Duane Boebel, Medicare Insurance Broker

Answer: I get paid two ways. First, any Medicare plan I enroll someone in that carrier normally pays me a commission. Second, if you like how I explain the plan options and answer your questions I would welcome being introduced to people you know that may be also looking for coverage.

Answer: You will automatically be enrolled in Medicare in the month you turn age 65. The state that you reside in will automatically pay your Part B Medicare premium. Then you are going to look for a Special Needs Plan (SNP) for beneficiaries that have both Medicare and Medicaid coverage. These plans are offered by a number of carriers as they offer some things that Medicare does not provide.

Answer: Call Medicare and request a replacement card. They are normally available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except some federal holidays.

Answer: The answer is more than likely would be no. Reason being the serious illness may be a disqualifying medical condition for a Medicare Supplement underwriting. The only exception would be if the Medicare Advantage member is in their 12 month guarantee period after coming over from a previous Medicare Supplement and the Medicare Advantage was the first time they had tried it.

Answer: The good news is that the coverage gap (donut hole) was eliminated for the year 2025 prescription drug and Medicare Advantage plans having prescription drug coverage. Since January 1, 2006 until December 31, 2024 there was this coverage gap.

Answer: The Scope of Appointment form is a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) compliance form that all agents are required to have signed by a Medicare Beneficiary before the appointment starts. It does not obligate you to any product it is just saying these are the products we are going to discuss in this appointment. Call centers are not exempt from this requirement.

Answer: I have seen this technology get better and better each year now for over 10 years. It is just another tool that Medicare beneficiaries can use to help them monitor their health readings to improve and get healthier.

Answer: Local Medicare agents that live in your area are at an advantage because they know local hospital and medical clinics networks. I have worked in the field for over 20 years as well as working remote/virtual.

Answer: Medical equipment like wheel chairs are first authorized under a doctor's order. These are considered Durable Medical Equipment and are normally purchased or leased through a local vendor that accepts Medicare assignment.

Answer: The question assumes that the beneficiary does not have a Medicare Supplement as secondary coverage. The Medicare Advantage plan option would put a maximum out of pocket (MOOP) medical copays limit. These limits normally range from $3,000 to $7,000 in a calendar year. The Medicare Advantage plans typically have a flat copay or percentage of the approved Medicare amount.

Answer: The increased scrutiny and auditing of Medicare Advantage plans are likely to lead to tighter nursing home coverage under MA plans. This is because MA plans are increasingly being held accountable for accurately reporting diagnoses and patient information, which directly impacts their payments. As a result, MA plans may reduce provider payments or benefits, or increase premiums, to offset the cost of increased compliance.

Answer: You can apply for a Medigap (Medicare Supplement) plan with no medical underwriting 6 months prior to your Medicare effective date and 6 months after. After 6 months you would need to go through medical underwriting. Exception would be if you are after age 65 and coming off group health insurance. There are a few other exceptions that I can answer by contracting me.

Answer: Technology will help in the future of Medicare by checking bills and taking the place of the redundancy that is still prevalent in the program today.

Answer: The doctor may of billed for something outside of the annual physical that came up in their consultation. One example could be a requested test or lab by the doctor.

Answer: How individuals will cover their out of pocket copays under the Medicare program. There are a number of ways to cover them.

Answer: I enjoy answering questions and then seeing the light going on in the prospect's mind. Medicare knowledge can be attained with the right individual agent who takes the time to answer your questions.