Mark Boone, Medicare Insurance Agent

Answer: I assume you have a Medicare Advantage plan otherwise you would need to have a stand alone dental plan. If you do have a Medicare Advantage plan you can contact your insurance company or look on their website

Answer: I enjoy working with seniors and others that qualify for Medicare services. I enjoy making a difference in the lives I touch on a daily basis and making sure that seniors and Medicare qualifiers are taken care of with the best coverage available in their area.

Answer: It’s not a straight yes or no answer. It depends if it’s original Medicare or a Medicare supplement or a Medicare advantage plan. You would need to check with your plan and see what coverage you have when traveling and in what countries. Most of the time if traveling in Mexico or Canada they will work with you and your coverage but some overseas countries will not and you will have to pay for services and then see if you can get reimbursed from your provider.

Answer: It doesn’t affect it at all unless you are receiving Medicaid or extra help from the government. Medicare is an individual coverage and getting married late in life will have no affect on your Medicare coverage.

Answer: That’s a great question. Many insurance companies do provide rewards for clients that are proactive and complete healthy living activities such as annual wellness visits, cancer screenings and being active. So not a direct discount but money back or gift cards for taking care of yourself and choosing wellness.

Answer: Over $5 trillion per year is spent on health care each year in the US and that equates to over $15,000 per person

Answer: Plans and doctors and clinics are allowed to leave for a variety of reasons usually related to administrative and financial burdens. Sometimes doctors leave because of slow Medicare and insurance reimbursements rates. It is always a good idea to review your Medicare advantage plan each year during annual enrollment period to make sure the plan is meeting your needs and that your doctor is still in that plan.

Answer: You are not able to backdate your enrollment as all enrollments are forward dated. You might be able to enroll if you are eligible for a special enrollment period (SEP). Talk to an agent and they can see if you qualify.

Answer: If you are still working and covered by an employer plan you are not required to sign up for Medicare Part B. As long as you qualify, Part A will be automatic at age 65. As long as you have credible coverage through the employer plan there should not be a Part B or Part D penalty for delaying coverage.

Answer: There is no requirement that you work with an agent for Medicare planning but it is always best to work with someone that deals with Medicare on a daily basis. It’s like working on your car. You could probably do the work yourself but wouldn’t you rather have someone trained and knows all the benefits and pitfalls of the system working with you to help you make your decisions? There is no out of pocket expense to the beneficiary to work with a Medicare certified agent

Answer: You can get a replacement by requesting on online through My Social Security account or by calling Medicare 1-800-633-4227