Michael Braden, Medicare Insurance Broker
Michael Braden
Braden Medicare Insurance
Medicare Broker Licensed in AZ, FL, IA, IN, NJ, NM, NV, OH, PA, TX and WI
10+ Years of Experience
Contact Details
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Location
Chandler, AZ
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Phone
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Website
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LinkedIn
About Me
At Braden Medicare Insurance we are a licensed, Independent Medicare Broker. We are contracted with over 30 of the Best, Top-Rated and Well-Known Medicare Insurance companies in America, and we are a Certiified Medicare Supplement Planner.
There is no one-size-fits-all-all with us. We begin by listening to you and asking questions about what you want in your Health Care Insurance. Then, we get busy putting together the best optionsfor you and your family and we present them directly to you. And perhaps the best part, we never have and never will chargeanyone a penny for our services, our time or for our extensive expertise.
We proudly offer Medicare Supplement /Medigap Insurance, Medicare Advantage Plans, and Medicare Part D Prescription Drug plans. Additionally, we have an excellent choice of Dental. Vision, and Hearing Insurance, Long Term Care Insurance, SHort Term Care Options and LIfe Insurance.
We are passionate about the service we provide. We go the extra mile every day, and our goal is to exceed your expectations of our clients.. At Braden Medicare, we are proud to say that we treat each one of our clients like a friend, and we always treat friends like family!
We are licensed in Arizona, Indiana, Iowa, Florida, Nevada, New Mexico, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin.
Braden Medicare Insurance is not affiliated with Medicare or with any entity of the United States Government.
Directions to My Office
Q&A with Michael Braden
How can I verify if a Medicare Advantage plan's advertised benefits are legit?
Answer: HI, thanks for your question...........
If you are anyone you know is unsure if you can trust the reliability of information you received from anyone with regards to any Medicare plan, especially Medicare Advantage plans; the best thing to do is either call the Innsurance Company directly, or look up the plan information on the Insurance company's website. That is where you can go to verify the information.
Any reputable Agent or Broker, should also deliver to you either In Person, via EMail, or in the mail, the PLan outline, including the Summary of Benefits for any plan they represent to you that may be a great fit for you and your needs.
Lastly, please make sure that you not only read the SOB (Summary of Benefits) for each plan you are considering, but also please be sure to read the Explanation Of Benefits. This is where you can find out all of the details of the plan and read the fine print by yourself.
What's your go-to strategy for helping someone decide between Medicare Advantage and Medigap?
Answer: I like to ask the prospective client, what their understanding is of both Medicare ADvantage and Original Medicare with adding a Medicare Supplement/Medigap plan.
From there, I just speak with them about their travel plans, will they be staying in their local are primarily, or; do they anticipate traveling, that is when I reiterate the differences with the plans.
Often times Medicare Advantage plans can bea good fit, if the prospect needs/desires the extra benefits taht come with the plans, but they are restrictive. Then, I draw their attention to the MOOP, that comes with each MA plan, Explaining that there often times, the MOOP can be 2-4 times more in poteeential out of pocket costs than having Original Medicare with a Supplement.
Lastly, I urge them to spend time reading teh Explanation of Benefits section of any MA Plan they are considering, so they have a firm understanding of the benefits, and how they work,
What are the reasons why I should work with a Medicare agent?
Answer: I believe it is in everyones best interest to work with a licensed, independent medicare broker. It save you in the following ways:
1. Most Brokers offer multiple Carrier Choices (WE have over 35 Carriers) and most Agents only can show you 1 or two carriers. More Choices, means more options and more options gives you a chance for lower premiums.
2. Brokers work for you and your interests. They are like a Fiduciary vers a Stock Broker, they speak with you, learn about what is important to you regarding your healthcare options, and they put your interests first.
3. Brokers typically have 5-10 years more experrrience than Agents.
4. Brokers will be with you as long as you want them to be. They never charge theirclients a penny, while their clients benefit from their vast kowledge and experience.
I'm turning 65 next month; what are the first steps I should take regarding Medicare enrollment?
Answer: Determine if you want to enroll in Medicare at age 65 or continues working after age 65. One important fact is that once you turn 65, your only options for Healthcare are:
A) Enrolling In Medicare and then choosing Original Medicare with a Medicare Supplement Policy,. or enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan.
B) Continue on your current EMployer Group Health plan, so long as your company has more than 20 employees.
C) Enrolll in an ACH/Obamacare plan. Not recommended due to the deductibles.
D) Enrolll in A Sharing Ministry plan.
It usually takes 4-6 weeks to receive your Medicare Card, so be proactive. ANd, at a minimum I encourage eeryone to enroll In Medicare Part A (It is free for 99% of Medicare Beneficiaries). If you are not going to continue working, or if your Employer has less than 20 employees, You should enroll in Medicvare Part A and Medicare Part B.
You can set up an account and enroll using the Social Security Administations website at www.ssa.gov. You can ENROLL IN MEDICARE ONLY and then enroll in SOcial Security laterwhen you reach full retirement eligibility at age 67.
I've been paying into Medicare for years, and I'm not sure why my specialist visits still cost me so much. What am I missing here?
Answer: Many people mistaken belief Medicare is free. Medicare is a wonderful health plan, but it is not free. In 2025 Medicare Part B costs a minimum of $187 per month. The rest dependfs on whether you are drawm tp Medicare Advantage plans or to Medicare Supplememnt plans
You must be enrolled in Part B to enroll in any Medicare Advantage or Medicare Supplement plan.
You cannot enroll in both Original Medicare and in Medicare Advantage.
There are co-pays and co-insurance with MA and MAPD plans.
Medicare Advantage plans are tricky, so it is absoutely important taht you dtudy teh Expplanation Of Benefitsa section for any plan you are considering.This is where INsurance companies like to put all of the "Fine Print".
Does Medicare cover emergency care if I'm traveling in a U.S. territory like Puerto Rico?
Answer: Yes, both Original Medicare and most Medicare Advantage plans will cover you visit to an Urgent Care facility. Typically, if you have Original Medicare with a Plan F, Plan G or PLan N, you will hve Emergency coverage up to 50K - 75K.
Does Medicare cover hearing aids, or do I have to pay out of pocket?
Answer: No, Original Medicare does not cover Hearing Aids. The mahjority of Medicare Advantage plans do have some Hearing Benefits, but you will need to view what they cover in the plans Summary Of Benefits section.
If you like Orighinal Medicare over a Medicare Advantage plan, you can find many "Bundled" Dental/Vision/Hearing plans.