Melanie Rogers, Medicare Insurance Agent

Answer: I enjoy being a Medicare Agent as I get to help seniors. Medicare can be confusing. I enjoy helping seniors through education on their plans choices and looking at potential cost savings between their needs and the plan benefits. Everyday I have a senior thankful they met me and they can come to me year around for questions. They are thankful they have a trusted advisor and can always count on me. That warms my heart and is why I get joy out of my career choice.

Answer: When I get this question from clients it's not a simple answer. It calls for an education meeting where I can make sure the client understands the differences between a Supplement and an Advantage plan. Once that is understood we can then check doctors and current medication and look more closely at what it would mean financially for a client to switch to a Medicare Advantage.

I just did an appointment for a client who knew she had to leave a Supplement due to costs. She was able to save a substatial amount of money by switching and she is well aware of what her costs out of pocket could be in different medical situations.

Answer: I am sorry you had that experience. My clients have found that going in person to a local office or calling earlier in the morning they have the best results with the customer service. I would try those approaches.

Answer: Not utilizing an independent agent. A independent agent does not cost a senior and their expertise will help to look at your individual situation and needs and help guide you to the plan that will meet your needs. Look for a LOCAL INDEPENDENT agent who can come to you and meet in person or you can get time on their schedule and speak over the phone. an independent agent represents multiple companies and plans.

Answer: Seeing out an independent licensed agent would be you best course of action here. You should always choose to review your drug list with a licensed Insurance agent so that they can insure that your medications are covered on the drug list with the plan you are looking at. A agent would be able to advise you if they are not and if you may have to go through a drug exception. Seeking an agent advice is worth the time and there is no cost to the consumer. They are licensed, trained and deal with these situations day in and day out for clients. Their expertise is invaluable.

Answer: Once you turn 65 you must enroll in Medicare or continue on a "creditable coverage" Health Insurance plan from an employer. It is important to have medical coverage for medical costs but also to avoid a Part B and Part D penalty. Creditable Coverage is coverage that is considered to be as good as or equal to what Medicare covers.

Answer: It is not enough coverage as A and B only covers 80% and the 20% cost to you has NO CAP. You will need a Medicare Supplement along with a Part D plan OR a Medicare Advantage plan to help cap that 20% coverage. This will also help you to avoid a Part D penalty.

Answer: Repatha may be on different tiers depending on the plan and carrier. I find it mostly on Tier 3 on the formularies. I have a few clients on Repatha so I will say that you should look into the cost carefully when comparing plans as it can differentiate by quite a bit depending on the cost of the Tier 3, the Part D drug deductible and if the Deductible applies to tier 3 or not.

Answer: I don't know that we have a shrinking workforce. Traditionally we have had an increasing workforce due to population growth. Traditionally years ago we had more one person working families where modern times we have two working adults. So that has increased Medicare as well. I believe the most important issue we currently have with Medicare is fraud and that needs to be addressed and safeguards set to protect Medicare from fraud that would shrink funding.

Answer: Social Security will automatically enroll you in Medicare A and B to begin the first of the month of your Birthday month. You should receive your Medicare card in the mail about a month before your birthday. They will automatically deduct the Part B cost out of your Social Security monthly check. You should speak with an insurance agent such as myself to educate you on Medicare and your insurance choice with Medgap or Advantage Plans. Information about avoiding penalties and the cost of Medicare A and B and what Medicare covers.

Answer: My first meeting is a Medicare 101 education meeting, and I explain Medicare A, B, C, and D. I explain Medicare A and B costs. How to enroll. When to enroll. The pros and cons of Medicare Advantage vs Medicare Supplement. Possibly comparing their choice of work Health plan vs Medicare, if that is an option to continue on the work plan. We usually meet for a second meeting once they have their Medicare card to review medication, and doctors decide, and then enroll in a plan.

Answer: Special needs Plans are plans you have to be eligible for either financially or medically. If you qualify for your state Medicaid then you will qualify for the Dual Special Needs Plan. If you have Diabetes, Chronic Heart Issues. Chronic Lung Issues or Chronic Kidney Disease you may qualify for the Chronic Special Needs Plan. These plans are designed for those that qualify and may help reduce the medical costs for those that qualify. Reviewing these plans with an agent such as myself is advised and my clients have been happy with the cost savings and the benefits on their Chronic Plans. I will say it also helps to have an agent such as myself to reach out to to assist in any issues that may arise on these plans. I have had a few that I was able to assist clients with. The client was very thankful to have my help with the navigation of the issues.

