Nick Mangini, Medicare Insurance Broker

Answer: A Medigap plan is always right for everyone on Medicare, regardless of age or health. The reason why is that if you get a Medicare Supplement at 65 or when you first become eligible for Medicare A&B, then you are not subject to passing underwriting health questions. This way, the Medigap carrier cannot deny you coverage. Once you miss this opportunity, you may be denied the coverage later on, and you will be stuck on a Medicare Advantage plan, which is terrible coverage. Contact us.

Answer: The first thing you should do is talk to an experienced licensed insurance broker! We can definitely help since we have over 25 yrs of experience in our agency and can explain the information.

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Answer: When was anything in life considered "cheap"? Cheap usually means costly in the long run! You should get a plan that will cover you so you don't have to worry about your future.

Answer: This is because you probably have a Medicare Advantage plan and they are the primary payor! You do not have Medicare as your primary payor! You should have Medicare & Supplement Plan (Medigap) so you don't have to worry about prior authorization.

Answer: Medicare agents and brokers use the term loosely, however they are actually completely different. An agent is a licensed professional who sells for 1 insurance carrier. A broker is a licensed professional who sells for multiple insurance carriers.

Answer: You should know the difference of a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) vs Advantage Plans! This is the biggest key in knowing which coverage to get! Most agents and carriers will push Advantage plans down the throats of seniors. The reason behind this is because agents get paid more money and carriers get paid from the federal government! FOLLOW THE MONEY and you will know that Advantage plans are a scam! Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plans are the best coverage you can get and you should get it at 65 so you never have to worry about your coverage. Set & forget!

Answer: You should absolutely review your ANOC. I hear clients tell me that they threw them out and that is why they usually call me in January after they find out that the plan had changes that they were "unaware" of. Check your mail and read the ANOC!

Answer: No they can only drop you for non-payment of premiums. Medicare cannot drop you due to health reasons.

Answer: That is allowed because you are not getting a real insurance policy that you are PAYING for! You should read the fine print! The devil is in the details. Medicare Advantage plans are managed care plans that restrict you to a specific network (HMO or PPO), and the doctors have contractual agreements with these specific insurance carriers/plans. If the contracts are not renewed, then the doctor won't be able to accept that plan. If you want to avoid this... the only way is to get a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) Plan! Contact us.

Answer: You should get a Medigap plan at 65! This way you never have to worry about your coverage and you can see ANY Medicare doctor nationwide! You should not get a Medicare Advantage plan!

Answer: NO NO NO! You cannot get Medigap plans if you have certain pre-existing conditions because when you apply for the Medigap plan, you will have to pass the health underwriting questions. You cannot "beat" the insurance system! This is why you should get a Medigap plan at 65 so you are guaranteed acceptance and never worry about being denied coverage later.

Answer: YES! You should work with a Medicare agent who has over 10 years of extensive experience and is knowledgeable in Medicare. Working with a Medicare agent who is local is pointless if the person does not have the same extensive experience. It's not like you will be having the agent over for breakfast every day. Working with an agent who is professional and does not just push Medicare Advantage plans because they are "zero premium" is what you should look for. Too many times I hear clients say that their agent never told them about Medigap Supplement Plans. That means the agents (local and non-local) are not providing both sides because they are simply looking to make more money by pushing Advantage plans. Medigap Plans provide the best coverage, but inexperienced agents are concerned about their own pockets! Contact us, and we can help guide you!

Answer: The Medigap plans are Plan G, Plan N, and Plan HDG. These plans offer the most coverage for the price. Plan G eliminates ALL out-of-pocket costs except the $283 annual deductible. Plan N eliminates MOST out-of-pocket costs except the $283 deductible and the $20 copay for doctor visits, $50 copay for emergenc,y and possible 15% excess doctor charges. Plan HDG offers the same coverage as the traditional Plan G, but it comes with a $2870 total deductible, which is also the max out-of-pocket. Contact us to discuss!

Answer: You should talk to a Medicare broker to help you find the right Medigap Supplement Plan! Having a licensed professional agent guide you is the smartest thing you can do to make sure you don’t make mistakes. Contact us so we can help.

Answer: There is a simple saying... "NOTHING IN LIFE IS FREE!" There's another simple saying... "THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS FREE LUNCH". Medicare Advantage plans have very good marketing and put the carrot in everyone's face telling them that it's "zero premium" which basically means that you are paying on the back-end in copays, coinsurance, deductibles, etc. There is something called a "max out of pocket" cost which means that is your max financial risk for that plan. Just because it's "zero premium" does not mean that is "zero cost"!

