George Ibanez, Medicare Insurance Broker

Answer: It all depends on what type of plans that you have and what type of plan your friend has, since not all plans offer Silver sneakers.

I will be glad to look into it if I know a little more about the plan that you have, and I can even suggest which plans will pay for Silver sneakers for you.

Please call me at 479-485-3989

Answer: I like to help people that go into Medicare without knowing their option and help them navigate through the complexities of Medicare.

Answer: Picking the wrong plan could be a long term bad decision, so going into Medicare knowing the difference in the plans could be a game changer for some people.

Answer: Technology works well however there are so many factors that technology will not address that there is no replacement for an experienced agent.

There is no substitute for a well trained, and experienced Medicare insurance advisor.

Answer: Scope of appointments are required by Medicare in order to discuss Medicare plans and this is a normal procedure and nobody is exempt from doing this form.

Call centers are required to do the same as anyone else.

Answer: Medicare advantage plans are very restrictive when it comes to the doctors that you can use as well as the hospitals that you can use and pre-approvals for procedures and I do not think that they will ever replace traditional Medicare with a Medicare supplement or Medigap plan since Medicare supplement plans are far superior in every way.

Answer: You will automatically get Medicare , but you need to make sure that you get Medicare A and Medicare B activated.

Answer: Medicare covers very limited amount of home health care, and this could include some help for limited periods of time after hospitalizations, but it is not a permanent solution.

Answer: If you move to a new state and you have a Medicare supplement plan, you must notify your agent so that they can adjust your rates to the proper rates to the state that you moved to, however if you have a Medicare Advantage plan you will have to call your agent to enroll you in a new plan for the state that you move to since Medicare Advantage plan are different in every state and every county.

Answer: Medicare supplements include international coverage, however, it is limited and I would recommend to purchase travel insurance to be on the safe side.

Answer: You will need to call your insurance company and find out what specific benefits they offer for durable medical equipment since they are all different.

Answer: Medicare supplements are not regionalized when it comes to benefits, and the benefits are the s same no matter where you go in the USA, but Advantage plans differ from region to region.

Answer: Backdating is not allowed, and you would have to speak to Medicare if you missed the enrollment and enroll in the next enrollment date available or apply for a special enrollment period.

Answer: If you go in an advantage plan and you get sick , you may not be able to go into a Medicare supplement at a later time and you may be stuck with an advantage plan that you may not like.

Answer: The new $2000 MOP expense limits your exposure and the maximum amount that you will pay for your drugs for the year.

Answer: It will help you relief the sting of having to pay for expensive medicines all at once and it will help you breakdown the expense into monthly payments rather than paying all upfront.

Answer: The answer is not so simple, but basically if your employer is providing and you are enrolled on your employers plan, it will depend on 2 things.

1-Are you happy with your employers plan?

2-Is your employers plan good?

3-Is your employers plan expensive?

If you are happy with your employers plan, and you don't want to leave the plan till you stop working, then you do not have to do anything, however, in most cases Medicare with a supplement offers much better coverage and cheaper than most employer plans and it has lower deductibles and lower copays and in some cases no copays at all.

Answer: In my opinion Plan N is the best overall option for Medicare supplement plans and although you have a $20 copay for doctor visits, it offers overall the best value compared to plan G or plan N unless you are going to the doctor multiple times per month.

Answer: Medicare has gone up very little over the last 10 years, however Medicare supplements have been going up in price at a rapid pace and it seems like insurance companies are losing money due to unsustainable claims from Covid and unfortunately I don't see the prices coming down.

Answer: Networks, limited doctors and pre-approvals seem to be the biggest issues with Medicare Advantage plans.

Answer: Going directly to a carrier is a big mistake since carriers can only offer you their own products and you would be limiting yourself to only one quote, many rate increases over time, and no solution to lower your rate when you have a rate increase.

Also the rates will be the same as going through a broker , but you will not get any of the personalized service and you will not be able to have someone dedicated to you that understands what you need.

Answer: You need a traditional Medicare supplement with Medicare being your primary and your supplement being your secondary coverage.

Call me if you have additional questions or if you need a supplement to 888-801-9097

George

Answer: Medicare covers medically necessary blood tests which include diagnostic tests ordered by a doctor to help diagnose illnesses, as well as preventive screenings, however routine or annual blood work may not be covered.

Answer: This is a very specific question, which you should consult with your agent since there are so many plans and your agent should be able to look at the Evidence of coverage from your plan in order to give you an accurate answer.

Answer: Medicare planning is a very complex subject that should be discussed with a professional broker that has access to Medicare supplement plans as well as Medicare advantage plans since everyone's needs are very different.

I would advise that you select an independent broker rather than going to an insurance company direct since the insurance company will not give you multiple options with other companies other than themselves and they may not have the plan that suits you best.

Always check with a broker!

Answer: Yes, you can change your Medigap plan at any time during the year, and go with whoever you like. There are no special election periods, you just simply need to qualify from an underwriting stand point and you can go to any insurance carrier that you like.

Answer: Maximum out of pocket expense is a term used for Medicare Advantage plans as it relates to your share of responsibility for the services provided, and once you reach the maximum out of pocket expense the plan pays 100% of covered medical services.

Your premium and prescription drug costs don't count towards the MOOP.