Greg Strasma, Medicare Insurance Agent

Answer: Life insurance has nothing to do with Medicare insurance. Medicare also does not provide any death benefits other than Hospice when you are in your last days but again does not provide any assistance for death benefits.

Answer: Income has no impact on your ability to get a Medicare policy. What it does impact is how much you will have to pay for your Part B costs. There is a scale for that based on your income and tax filing status.

Answer: Sounds like you have a Medicare Supplement plan and your friend has a Medicare Advantage plan - something you now cannot get until next Oct 15-Dec 7. Contact me next fall and I will be happy to help you find a plan that covers your medical, dental, vision and hearing at $0 monthly premium too.

Answer: Some people “think” they know all about Medicare because they have done some research on the subject. Why they don’t listen to credible agents who sound like they know what they are talking about is beyond me.

Answer: If you are talking about a Medicare Supplement plan then I agree

with your friend. A Plan G Medicare Supplement has the same benefits from one Insuramce provider to the next. The only difference is price and that is based on how hungry they are to better penetrate that particular market.

Answer: I get paid once a month by the carriers. What plan I put you in is generally irrelevant as to how much the carrier pays me so I won’t steer you towards one plan or another because one plan would pay me more. All plans pay the same for the most part.

Answer: The same way in which the government is telling us that Social Security will be under funded in the future. I think getting the illegal's off of both systems which President Trump is doing will help both agencies and their funding. But with a shrinking workforce there are less people paying taxes into the system which will put pressure on both programs to reduce benefits.

Answer: Depends on who answers the phone and how well they are trained. Your best bet is to contact an Independent Insurance Agent like me. Would be glad to answer your questions.

Answer: A simple answer is YES! You should have received an Annual Notification of Change for your plan by your Insurance carrier. If you don’t remember getting that I would be glad to help you and walk you thru those annual changes.

Answer: Your current Medicare Agent has not done a very good job in explaining your benefits to you. Plan F covers all medical costs period. You simply have to pay your monthly fee for your plan and anything medical is covered 100%. You need an Independent Agent who knows what they are doing. And if you signed up thru a Call Center, you can never get back to the person you first spoke to on the phone. You need a local, Independent Agent to manage your business for you. Like me!

Answer: Simple answer is yes. You do not have to go back to Origibal Medicare and you will be able to enroll into a new Medicare Advantage plan within 30 days.

Answer: Very simple process actually. First thing you need to do is to find an Independent Agent that you can trust .... like me, and get some quotes for a Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug plan. Then enroll in that plan that will take effect on January 1, 2026. Then in December contact the insurance company that you have your Medicare Supplement plan with and tell them you want your plan to expire at midnight on December 31, 2025. You also want to do that with your Prescription Drug plan so they don't charge you in January for coverage you no longer need.

Answer: How sure do they sound on the phone? Do they listen to your needs and immediately funnel a plan(s) that meet or exceed your needs? How well do they explain the benefits to you? Are they rushed meaning they are nervous or do they take their time to ensure you fully understand the benefits?

Answer: You can check that two ways. You can call your Medicare Agent directly. Or you can call the Insurance Company Customer Service dept and ask them.

Answer: You should always check to ensure your Medicare plan is also effective in your new county. Medicare plans are based by county and zip codes. If your existing plan is also effective in your new county then you don’t need to do anything f except let your current insurance provider know what your new address will be. IF your plan is not effective in the new county then you need the assistance of an Independent Agent like me to help you find a new policy.

Answer: Finding an Independent Agent meaning they don’t work for a specific insurance company would be very helpful for you. I represent many of the national carriers which is something you want. National insurance carriers have stood the test of time, they pay their bills which are your bills, and they offer solid coverage and customer service department. Having an Independent Insurance Agent on your side they will ask you what is important to you and find the most comprehensive coverage and benefits for you. As opposed to captive agents who only work for one insurance carrier and cannot offer you a choice of coverage.

Answer: I believe they do. That is why I chose to enroll in one myself instead of a Medicare Supplement plan. With Medicare Advantage you normally get into a $0 monthly premium plan that provides your medical, dental, prescription drugs, hearing and vision benefits at no additional costs. Your only true cost is to pay for Medicare Part B which all of us have to do unless you have Medicaid from your state.

With a Medicare Supplement plan, you have to also pay for your Part B costs every month. Plus you have to pay the monthly premium for that plan that will start out around $175 or more per month every month even if you don't have any medical needs. There is also an annual deductible with a Medicare Supplement plan that will run $288 in 2026 before your plan even begins to pay. And you have to add a Prescription Drug plan to your insurance and that can run from $0 to $40 per month depending on what meds you need to cover. Dental? Even more costs of up to $100 per month premium and if you need major work, there is a waiting period for that. You don't have a waiting period for a Medicare Advantage plan.