Answer: Calling Medicare is basically impossible. There’s nothing you will learn from a government worker. There’s also a shutdown so that doesn’t help. I would highly suggest speaking with a licensed insurance broker to discuss your options and answer questions. That’s why we have a licensed to be able to sell. Contact us.

Answer: Yes it's still covered under Medicare. If you have Medicare & Supplement plan you should eliminate all costs!

Answer: Medication costs can be reduced by reviewing your drug plan options annually during the open enrollment period. You also can check out canadian pharmacies and other options like Good Rx. The Trump administration is working hard on getting the cost of drugs down so hopefully that will help alleviate the costs soon.

Answer: You can change your Supplement Plan (Medigap) at any time you want. You are not subject to the AEP time. We help people change Medigap Plans all year long to save money. Contact me.

Answer: That is why you need a Medicare Supplement Medigap Plan! We always advise getting a Medicare Supplement Plan (Medigap) Plan G or Plan N because it allows you to see any Medicare doctor in the US.

Answer: Oh wow those are the worst! You need to speak with a real knowledgable agent who has experience with Medicare plan options. Not someone looking to offer free bagels to get your business. We have people googling our agency Medicare Sharks all day long! We have over 5 star reviews. We can help guide you with the right knowledge needed to make an informed decision.

Answer: Working with a Medicare agent is essential. The most important thing is to have a knowledgeable agent who is unbiased and has over 10yrs experience. A great remote agent is better than a novice local agent. It’s not like you’re having breakfast with the agent every week.

Answer: There’s no max out of pocket limits in Medicare. The replacement plans (advantage plans) have max out of pocket costs. If you have a Medigap plan as secondary to Medicare you will eliminate all out of pocket expenses

Answer: The hidden expenses only happen when you get an Advantage plan. If you get a Medigap plan then you eliminate the surprises. That’s why we say get plan G or N

Answer: Nothing in life is free. Medicare insurance is not free. It’s absolutely clever marketing! Advantage plans have out of pocket expenses like copays and deductibles. They’re just playing on words and trying to fool seniors. Nothing is free. It’s just no premium but that means you pay on the back end. Get a medigap plan and pay a premium to cover 100%

Answer: By having a Medicare supplement Medigap plan you will eliminate most of your costs out of pocket. We advise getting a Medicare Supplement Plan G or Plan N to cover these costs. This way you have 100% full coverage

Answer: Yes there are gaps in Original Medicare coverage such as the 20% coinsurance and deductibles. This is why we recommend getting a Supplement (Medigap) Plan which covers most of these expenses, so it eliminates your responsibility to pay the costs. Plan G and Plan N are the best Medigap plans

Answer: You should immediately speak with a licensed professional, especially a broker and not a one-carrier agent. Don’t sort through it yourself. We help thousands of seniors turning 65 get educated so you can feel confident in your plan choice. Let us help you!

Answer: Medicare Advantage Plans are private health insurance plans that REPLACE Medicare as the primary payor; so when you get an Advantage plan, that means you GIVE UP Medicare as the payer of your claims! Most of us pay into Medicare for 40+ years to cover our bills when we get it, but now you are REPLACING it with an Advantage plan to dictate your healthcare and allow them to choose if they want to pay your claims for your services. Insurance companies are in the business to make money... so why would they pay your claims when they are not charging you a premium for the coverage? The money does not add up. When you have Medicare and a Supplement Plan (Medigap), that means you keep Medicare as the primary payor, and the Supplement Plan covers your out-of-pocket costs, so you have 100% full coverage and you can visit ANY doctor, specialist, hospital nationwide. DO NOT get an Advantage plan! They are enticing you by giving you "extra benefits" like paying for Band-Aids and Tylenol, but they won't cover the full cost of chemotherapy/radiation, and the top cancer facilities DO NOT accept Advantage plans! -Nick Mangini

Answer: There are a few reasons why agents push Medicare Advantage plans over Medigap plans! Yes you should be very skeptical! The reason why they push Advantage Plans is because they actually get a HIGHER COMMISSION when you enroll in an Advantage plan! It's very easy to entice clients to get an Advantage plan when many of them are FREE and have NO premiums! NOTHING IN LIFE IS FREE!!! Medicare insurance is NOT free! There's millions of agents out there pushing Advantage plans but they are hurting seniors because they are not truly informing them of the pros and cons of Advantage Plans vs Supplement Plans. It's a lot easier to tell someone they can get a FREE plan that comes with "extra benefits" like a flex card to pay for bandaids and tylenol but they NEVER tell you that you are REPLACING Medicare as the Primary Payor of the claims so therefore you DO NOT have Medicare when you REPLACE it with a managed-care plan (aka Advantage Plan). The agents don't tell you that Advantage Plans DO NOT cover the 20% of chemotherapy/radiation and the top cancer facilities DO NOT accept Advantage Plans! As a licensed agent, we have been telling people the truth about Advantage Plans, like how you most likely will never get a Supplement Plan later on in life when you realize that he Advantage Plan has failed you once you actually have a health condition that they won't pay for! -Nick Mangini

