Mark Murphy, Medicare Insurance Agent
Mark Murphy
Senior Medical Solutions, LLC
Medicare Agent Licensed in AL, CO, DE, FL, GA, MA, MD, NC, NJ, PA, SC and VA
Contact Details
-
Location
West Deptford, NJ
-
LinkedIn
-
Facebook
Mark Can Help With:
About Me
Confused by Medicare? I can help. I work with multiple carriers to compare all your options to find the best plan for your needs. Please call or email for a free consultation.
Q&A with Mark Murphy
What do you like most about being a Medicare agent?
Answer: What I like most about being a Medicare agent is that I get to help the seniors navigate a very confusing time for them. Most people draw a blank when talking about medical plans. I try to explain everything in very simple terms, and I walk them through the whole process. I explain things thoroughly, but I keep it short and sweet and very understandable. Most seniors appreciate the hand holding through the process.
Are Medicare Advantage plans really "free," or is that just clever marketing?
Answer: Free is not a term we are allowed to use to describe Medicare Advantage plans, but, yes, there are a number of $0 premium plans out there that may fit your needs. Plan choices vary by the county you live in.
I tried calling Medicare and got transferred five times. Is there any way to get straight answers from them?
Answer: I've found that if you go to www.medicare.gov site you can use the chat box to get your answers quickly and with no hassles or long hold times.
I'm worried about affording my medications even with the 2025 changes. Are there additional assistance programs I should know about?
Answer: A lot of states offer Senior Prescription Assistance programs (SPAPs) to help with prescription costs. In NJ we call that program PAAD (Prescription Assistance for the Aged and Disabled). It is a state program where your qualification is based on your yearly income. The income levels increase just about every year so it's always good to continue to check the site for updates.
I keep hearing about Medicare Part D changes for 2025. Will these actually lower what I pay for my prescriptions?
Answer: Most likely. Before 2025 the catastrophic level on the Rx plans was $8000 out of your pocket before your drug prices dropped to $0 for the rest of the year. Starting in January of 2025 the catastrophic level is now $2000. Once you've spent $2000 in copays your drug costs drop to $0 until January 1, 2026.
I say most likely because most seniors have low-cost generic drugs. On most Rx plans those copays can run from $0 copay to about a $15 copay. The $2000 catastrophic level will help seniors that take drugs that have no generic brand available and are paying the higher coinsurances or copays.
Are all types of blood tests covered by Medicare?
Answer: No, some types of blood tests are not covered by Medicare. Ask your doctor to verify which test are covered so there are no surprises.
I worked for the federal government for 30 years and took early retirement. How does my federal retirement affect my Medicare options?
Answer: Early retirement should not affect your Medicare eligibility. You can apply for Medicare 3 months before the month of your 65th birthday
How can I get dental and vision coverage with Medicare?
Answer: There are a couple of ways to do that. First, many of the Medicare Advantage Plans come with dental plans attached. They can offer anything from just preventative to a full, comprehensive dental plan.
Second, there are many stand-alone dental and vision programs available on the open market. They can be purchased anytime during the year.