Frankie Cochran, Medicare Insurance Agent

Answer: The donut hole isn’t an issue anymore. Once you reach the $2100 cost for medication your plan will pick up the rest. This is one of the concerns you want to consider during annual enrollment period as you want to keep your deductibles and coinsurances as low as possible and plans change every year.

Answer: Hospitals and doctors usually contract with insurance companies on a yearly basis, however providers can drop insurance carriers and unfortunately it’s usually the patient that suffers. It’s very important to review your plan every year during annual enrollment period to verify your doctors hospitals and other institutions you may use are in the network coverage area for your respective plan. Medicare supplements are usually a good choice to avoid these issues but they have monthly premiums that most clients don’t understand. Those premiums are usually very low when you take into consideration the max out of pockets copayments and coinsurance costs can rise quickly. Speak with an advisor and consider your options carefully.

Answer: There are many red flags to watch out for. For instance, if an advisor doesn’t verify a list of medications and doctors. An inexperienced agent might neglect this vital information making it impossible to advise you. Another red flag would be if they ask for information regarding financial information or social security numbers without explaining why they need that information. An experienced agent may need that information for certain plans but they will verify proper medical and prescription information and explain all plans and options before asking for that information. Use good judgement when speaking with people over the phone and if they can’t speak intelligently on the plan specifics and can’t explain why they are suggesting certain coverage options.

Answer: I believe you are referring to the nationwide policy of Medicare that states you have to be admitted to a hospital for at least three days before being admitted to a skilled nursing facility. Make sure you’re aware of any and all copays associated with hospital stays and skilled nursing facilities so you aren’t surprised by costs associated with these services. Medicare advantage does a great job of covering costs but there may be copayments involved with specific services. A senior benefits advisor can explain plans and costs specific to your situation

Answer: You can speak with your primary doctor and file an appeal. Another option would be to find a doctor that your Medicare advantage plan will cover or you can go back to original Medicare and find a supplement to cover the gap but you’ll be subject medical background check and preexisting conditions can increase premiums or even hinder eligibility for Medicare supplemental coverage. Be mindful when considering these options. You may not be able to make changes until annual enrollment period. There are many factors to consider and an advisor will be able to advise you based on your condition doctors and medications

Answer: Yes there are some plans that don’t transfer to new zip codes. Depending on your specific coverage you may need to evaluate your plan and make sure that it will transfer. If you have original Medicare as your primary and a Medicare supplement as your secondary insurance you should be okay but it’s important to review your plan and verify this information in a timely manner so you don’t lose coverage. It only takes a few minutes to speak with an advisor and put your mind at ease

Answer: Original Medicare only covers part a which is hospital and part b which is doctors. Some mental health is covered but there may be extra costs such as co pays or you could possibly be responsible for all that cost. Medicare advantage covers mental health facilities and services but copayments are usually associated with that coverage. An experienced advisor can walk you through your specific situation and explain costs associated with specific treatment.

Answer: Depending on the disability you very well could. It’s important to discuss your specific situation with an experienced advisor for more complete answers. No two cases are the same and all options should be explained and considered before deciding on a plan.

Answer: That depends solely on your specific needs. A lot of Medicare advantage plans have great prescription coverage but speak with an advisor to make sure you’re aware of your drug costs and availability to certain prescriptions. Compare both options carefully before making a decision as different medications carry different costs based on plan coverage.

Answer: It can be done online or in person. Takes a few minutes online and then you’ll get your card in the mail once approved. Be sure that you have creditable coverage until you get your a & b as well as drug coverage so you don’t get penalized. Those penalties never go away. An experienced advisor can help you and I recommend using those valuable resources when approaching retirement

Answer: Go to Medicare.gov and order another or you can go to your local office and request a new card. An experienced agent can help you if you need extra help

Answer: For people with disabilities Medicare and social security work together to provide income and benefits to meet those clients needs. It’s very important to have an advisor that is well versed in your specific needs so that you have creditable coverage to meet health needs and all the ancillary benefits that maximize your coverage and minimize your exposure to extra costs

Answer: When turning 65 it’s important to discuss all your options and in some cases preexisting conditions aren’t considered. It gets a little trickier when applying for coverage later in retirement. Best practice is always to be proactive with your coverage and have an advisor with enough experience to explain options thoroughly and consider all options.

