but the insurance does not have that requirement.
Can I be denied for a Medicare Supplement plan?
Answer: Medicare Supplements, also known as Medigap plans, are fully underwritten after the initial 6-month open enrollment period and can deny you if you don't pass the medical underwriting.
The Medicare Supplement Open Enrollment period is 6 months long and starts the first month you have Part B and you are 65 years old. During this time, you can't be refused for any supplement.
Can you just have A and B and not enroll in anything else and still have good coverage?
Answer: Yes, you can definitely do that. However, you leave yourself exposed in a 2 major ways.
1-You will have to deal with the part A deductible, part of B deductible, a few other gaps in coverage, the massive 20% coinsurance payment under part B, and the largest one of them all no maximum out-of-pocket. Having no maximum out-of-pocket, it’s extremely risky.
2-you will have a drug plan penalty if you don’t pick up a part D
My plan covered my cataract surgery but not the lenses I actually needed-how do they get away with that?
Answer: Medicare only covers standard lenses because they deem other lenses as cosmetic. It’s something that many disagree with including myself, but unfortunately, we are at the mercy of Medicare and how they have categorized the other lenses.
What are the reasons why I should work with a Medicare agent?
Answer: You should work with an agent Because Medicare is confusing and with an agent, we will not only help simplify Medicare, but we become your advocate/consultant to make sure that you’re getting the best for you!
We know that taking care of you is important and if we continually take care of you that you will refer people to us! We are not an insurance company with an agenda. We should be thought of as a trusted advisor with an agenda to help you make the best decision possible.
What is the Medicare Advantage (Part C) Open Enrollment period?
Answer: A part of Medicare that can be confusing is when you can and can’t enroll or switch plans. Most people confuse the annual timeframe to enroll with what’s called open enrollment.
Here’s a quick breakdown:
The Annual enrollment period is when the majority of changes are made because you can change your stand alone drug plan, change advantage plans (part C), change from advantage to original Medicare, and change from original Medicare to advantage (part c). This timeframe is between October 15th through December 7th.
The Open enrollment period for Medicare advantage plans is a period where you can make a single change from advantage to advantage or advantage going back to original Medicare and picking up a drug plan. This timeframe is between January 1st through March 31st.
Lastly there are those who are on original Medicare with a supplement or Medigap plan. If you’re looking to switch your drug plan, you will have to wait till the annual enrollment period to do so, but if you’re looking to switch your supplement/Medigap plan you can do so anytime throughout the year you want to because they are fully underwritten policies and you’ll have to go through underwriting.