Answer: There is no form that you fill out until you are ready to get Medicare Part B started, once you have decided to drop the employer group plan. Keep in mind that you won't incur a penalty as long as your current group coverage is considered "creditable coverage." You should also talk to a licensed broker to compare if you could save money and get better coverage if you were to get Medicare and a Supplement Plan. Don't try to do Medicare alone... speak to a professional! I can help you! -Nick Mangini

Answer: The "best MAPD" plan is a very subjective question. Everyone thinks they have the best plan but the best plan is whatever is best for each individual's needs and budget. As a broker we have to make sure your doctors and meds are covered on the plan and then you have to see if there are other benefits that are important to you.

Answer: You have a few options to save money on your Supplement plan. You can either switch carrier or you can switch the plan letter (F, G, N, HDG, etc), or you can switch both the carrier and plan letter. As a licensed broker, we represent over 35 insurance carriers nationwide, allowing us to shop among them and select the best plans to save you money without compromising coverage. You always want to make sure that you don't save money in premiums but then spend a lot more money out of pocket! Contact Nick Mangini, owner of Medicare Sharks.

Answer: Most people have buyers remorse after being misled into getting an Advantage plan when they are 65 and healthier and then they realize that the Advantage plan does not provide the best coverage and they find themselves scrambling to try to get a Supplement Plan, only to find out that they have to be healthy enough to pass health underwriting questions in order to get approved for a Supplement Plan. MOST people cannot pass health underwriting and usually are denied! Do not get Advantage Plans regardless of how healthy you think you are!

Answer: Medicare Part B is the meat and potatoes of Medicare coverage. It covers everything from doctor visits, bloodwork, scans, xrays, chemotherapy, all medical services that are approved by Medicare. It will cover 80% of the bill so you need to get a Supplement Plan to cover the remaining 20% coinsurance (otherwise you will have to pay it).

Answer: If you are a snowbird or someone who travels you ABSOLUTELY need a Medicare Supplement Medigap Plan G or Plan N! The ONLY way to have coverage regardless of where you are is to have a Supplement Plan! I am a Florida based agent and my clients who are snowbirds will always get a Medigap Plan G or N since it's accepted nationwide (no network, no referrals). Any agent that tells you to get an Advantage Plan PPO because you can "see any doctor you want" is not providing you proper truthful information. Advantage plans always have a network of doctors... PPOs just allow you to pay for out of network coverage. You NEED a Supplement Plan!

Answer: Medicare Advantage plans are usually different in different areas and can vary from each person's location. If you have a Medicare Supplement plan there is not much of a variation since it's standardized coverage... Plan G is Plan G... Plan N is Plan N and its nationwide coverage and acceptance.

Answer: Theres many types of Medicare Advantage plans. The Medicare Advantage plans are managed care type plans that REPLACE Original Medicare as the primary coverage payor. So therefore you are subject to the Advantage plan's coverage and rules and limitations. Medicare Advantage plans are network based plans that are HMO, PPO, POS, PFFS, DSNP, CSNP, etc. These all have their own limitations and restrictions since the insurance carrier is the one dictating your health! You're always better off getting a Supplement Plan instead!!!

Answer: You do not need to worry about Medicare cuts. Many of the the stuff is just hearsay and does not necessarily pertain to Medicare eligibles. The cuts you should be most concerned about are the cuts to the Medicare Advantage plans (if you have one). If you have Medicare & Supplement Plan then you will always have full 100% coverage!

Answer: We always advise getting Medicare + Supplement Plan because it will cover you 100% and eliminates most of your out of pocket costs! You can have the freedom to visit any doctor, specialist, hospital nationwide and no referrals. It's the absolute best coverage available! Medicare Advantage plans will never provide this type of coverage and you will have out of pocket costs and you will have networks to be limited to. Get a Medigap Plan and never think about it again!