Answer: You can speak with and advisor that is licensed through your state and certified by multiple carriers to discuss the benefits of the plans available in your area. The advantage of a senior benefits advisor is that they aren’t beholden to one company and they are well versed in your specific health situation to discuss your needs specifically.

Answer: Great question! Medicare covers a lot of chronic conditions but it’s important to understand what isn’t covered so you can be better prepared for those life changing events. Cancer heart and stroke policies are a great option for closing some of those gaps so you aren’t financially disadvantaged in the event you’re diagnosed with one of these conditions. An experienced advisor can explain these plans in great detail making it easier to understand and giving you the confidence to make an informed

decision.

Answer: There are several plans available that do offer extra benefits but first we’d have to figure out if those plans would be a good fit for your specific situation. There are several benefits available that lower costs and provide much needed assistance we just have to be diligent in verifying the plan features to make sure your medical needs are sufficiently covered when looking at these plans. An experienced agent can walk you through several money saving options to make sure your plan and all the gaps are covered properly.

Answer: I would start by entering your doctors a medications first and looking at all options in your zip code. Then I’d explain the pros and cons of those options and based on your specific needs I would find several options for you to carefully consider and once you’ve decided which one you want to try we’d progress to the application stage. Hope that helps

Answer: When you enroll in a medicare part c plan that plan incurs the cost sharing and you pay the daily hospital copayment

Answer: Medicare does not cover it but there may be ancillary insurance that you can purchase that will help with adult daycare or other services

Answer: Because is lowers the cost of many live saving drugs for people with Chronic Special Needs making medicine available to people that couldn't otherwise afford it and extend their quality and length of life

Answer: each year during Annual Enrollment period which starts on October 15 and ends on December 7. if you miss this election period due to certain qualifying sircumstances you may qualify for another opportunity during Open Enrollment Period starting on January 1 and ending on March 31

Answer: Plan k is more of a gamble on your health rather that plan g is a fixed monthly cost with no surprises

Answer: sometimes yes. that is why it's important to do a proper benefits review every year if you have a medicare advantage plan. Medicare advantage Companies all offer a directory of doctors on their websites to verify that your doctors accept your plans so that you don't have that to worry about as long as you take time to do a proper benefits review every year

Answer: you need to make sure that whoever you work with has a servants heart and wants to truly advise you down the path that better fits your needs. we may not pass underwriting for certain types of policies so you need someone that has multiple options so that if you need to make a change you don't have to talk to anyone else but stay with one knowledgeable agent for all you senior benefits keeping you from having to keep up with multiple people handling multiple products. have one person that is knowledgeable and availability to a suite of senior benefits that can cater to your specific needs year after year

Answer: you are only allowed access to Life Saving healthcare in certain hospitals near the us border. When travelling abroad you need to invest in travel health insurance to make sure that you have coverage in the specific area that your are travelling

Answer: you can enroll in a medigap or supplement during your initial enrollment period without having to answer health questions but any time after that your are going to be subject to health review and possible denial of coverage

Answer: Not at all. There are a lot of restrictions and penalties that may apply to people that they don't know about and a seminar will help guide you to someone that is well versed on your particular needs and can advise what options you have

Answer: there are many disadvantages to medicare advantage plans. network availability for doctors and hospitals, requiring approval for procedures or surgeries and high copayments, coinsurances and max out of pockets are just a few. A good medicare supplement will minimize your monthly premium, not have network restrictions, nor require approval from an insurance company for procedures, surgeries or other health care. you will also not have to worry about any high max out of pocket costs. you're financial responsibility is the monthly premium less any deductibles if they apply or possible copayments if the plan has any.

Answer: Most medicare plans are only valid in the US so if I were moving abroad i would but just be aware you are penalized for every month you don't have medicare part b coverage and that penalty never goes away

Answer: You should consult with your doctor on the frequency of these exams but most preventative health care has a zero dollar copayment

Answer: There are Copayments that are associated with Hospitalization. Hospital Indemnity Plans can pay those copayments for you. this is especially helpful if you are hospitalized more that once in a year.