I sell very little Medicare Supplement plans to clients. I will if they insist, but after walking thru the math, Medicare Advantage plans to me are the must more economical way to go.

Answer: Medicare plans cover most medical illnesses as well as have multiple

preventative features that clients can get for zero cost. This includes surgeries and prescription medications. If you are on a Medicare Supplement plan all of your medical needs will be covered after you pay the annual deductible which for 2026 is estimated to be $288.

Answer: This can happen and it is usually with smaller, local insurance providers. Personally I only sell for the national brands like Humana, Aetna and WellCare. Will these carriers drop Medicare Advantage plans? They can but usually only do that for new contract year periods that begin on January 1. Contact your Medicare Agent to inquire about this if you have been notified by your insurance carrier that they will be dropping your coverage and your Agent can help you find a replacement plan to ensure you don't have a lapse of coverage.

Answer: A PPO will allow you to go to any specialist doctor without the need for a referral from your primary care physician anywhere in the country. Personally I have an HMO as the benefits are generally better than with a PPO. And in the states of Georgia and South Carolina if you are with Humana you do not need a referral to see a Specialist doctor.

Answer: Because once you reach that $2,000 out-of-pocket maximum spend on prescription drug costs, you will reach what is called the Catastrophic Phase and all of your prescription drug costs will reduce to $0 for the remainder of the year.

The limit for out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for 2026 will be $2,100.

Answer: Ask them these questions:

1. How long have they been selling Medicare Insurance?

2. Are they working from a Call Center? Most call center agents only care about making the sale and earning commission. They don't care about you personally and if you ever needed to reach back out and talk to that same agent, you won't be able to do so.

3. Do they seem pushy and want to rush you into one plan?

I am not a pushy salesperson. I will present to you the most comprehensive plans available to you and will let you decide which plan you want based on your individual needs.

Answer: You need to be a permanent resident of the United States for 5 years to become eligible for Medicare. When you hit your 5-year anniversary date, contact Social Security and ask them to turn on your Medicare Part A and Part B coverage.

Eligibility for premium free Medicare Part A coverage depends on having worked and paid into payroll taxes for 10 years (40 quarters) or qualifying for it thru a spouse who has worked and paid into payroll taxes for those 10 years (40 quarters).

If you do not have a qualifying spouse to earn premium free Medicare Part A coverage, once you reach your 5-year anniversary date of being a permanent resident of the United States you can purchase Medicare Part A coverage.

Answer: No. You just need to contact Social Security and tell them to defer your Medicare Part B as you still have credible medical insurance. Once your husbands insurance will not longer cover you, you need to contact Social Security and ask them to turn on your Medicare Part B coverage.

Answer: Your kids are correct. You do need a Medicare Advantage plan. Original Medicare is Part A which is your hospitalization coverage, and Part B which is your medical insurance for doctor's visits, emergency room visits, etc.

Currently Original Medicare costs for an overnight hospital stay is $1,676 per benefit period which is the first 60 days. Most Medicare Advantage plans have an overnight hospital cost of $300 to $400 per day for up to 7 or 8 days. Most Americans are not in a hospital for more than two nights.

Additionally, Medicare Part B only covers 80% of your costs. Let's say you fell down and broke your arm and had to go to the Emergency Room. After x-rays and resetting your arm, pain meds, etc., it is not uncommon to run up a bill of $15,000. If all you have is Original Medicare you would get a bill for 20% of that $15,000 which is $3,000. With a Medicare Advantage plan the total costs for an Emergency Room visit that includes everything they do for you runs between $110 - $130. I don't know about you but I would much rather get a bill for $110 versus $3,000.

Answer: Helping people find the most comprehensive medical coverage there is for them. I will ask you what is important to you and then find you a plan that meets your needs. It's not just the commission I earn by doing this job, it is helping people.

Answer: Medicare does pay for emergency transport. The $300 bill is your co-pay for this service. Ambulance rides without coverage would have cost you up to $5,000 depending on the distance traveled, was it air or ground transportation, and did the paramedics do anything for you on that ride other than just ensure you were secure and comfortable.

Answer: Yes you can. Medicare Supplement plans do have a one-year contract but you can drop your existing plan and sign up for a new one at any time. There is not a specific selling period for Medicare Supplement plans like there is for a Medicare Advantage plan.

Answer: As a licensed Medicare Agent, every year I go thru hours and hours of training and have to pass not only a National Medicare test but also individual insurance carrier tests to be able to represent them in the marketplace.

I love helping people find the most comprehensive Medicare plan to meet their needs. As an Independent Agent I have the benefit of not working for just one Insurance company and am able to look thru multiple insurance plans to find the one plan that meets your needs.