Keara Vega-Hernandez, Medicare Insurance Broker

Answer: This is a question I hear a lot. Your deductible is the amount you pay before your insurance starts sharing costs, while your copay is the fixed amount you pay for certain healthcare services. Understanding both can help you better estimate your out-of-pocket healthcare expenses.

Answer: If you work with a trusted broker you should do little to nothing. They should contact you to review your Medicare coverage every year. This can help you avoid surprises and ensure you're getting the most value from your coverage.

Answer: Great idea and Yes medicare will cover the shingle vaccine for most beneficiaries. Thanks to current medicare rules, you typically pay $0 out of pocket for the vaccine.

Answer: A hospital indemnity plan can provide an extra layer of financial security by helping cover out-of-pocket hospital costs that your Medicare Advantage plan doesn’t pay. Whether it’s a good fit depends on your health, budget, and tolerance for unexpected medical expenses. It’s worth comparing the potential benefits with the premium to see if it makes sense for your situation.

If you’re hospitalized twice in the same year, you’ll generally be responsible for the hospital copays for each separate hospital admission, according to your Medicare Advantage plan’s benefits. A hospital indemnity plan can help offset those costs, subject to the terms, benefit limits, and waiting periods of your policy.

Answer: Great question and very important. Medicare Part B covers many preventive services designed to help detect health problems early, including mammograms.

Answer: That's a tricky one because there are some pretty significant mistakes that can be made without trusted guidance. One of the biggest mistakes seniors make is choosing a Medicare plan based only word of mouth instead of looking at the overall coverage.

Answer: Medicare is individual coverage, so there is no family plan option and you will pay separately. Each spouse enrolls separately and has their own Medicare benefits and premiums.

Answer: Medicare Advantage Star Ratings give you a good indication of a plan’s overall quality and performance. Plans are rated on a 1-to-5-star scale, with 5 stars being the highest rating. In general, higher-rated plans tend to provide a better overall member experience and stronger customer support.

Answer: Yes, you can apply to change your Medigap plan at any time during the year. However, being able to enroll in a new plan isn’t always guaranteed. In most cases, if you’re outside of your Medigap Open Enrollment Period or don’t qualify for a guaranteed issue right, the insurance company can require medical underwriting.

Answer: Yes they definitely do! Medicare uses a 5-star rating system to measure the quality and performance of Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug plans.

Answer: Yes! Medicare covers medically necessary care for asthma, COPD, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, pulmonary fibrosis, and many other respiratory conditions. If you have asthma or another breathing condition, it’s important to compare plans each year to make sure your doctors, medications, and preferred pharmacies are covered.

Answer: Medicare is funded through a combination of payroll taxes, monthly premiums, and the federal government.

Answer: The easy answer Is medicare will pay first but never assume which insurance pays first. Coordinating your benefits correctly can help you avoid unexpected medical bills and gaps in coverage. I can help you determine the correct order based on your employment status and your employer’s size.

Answer: Great question! A local Trusted Medicare agent can save you time and stress! I know the plans in your area and can explain tradeoffs in plain English. I check your doctors, prescriptions and greatest concerns for your care against each plan. This helps prevent surprise denials or higher copays. I also know enrollment windows and penalties this helps you avoid costly timing mistakes that follow you for the lifetime of your medicare. If something goes wrong later, billing, prior auth, appeals, you have quick access to me instead of the carriers. BIGGEST PLUS this is a FREE to you service!