Frances Mitchell, Medicare Insurance Agent

Answer: The higher the star rating the better the care because the company can partner with doctors and specialists that take pride in caring for their patients.

Answer: Medicare Part B cost is different. Depends on when you got Part B and your income at the time. Part A is no cost

Answer: That it is free and it pays everything. It started out that way in the 60's but unfortunately because of the rising cost of medical care, plus the fraud it is not free any longer

Answer: You have to ask yourself am I better off being free of the worry or do I want to be tied down to a network and if I am someplace where I can't find in network doctors do I then have issues. Yes med supp is more expensive but the advantages far out weigh the payments

Answer: you will not get into trouble for reporting what you feel could be suspicious behavior by the doctor or hospital.

Answer: you go to the doctor pay your copay upfront. the doctor bill minus your copay amount to medicare and then to your insurance company

Answer: No you don't need to change your coverage. Just call the number on the back of your card let them know where you moved from and to and they will make the changes to premiums automatically. You will have to give your new banking info but because you have a Med Supp your plan remains the same.

Answer: it will depend on the company and where they allocate the premium. The more premium they allocate for medical care the better your coverage will be.

Answer: It will depend on the company you have your plan with and the star rating of that company. Also the length of time the company has been in the Med Adv business and also word of mouth

Answer: Medicare covers medical services such as doctor visits, diagnostic testing, in hospital stays and care planning. However, Medicare does not cover long term care, the 24/7 coverage that may be needed nor nursing home.

Answer: Repatha is a tier 3 medication it does need prior authorization and there are quantity limits. The cost is going to be different depending on the Rx plan that you currently have

Answer: For those who have lost coverage it could be that the insurer has gotten out of the Med adv business, they have left the state or the hospitals and doctors in a particular area have chosen not to contract with the particular Med adv they have

Answer: Yes there are many coupons and savings programs for Bretztri and other high dollar meds. Usually calling the manufacturer can get you into some savings programs or coupons

Answer: Secondary and supplemental insurance is the same thing. Medicare is primary and a supplement are used interchangeably

Answer: Emergency and urgently needed services anywhere in the world would be covered. Having treatment "just because" would not be covered

Answer: Yes IRMAA is calculated yearly by SS. 2026 premiums are determined by 2024 income and reassessed annually

Answer: The cost of any drug is going to be based on the amount of the drug the pharmacy you use, if you have met your annual deductible (if your plan has one) and where you are based on your annual maximum spend

Answer: They are not covered under Part A or B of Medicare because they are not considered durable medical equipment DME but some Medicare Advantage plans offer Wellness bucks that you can use towards the cost of one of those

Answer: When looking for a Medicare Supplement you want a company that has been in the industry for awhile and they have a 4 star rating or above.

Answer: It is all based on the contract the hospital has with Medicare and the Medicare Advantage company (if they have one) and what their reimbursement will be.

Answer: It's all based on the type of medication

Tier One is preferred generics-they are the least expensive and your copay could be as low as $0

Tier Two are generics-they are usually new to the generic market and can cost $0 to $6 (on some plans maybe a little more)

Tier Three Brand preferred usually a percentage of the total amount of the drug up to a max amount of(which is based on the type of plan you have (could be $35 could be $100)

Tier Four is Non Preferred which is about a 38% of the cost of the drug

Tier Five Specialty Drugs which is about 25% of the cost of the drug

Usually with all plans Insulin is $35 copay

Answer: The best reason is the ability to have a live person able to evaluate your needs and find the best product for you the person. Medicare plans are not one size fits all. What may sound great may not work for you. With a live agent you can find, understand and move forward. Also if you have questions down the road you have a "name" and someone to call to get the answers