Answer: Medicare Advantage plans work like most traditional company health care plans. You will have a choice between a PPO and an HMO. They will have co-pays and possible deductibles, or no deductible. They will have added benefits such as dental, vision, and hearing. Drug coverage and additional benefits, such as possible over-the-counter allowance or gym memberships, may be included. You need to understand the possible costs associated with the plan in the event of testing, surgeries, hospitalizations, etc. If you have an agent such as myself who helps to find you a plan that will work for your medical situation and finances. Who will make sure you are aware, become knowledgeable, and prepared for the potential co-pay or deductibles costs? Then you will not feel surprised by medical situations and costs that may arise.

Answer: Each insurance carrier has a website in which their network can be searched for doctors within the specific plan. They have addition information such as speciality, accepting new patients and ratings with their doctor search. You can always reach out to an agent such as myself as that is one of the customer service points I offer is to assist my clients with questions like this.

Answer: You will find international travel coverage for Medicare beneficiaries on Medicare plans such as C,D,F,G,M and N. For the most part these plan coverage is limited to emergency coverage and may have a life time maximum benefit for foreign travel. You should review this with an agent to be sure you know the details of your plans international coverage or may use this a a factor in your choice of plans. I would advised for long term stays or more comprehensive coverage to purchases separate travel medical insurance.

Answer: For seniors who meet the Cap of $2000 it was a savings. At the point they reach it their out of pocket costs stop and they do not have to pay anything over the $2000 as it is all covered by Medicare at that point.

Answer: This might depend on what state you live in. There could be two possible things that could assist you. One I would suggest you look into your state's welfare program and possibly submit an application to see if you qualify based on your income vs costs. Many of these programs will pay a portion or all of your Medicare premiums and co-pays. Two you may want to do a plan review as there are some Medicare Advantage plans that can assist with Medicare Premiums in the form of a Giveback and also comparing co-pays on plans.

Answer: I would suggest a plan review, as there are some plans that would be suggested by an agent such as myself, knowing that you were healthy, that could result in some cost savings. Melanie Rogers. Contact me.

Answer: You can submit a form SS-44 to Social Security to inform them that your income will be lower after retirement. I would suggest submitting this form and then following up by calling to speak to them to make sure that they have received the form and have it in their system. They will review this form at the end of the year when they are making determinations for your Part B cost for the following year. It is very important to be accurate on what your income will be, so as not to cause any over-billing or under-billing of the Part B cost amount. Melanie Rogers, contact me.

Answer: Medicare states that an individual is eligible for Medicare if they are 65 and have resided in the U.S. continuously as a lawful permanent resident for at least five years. So you would have to wait until your fifth year anniversary. Melanie Rogers, contact me.

Answer: I believe one of the most common misconceptions people have about Medicare is that it will cover all of their medical costs. There are deductibles and possible co-pays or not-covered costs associated with Medicare coverage. That is why it is so important to have an agent such as myself to explain the coverage and cost, and also have someone to reach out to throughout the year if any questions arise. Melanie Rogers, contact me.

Answer: A Medicare deductible resets every January. This is a feature of the plan. You can expect this each year and look for a letter from SS/Medicare late in the year to advise you if the deductible amount has increased. Melanie Rogers, contact me.

Answer: Medicare will only cover medically necessary services within the facility. This would include skilled nursing, doctor visits, or therapy within the facility. Medicare will not cover daily long-term costs such as room and board at the facility. I have current clients who have care such as therapy and doctor visits within the memory care facility, and it has been covered. They have been very happy that they have access to these services, and the costs are covered under their Medicare. Melanie Rogers, contact me.

Answer: I help you understand Medicare and Medicare plans so you don't have to decipher the information on your own. As as independent agent I can shop plans across different insurance carriers for you. I focus on your individual needs and fitting you into a plan that will work best for your doctors, prescription drugs and your benefit needs. You will have someone to reach out to at any time throughout the year for assistance. This can be vital in customer service issues saying you time and aggravation. I partner with you to assist you year after year as plans change their benefits we will review your needs.