Jim Willis, Medicare Insurance Broker

Answer:

I like being able to find the right plan that best benefits the Client

I also use my medical knowledge to help them get the right doctor and/or procedure

Answer: They’re not really free as there are copays and deductibles but they’re still cheaper than supplements in the long run

Answer: It depends On your prescription costs.

At this point it appears to be costing most seniors more unless they have expensive drugd

Answer: Every plan has different coverages and a different formulary. You need to study the PDP and compare it to your prescriptions.

Most people are better off with a Medicare advantage plan covers their drugs with the plan.

Answer: Medication’s fall into several tiers, depending on the age, commonality, patents, etc. most common medication’s, like blood pressure, meds, statins, antibiotics, and some COPD and asthma drugs, generally fall into tier one or tier 2 and will likely have very low or no co-pays.

Newer drugs, biologics and some drugs popular due to their use and success rate will generally be priced in tiers three or tier 4 and have co-pays ranging from $40 to several hundred dollars. You may be able to get a tier exception from the drug plan working with your doctor that can drop a co-pay several hundred dollars.

Answer: Generally speaking, Medicare does not cover long-term care or custodial cost.

Long-term care insurance is quite pricey if you are in your 50s or older. Talk to a Medicare agent that is also licensed to handle annuities. The agent can help you utilize your 401(k) to roll it tax free into something like an immediate annuity that would handle the payments For long-term care without losing your money.

Answer:

It really depends on where you’re traveling to. Many of the Medicare advantage plans work in most if not all states. The Aetna elite plan works in all 50 states I have found.

So the answer your original question is yes you probably could’ve done better with a Medicare advantage plan without a premium and most charges covered as long as you stay within network, but their network covers all 50 states

Answer: Yes you are

Loss of employer coverage is one of the standard SEP‘s. You have to get signed up rather quickly, preferably within 30 days after losing your employer coverage.

Answer: Part of the process of shopping for a Medicare advantage plan is to find a good agent who will check to make sure that all of your doctors are in the plan that you have chosen.

It’s far more likely her doctors are in the plan and available and more places than the current Insurance she has.

Answer: The star ratings actually have nothing to do with the quality of care that you will receive

The star based on returns from clients of a given insurance company and their opinions on what they’re receiving in the way of benefits, care and coverages.

Answer: You need to be on a PPO that has network doctors in your home state as well as in Florida.

I have several different plans that do both except I don’t know what your home state is

Answer: I need a lot more information to answer your question.

1. Are you employed

2. Does your work provide insurance

3. Do you intend to pay for your Medicare out of pocket

4. Why are you delaying your Social Security?

5. If you wait until 70 to collect, the amount you will lose will take you until the age of about 84 to break even. Contact me direct at [email protected] for more.

Answer: It depends on who puts it on and what they have to say.

A good Medicare Information Session will explain all aspects of Medicare and the types of plans. If they are focusing on one plan, it's a marketing lecture.

You need to have an agent who will sit down and discuss your health problems, medications, and doctors and help you find the plan that is best for you.

Answer: As long as you meet the requirements of the insurance company, you can get a Guaranteed issue Medigap plan.

The question is why wouldn't you consider a Medicare Advantage plan instead? The cost is lower or zero with more benefits. The Medigap plan has copays, deductibles and does not cover some things at all if Medicare does not cover it.

Answer: Medicare costs are directly tied to the medical and prescription costs available to all of us. The current administration is working on reducing the price of prescriptions as well as other medical services. These costs go up with the economy and inflation as well as fraud and abuse.

The Democrats in Congress have always blamed the Republicans for cutting Medicare while the Republicans have always accused the Democrats of overspending of Medicare.

The reality is that Medicare and its costs are a truly bipartisan issue where medical costs must be controlled as well as fraud, waste and abuse.

Answer: I fully believe in selling my clients on Hospital Indemnity plans that cover all of the hospital copays for about $21 per month.

There are also indemnity plans that cover ambulance costs, cancer and heart attack coverages, etc. I personally have a policy that includes targeted cancer treatment in addition to indemnity coverages, cancer and heart attack lump sum coverages. I pay $88 per month for all of these coverages.

Why pay for a supplement when you can get a Medicare Advantage plan with drug coverage and all of these extra indemnity coverages for $88 per month?

Answer: Supplements work together with Medicare and pay what Medicare does not pay. That is the statement most of them make to you.

Ask what Medicare does not cover, even slightly, and hence your Supplement will not cover either.

Ask what are all of the copays, deductibles, and other costs that the supplement does not cover

I have had peopple sit down in front of me and tell me they paid nothing for their doctors during the year. By the time we added their premiums, drug plan costs, deductibles and copays, we came up with about $6200. I have a $1900 maximum out of pocket expense on my Medicare Advantage plan with all the same coverages they had. I have switched over 700 people and ALL of them are happier with the Medicare Advantage plan