Answer: yes original medicare pays for most of it your medigap plan g pays for the rest of if less any deductibles or associated charges. these plans vary and it's important to make sure your health care providers work with medicare

Answer: depending on the condition yes. life changing diagnosis happen and we can't always be prepared but when we are diagnosed with chronic special health needs that opens up a special election period that will allow you to change to chronic special needs plans that better fit your health needs. doctors will need to fill out the proper verification of special needs forms for the insurance companies for the plans to be approved. make sure you communicate both with your broker agent as well as your healthcare professionals as well as answer all questions from the insurance companies so that you don't get denied coverage

Answer: health and economic challenges are always at the forefront of our daily lives. it's important to have the knowledge to stay out in front of those issues so you can be best prepared. when we retire we want to spend time enjoying family, travelling or mastering that hobby we never got around to when working. be prepared by taking the time each year to discuss health needs and make preparations for the upcoming year

Answer: not if you have credible coverage. if you do not have credible coverage yes. that penalty goes up each month that you don't have credible coverage and never goes away when you sign up for credible coverage

Answer: A good health assessment will vector in on health and medications. this information can help when looking at different prescription drug plans or medicare part c plans with prescription drug coverage. another way to save is to talk with a broker that handles both products and can help guide along the path to the right decision

Answer: Life insurance is crucial as we aren't going to live forever and the cost of burial and end of life doctor bills very much affect your finances after death, as bills are paid through probate or covered by family members left behind. having a plan is our responsibility not our beneficiary's. its up to us to make sure we leave great memories not burdens for our children. a broker agent understands this and can offer complete coverage to make sure that doesn't happen. the decision is yours but you have to understand that these decisions directly affect your closest loved ones the most

Answer: not necessarily. often times people focus on the low costs of plans and don't really focus on the other charges associated with the plans. a good broker agent will make sure that the good and bad portions of a plan are explained to you in detail. it's very important to take notes so that you can refer back to them when the questions come up later. Brokers are a vital tool because they are contracted with multiple companies and can really explain the pros and cons of all plans available in your area and drill down on the correct plan for your needs, not limiting themselves to one company that may or may not be the best choice for your needs. brokers also do health risk assessments to look for needs and possible expenses that may come up throughout the year and make sure to discuss those copayments and coinsurances with you.

Answer: working with a broker agent allows you to build a relationship with a person that can answer your questions when you need them. working together year after year keeps other scammers and poachers from changing your insurance and costing you thousands of dollars a year in additional copayments or coinsurances. having a secure broker agent that has your best interest at heart is a huge advantage because they know what it takes to protect your health and finances from unexpected expenses like major medical, hospital or final expenses. they know your beneficiaries names and know how much they mean to you. it's important to protect yourself and the people you love with the correct coverage and the correct broker agent will help change with the conditions you face year after year

Answer: you want to make sure that you have a clear understanding of your health and medications. with that information you can work with a broker agent to help find a plan that fits those needs the best by comparing plans and explaining the pros and cons of each plan. you want to make sure you are speaking with a broker agent because brokers are contracted with multiple different insurance companies and are certified in ALL the plans available in your zip code. Captive agents are employees of only one company and do not have the correct knowledge or motivations to promote the pros and cons of ALL companies in order to choose the right plan to fit your needs despite the name of the insurance company

Answer: Supplements are good for folks that are travelling or living at another residence for part of the year. Another good option is Medicare Advantage but you have to make sure Doctors are in network or you have a plan that allows you to see doctors outside of the network. Beware when seeing doctors outside of network with medicare advantage plans as you may be responsible for some or all of that cost depending on your plan. A broker agent can help explain those costs

Answer: long term care, foot care, labs, cosmetic surgeries, dental vision and hearing, health costs when traveling outside the US. Medicare Advantage or part c can help with most of those but you need to make sure that you are aware of your co payments. Supplements can also be purchased to cover some of these but there may be allowances and waiting periods as well as policies that can cover long term care usually purchased from your financial planner when you are planning for retirement. A broker agent can help with plans that cover most of these costs but it's important to discuss in detail how these plans work

Answer: The best way to avoid surprise bills is to have a broker agent that you know and trust to work with every year. This agent will update your needs assessment and ask questions to make sure your needs are met and explain each detail in depth and answer any question you may have on all the many plans available in your zip code. Based on your answers the best plans for your needs will be highlighted and explained. Once your narrowing in on a plan it's crucial to take out a pen and piece of paper and jot down the costs of any upcoming tests, procedures or hospital stays and make a plan to best cover those needs

Answer: in short yes medicare does cover cataract surgery. coverage can vary depending on your plan. it would be wise to talk to a broker to first figure out what your coverage includes.

Answer: you should work with a medicare agent because there are many factors to consider when searching for a plan that fits your needs. An agent knows what those factors are and knows to do an assessment of your needs and can explain the many different plans available in your area