Diane Walker, Medicare Insurance Agent

Answer: You can look in your Medicare & You booklet you receive each fall. In the back, it shows all Medicare Advantage plans and a little bit about them. You can check on line at the Medicare website, or you can contact a local agent to review your options. It is important to check each year as plan benefits change year to year,

Answer: Yes. You are given 63 days to find credible coverage to replace what you had before you are penalized for your Part B coverage.

Answer: Original Medicare alone is a 80/20 plan, meaning you are responsible for the 20% that Medicare does not cover. Plus, you are paying a monthly premium for a drug plan. When you opt into a Part C plan, it covers everything Original Medicare covers and includes drug coverage.

The examples I would use for that........

If you have Original Medicare with NO gap coverage, you need something. You need to look at a supplemental policy or a Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C)

You have Original Medicare and you receive Medicaid, all your medical bills and prescription drugs are probably covered at zero charge. But, Medicare Advantage Plans in most cases can add some rich benefits to your life.

Answer: Seeing clients in person is the way to go. First of all, you meet them in person. You can take your time and show them all the benefits and options side by side on your computer. I find more questions come up in person than virtual. The visual part of in person is what seals the deal for my reason for visiting my clients in person.

Answer: Apply for Qualified Medicare Beneficiary. This is a program that helps low-income individuals pay for things like Part B premiums. Visit you local Department of Human Services and they will help you or you can download and print a copy of the form from their website.

Answer: Ok. Annual Enrollment is October 15-December 7. You can make changes and go from original Medicare and your supplement to a Medicare Advantage Plan or you can change your Medicare Advantage to another Medicare Advantage or you can drop your Medicare Advantage and go back to original Medicare. Open Enrollment is January 1-March 31. You can switch from a Medicare Advantage plan to another Medicare Advantage plan.

If you have a supplemental plan along with your Medicare, you can switch those plans anytime during the year.

Answer: It depends on their needs. They may use brand name or specialty drugs, they may get more local pharmacy choices and better mail order options or it may just be a matter of better service.

If they value just one of these reasons, it is sometimes enough of a reason for some of my clients. It gives them peace of mind and if they can afford it, even better.

Answer: Yes and they are aware of it, too. CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) has been and continues to work on updating and upgrading the decades old mainframe systems. Please be patient with the workers, they are doing their best.

Answer: I think the biggest mistake is not understanding what you have. And by that, I mean not knowing what is covered, what is not covered and what your out of pocket dollar amount will be. Gap coverage is the biggest worry and the most confusing part of Medicare.

Answer: I have been involved with one situation with a healthcare POA. In this case, it made a big difference for the better. When someone who cares about what happens to you is involved, decisions are made strictly with your welfare in mind. When considering a power of attorney, make sure all involved are on board and understand their role.

Answer: Several things will happen. If you have appointments after their departure, you will be considered out of network and pay a higher copay. You may or may not be notified by your provider and/or doctor's office. Claims before any departure are safe, will still be processed in network even if they are submitted afterwards. Lastly, you may be able to request a Continuity of Care Exception if you are in active treatment or have a long standing relationship with the specialist.

Hope this helps!

Answer: The Extra Help program helps with the cost of your prescription drugs, like deductibles and copays. You can apply for Extra Help any time before or after you enroll in Part D. Please contact me and I can go over the particulars of the help.