Joanna Gebhart, Medicare Insurance Broker
Joanna Gebhart
J Gebhart Insurance Services
Medicare Broker Licensed in CA, OR and TX
Contact Details
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Location
Thousand Palms, CA
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Phone
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Website
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About Me
I specialize in helping Seniors navigate the Medicare maze. There are so many choices available to Seniors and working with a Medicare Broker is important. We are required to complete annual certifications for each carrier we represent. This means we are prepared with any new changes for the upcoming year. We will review all your options and assist you in making the best choice that fits both your financial and medical needs.
Please contact me for a free, no-cost consultation.
Q&A with Joanna Gebhart
What's one Medicare decision that too many people regret later?
Answer: Not taking out PartD which causes lifetime penalties and delaying part B which also causes penalties
Why is the new $2,000 out-of-pocket maximum for drug costs important?
Answer: It limits your out of pocket RX copays to a maximum of $2,000 per year and offers a payment plan so you can spread your payments out over the year.
My mom is considering switching to a Medicare Advantage plan because her friends say it's better. She's scared of losing her current doctors. How can we check?
Answer: You may check with the Advantage plan she is interested in. You can access the list of physicians from the Carrier's website. This is an important step in every review of changing plans.
I keep hearing about Medicare Part D changes for 2025. Will these actually lower what I pay for my prescriptions?
Answer: Yes, there were several changes to Medicare Part D for 2025. Many of the carriers have reduced the cost of some of the expensive medications. Additionally the Out of Pocket Maximum you will pay for all prescriptions is $2,000, down from almost $9,000 last year. The Donut Hole has been eliminated. This is a significant reduction and makes your annual cost much less. Additionally, there is a monthly no cost payment plan for those who know their medications will cost more than $2,000 in the year. This makes the monthly payment for all medications under $170 per month.
What role do you think technology will play in the future of Medicare?
Answer: Technology continues to play a major role in Medicare and has advanced significantly in the past 10 years. We have moved from paper applications to electronic and telephonic applications. We access our customer information from the Carrier's website and manage our customers in a CRM. I believe expansion of technology will continue and that AI will play a major role in the next few years. How AI will influence Medicare is being developed with evolving discoveries coming soon.
I'm enrolled in a Medigap Plan F, and I'm not sure how my emergency room visits are handled. Is there a copay I should expect?
Answer: With a Medigap plan F policy your emergency room visits are first covered 80% by Original Medicare with the Medigap policy covering the remaining 20%. There should be no copay for this visit.
If a senior is turning 65 but still working, should they enroll in Medicare or delay it?
Answer: If a senior is turning 65 and still working I recommend they accept Part A and delay enrolling in Part B until they retire. However one must be certain that the existing health and prescription plan is at least as good or better than Medicare coverage. If the existing insurance does not meet what Medicare calls "credible coverage" then any delay would cause a penalty for both Part B and Part D (Prescription plans)
This is why working with a local agent is important. I review all options with my clients to determine what works best for each individual's situation.
How to know if a Medicare agent is legitimate?
Answer: When discussing Medicare with an agent it is important to make certain that they have a current license with the state you are in. You can go online to the states insurance website and search for Medicare agents to confirm their legitimacy.
If they advertise and/or give you a business card they must have their Insurance License Number on the card. Licensed agents spend many hours in the summer learning about new changes for the upcoming year and are tested by each carrier they represent to make sure they are re-qualified each year.