Stacy Cogar, Medicare Insurance Broker

Answer: Once you have your retirement date you should contact Social Security to get enrolled into Medicare parts A & B. Once you receive your Medicare# you need to speak to a licensed Medicare agent to discuss your best options for coverage.

Answer: International expenses vary from plan to plan. If you travel frequently out of country discuss these specifics with your Medicare advisor before enrolling in a plan.

Answer: A hospital indemnity is highly recommended to work with a MAPD plan. Depending on your state, hospital stays can range between $300+ per day, so an indemnity plan would cover those out of pocket expenses. With a Medicare Supplement plan this is not something that you would need however...

Answer: Thankfully there is no longer a "donut hole". Contacting a licensed Medicare agent can review your drug costs on the new PDP plans that are now available for 2026 is the best way to learn about your drug costs

Answer: There is no easy way to answer this question. All prescription drugs plans have different formularies and various drug deductibles so the best thing to do is connect with a licensed medicare agent and they can provide you with a list of options available in your parents perspective county.

Answer: Depending on what new health condition you have, it may be wise to do a review of your current coverage as there are plans in some areas that focus on chronic conditions such as diabetes and/or heart conditions.

Answer: Yes, it can be very overwhelming when first enrolling into medicare. So much mail and a barrage of calls daily (if not hourly) from different marketing companies. Medicare has many moving parts and it is best to speak with a reputable, licensed agent to help guide you in your decision making process.

Answer: I am unaware of any gift cards or incentives being offered just to enroll into a plan. It would be very suspicious indeed if an agent was telling you of such. Some carriers will offer OTC benefits as part of the benefit package, which in some instances can be used for groceries or utility bills if clients have a qualifying chronic condition.

Answer: A good agent should be very thorough and go through all of your doctors and prescriptions. Verify any facilities or hospitals you prefer to visit. inquire about your dental, vision and hearing needs. Ask about travel frequency. A good agents' medicare review typically takes 30-45 minutes.

Answer: The majority of Medicare Advantage plans have a zero monthly premium, however there are some out there that do charge a low monthly premium.

Answer: The 5-Star Enrollment period is available once a year, IF there is a 5 Star plan available to enroll into (very few of them out there however).

Answer: This is a tough question to answer without knowing a little bit more of information. Generally Medicare Part A is no cost if you are eligible for Medicare which is what covers hospitalization. If you do not have any insurance at all however, you need to get both Part A & B (which is $202.90 per month for most people) otherwise you could be penalized later for not having coverage.

Answer: It depends on what coverage you have in addition to your Medicare. Traditional Medicare

(Part A & B) do not cover any dental. You would need to have a Medicare Advantage plan which in most cases, depending on your plan, would include dental coverages.

Answer: Medicare covers very limited vision care onits own. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan (part C) then those plans generally come with more enhanced vision care.