Answer: You are responsible for the remaining 20% coinsurance FOREVER and there is NO MAXIMUM! This means you will ALWAYS PAY the 20% FOREVER! DO NOT just have Original Medicare! You need to get a Supplement Medigap Plan to cover the bills that can easily rack up! 20% of a $100,000 hospital bill is a lot of money.

Answer: Why do you only have Part A and not Part B? Do you not have any other coverage? You need to have Part B to cover the doctor bills portion since Part A only gets you a bed in a hospital.

Answer: You are not required to apply for Medicare at 65 but it is usually financially better to get Medicare and a Supplement Plan since the coverage is usually better than any group plan and it's all covered 100% with Plan G!

Answer: You need to speak to a real licensed agent who has the experience and have positive google reviews. You should always make sure your agent has an active license to sell and make sure you deal with an agent who provides their cellphone number so you get right back to them. The call centers are the bad ones!

Answer: You can talk to an agent who is familiar with the Part D drug plans and how to compare them. You also can go to Medicare.gov and compare them on your own. You should always plug the drugs into the system and look at the overall total cost on the year.

Answer: That is why Medicare Advantage plans are deceiving since most people get them because it's a low premium but we all know the saying... "nothing in life is free" and that especially pertains to insurance. I would highly suggest getting a Medicare Supplement plan because there are NO copays and everything will be covered with Plan G!

Answer: You always need to make sure your doctors are in-network on the Advantage Plan. Otherwise you will have to find a new plan that works for you or might need to find new doctors depending on what's more important to you. The best way to never have to deal with networks is to get a Supplement Plan instead! That is why we recommend medigap plans!

Answer: You are not required to change your plan if you have a Medigap Plan. However, your rate most likely will change due to your new residence in Florida now and it's always good to shop your coverage to make sure you have the best rate of Florida. Florida is much different than NY and I know this because I am a Florida based agent. Medicare Sharks would love to help you!

Answer: The coverage gap is the "donut hole" which was stopped in 2025. Your agent should have told you this and i also hope your agent reviewed your formulary and plan info before signing you up.

Answer: I have not found this to affect my work as an agent. I really can't answer this one that can help you.

Answer: You should most likely reach out to your state Medicaid department and SSA to find out about financial help and it's affect on Medicare.

Answer: Sometimes it's good but sometimes people get annoyed with constant texts/emails. Depends on the type of lead.

Answer: If you want dental coverage then just get a real dental insurance plan. You don't have to have Medicare if you don't want if you have VA.

Answer: You will not owe a penalty as long as you have creditable coverage that Medicare allows. Sometimes people do not know if there coverage is considered creditable and even the HR depts do not truly know if it's actually creditable coverage. Plus getting a Medicare Supplement at 65 allows you to get the lowest rate since it's based on age, gender and zipcode. I always suggest getting Medicare + Supplement Plan instead of keeping employer group coverage since the coverage is better on Medicare + Supplement and it's more cost effective long term.

Answer: I would hire an elder care attorney. This is not something most Medicare agents truly understand unless they are well versed in Medicaid law. Plus every state has different medicaid laws and rules.

Answer: According to Medicare.gov, COBRA is not considered creditable coverage so therefore you cannot go more than 63 days without proof of prior coverage in order to be guaranteed issue for a Medicare Supplement Plan (Medigap). You must get a plan now!!!

Answer: Medicare Supplement Plans offer the best coverage since it's 100% full coverage and you visit any doctor, specialist, hospital nationwide. Since Medicare Supplement Plans are standardized coverage by the federal government, it's the same coverage no matter what state you are in. Medicare Advantage plans are different since they offer difference coverage in different locations. This is because Medicare Advantage plans are designed to fully control the client and unfortunately the client does not understand that insurance companies are in the business to profit at the mercy of the client. I would choose a Supplement Plan over Advantage.

Answer: Prior to running my family insurance agency, I was a HS Athletic Director and Teacher; so being a former educator, I am now able to educate seniors about Medicare and provide the proper knowledge so clients can choose the best Medicare plan for their needs. As a faithful Christian, I believe that I was put on this earth to help people in times of need, so it brings me joy being able to help clients when they may be facing serious health issues and I can spread the message of hope and love of Jesus. I simply just love what I do!

Answer: What is the "REAL/TRUTHFUL" difference between Medicare Supplement Plan (Medigap) vs Medicare Advantage plan? What are the actual real pros & cons? What surprises/limitation would I have with an Advantage Plan vs Medicare Supplement Plan (Medigap)? Which provides the best coverage so I can have comprehensive coverage that will last me for the rest of my life on Medicare?