James Romeo, Medicare Insurance Broker
James Romeo
MediChoice Insurance Agency
Medicare Broker Licensed in MN
12+ Years of Experience
Contact Details
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Location
St Louis Park, MN
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Phone
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Website
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Facebook
About Me
James Romeo and MediChoice Insurance Agency have been helping seniors in the Twin Cities Metro, State of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Florida for over 15 years. We are your Local Independent Insurance Agency representing both Local and Nation Medicare plans for Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement, and Part D Drug plans. We can help you through the entire process from enrollment with Social Security, Medicare and the plans that go with Medicare. After enrollment we provide year over year assistance with making sure you are on the proper plan for you. Our staff is available all year long if you have questions or issues throughout the year and provide you with ongoing customer service. We can help if you are new to Medicare or have already been on for years. We also offer help with Induvial Medical Insurance if you are not on Medicare yet, also Dental, Vision, Travel Medical insurance. We are here to help! We Make Medicare EASY!
Directions to My Office
Q&A with James Romeo
What do you like most about being a Medicare agent?
Answer: We take a very educational aspect to what we do! We love to take something that could be very overwhelming and make it EASY! No where in life has anyone explained or showed you what to do do when you get to start Medicare so we make sure we can help you through every aspect of the process. Then we are not a one and done we provided all year Customer Service and each year we can help you make changes if you need to. All in a Local Independent Agency that is here to help you find the proper coverage for you.
Are Medicare Advantage plans really "free," or is that just clever marketing?
Answer: Well nothing life is "free" you already know that is not true. How ever there are plans that arr no addition cost to you. How I explain is $0 or zero dollar plans per month are no more monthly cost paid to the insurance companies than what you are already paying for Original Medicare.
Then these plans do really have cost to them in the form of Co-Pays, Co-Insurance and Max Out of Pocket. But "free" is relative and can be explain better as no additional cost to over what you are paying for Original Medicare. This can be a complicated questions and depends on a lot of factors if these kinds of plans are a good fit for you. Contact us to see if a $0 premium plan is a good fit for you!
Don't you think Medicare's focus on treatment rather than prevention is backwards?
Answer: This is a complicated answer, how I look at it is Medicare is Based on Western Medicine that that focuses on treatment of conditions, so Medicare follow that process. However in my many years of doing this I have seen a lot of folks find out they have major health conditions because of the regular screenings that are at no cost to you on your policies. The plans do encourage you to use them and take advantage of no cost screenings and some doctor visits. So know that you are well covered. Now some plans do include no cost to you benefits, like gym memberships, access to over-the-counter products like vitamins and supplements, and other benefits that take aim at getting you and keeping you healthy! Make sure you choose a plan that fits your needs and lifestyle.
I'm worried about choosing the wrong plan and being stuck with it. How often can I change my Medicare coverage?
Answer: Depending on which "style" of Medicare plan you have that will determine what changes you can make and when. This can get complicated best to have a back and forth conversation with a Licensed Insurance Agent and/or Medicare Broker to help you choose the right "style of plan" that fits your needs. But here is a basic answer Medicare Advantage and Part D Prescription Drug plans are allowed to be changes during the Annual Enrollment period which runs from October 15th - December 7th every fall! Medicare Supplement or Medigap plans you are more or less married to but you can get off of them during this time as well. But! Be careful doing this because you may not be able to get back onto them unless you answer medical questions and you could be denied in the future. There are other times of the year that you may be able to make changes depending on what plan you are on and life circumstances. There are what are called Special Election Periods that can run all year long. And the Advantage Plan Open Enrollment Period that runs from January 1st to March 31st each year. Yes you could get stuck with a style but you can always make changes but make sure you understand the good and bad of that change. You will hear out YES and you will be told you "can change" something but the real questions "should" I make that change? We can help!
If you had to pick just one, what's the worst Medicare-related decision someone can make?
Answer: Delaying or choosing to not get enrolled when they become eligible and during your set enrollment periods.
Not enrolling in Medicare Part A & Part B when they are first eligible can results in delays and penalties.
Not choosing additional coverage through Medicare Supplements or Medicare Advantage or Drug coverage plans when you are first eligible. The results can be penalties, delay or denial of coverages, and the penalties can last the rest of your life. The enrollment timing of Medicare and is very important that you enroll in your election periods.
I have had to have hard conversations with people when they miss these deadlines and there is nothing we can do and getting bad advise from the internet, people who are just older then you falls into that as well. Internet people and people in your sphere of influence their needs and experiences may not be yours. I have made the comment that just because someone is educated in there field does not automatically mean they are experts in everything. Example is that I may not bring car to a CPA to fix the transmission being a CPA means they are in an expert in there field and highly educated does automatically make you and expert. So think about whatever in your past your working life and if you were going to teach me you are an expert in that. Just like that we are experts in Medicare and do this every day and we can help guide you. Let us know and we can help avoid penalties and delays and regrets!