Kirk Hale, Medicare Insurance Broker
Kirk Hale
Kirk M Hale Insurance
Medicare Broker Licensed in MS, AL, AR, AZ, CO, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MI, MO, NC, NE, NM, NV, OH, OK, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA and WV
26+ Years of Experience
Contact Details
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Location
Southaven, MS
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Phone
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Website
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About Me
I'm Kirk Hale, owner of TheMedicareChannel in Southaven, MS. For over 25 years, I have helped 1000's of Medicare clients, One-on-One, in 29 states.
I specialize in Medicare and I work with my clients to help them understand and enroll in Medicare coverage. I make sure my clients understand the 4 different parts of Medicare, including Part A (hospital insurance), Part B (medical insurance), also called Original Medicare, Part C (Medicare Advantage), and Part D (prescription drug coverage).
As my client's become educated and understand the different costs associated with each part of Medicare, such as premiums, deductibles, and copays and out of pocket cost I help each client select the right insurance coverage based on what their needs are and my experience has taught me. I walk you through the whole process and make sure you are making a wise choice.
I also can help with any additional benefits that may be available such as dental, vision & hearing coverage.
One more important thing, if you select me as your agent I will be there in the future to answer any questions you might have with your coverage and give you helpful information other agents may not.
Contact me.
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Q&A with Kirk Hale
I was already scheduled for total knee replacement when I took out my policy, will my supplemental plan G still pay?
Answer: That all depends on your situation. If you were new to Medicare, meaning you got part B for the 1st time then yes pre-existing conditions won't matter. If you were underwritten and had to answer health questions and knowingly answered NO to the questions about knee or joint replacement, then yes, the insurance company could deny the claim because of misrepresentation and can even resend your policy. If an agent told you to do this the agent could lose his/her license. So, I always tell my clients you need to just be honest and answer the questions truthfully and if an agent is telling you not to be truthful you need to run away from them fast.
Likely the insurance company will probably know about your knee replacement anyway if you have seen a doctor about it when you apply if you are not in open enrollment or guarantee issue. I had a client tell me once that the underwriter knew more about her health conditions than she did.
Does Medicare cover eye exams, or are seniors left paying too much?
Answer: Medically necessary exams are covered but not exams to get a prescription for eye glasses or contacts. Some of my companies give you a free discount card you can use for those things.
My friend says the new Medicare drug payment plan in 2025 will help with her expensive medications. Would it help me too?
Answer: The new payment plan is available to everyone in 2025. The payment plan allows you to pick up your medications at the pharmacy without paying for them that day. Your part d plan will divide the amount you owe if you had paid for the medication on a single day by the remaning months in the year and bill you monthly for that amount. The part d plan is required to allow you to set this program up but you must call them and ask for it. It's not automatic. It does not save any money but spreads the cost out over the year.
How does Medicare cover palliative care for serious illnesses, and what’s the difference between palliative care and hospice care?
Answer: Palliative care is for serious illnesses, not necessarily terminal, and Medicare covers it as long as the services are medically necessary.
Medicare provides comprehensive coverage for hospice care under the hospice benefit for terminal illnesses with a life expectancy of six months or less.
Medicare likely covers palliative care for serious illnesses through Parts A, B, and D, depending on the services needed, such as inpatient care, outpatient visits, and medications.
Why are hospitals not taking Medicare Advantage plans?
Answer: It could be because of several reasons. The hospital is not in network, the hospital doesn't have a contract with the insurance company selling the advantage plan, the hospital doesn't like the payment amounts they are getting from the insurance company. Some insurance companies pay slower than others. You might consider staying with Original Medicare and buying a supplemental plan instead of joining an Advantage plan to avoid some of these issues.