Stephen Garrard, Medicare Insurance Agent
Stephen Garrard
Insurance Mechanic
Medicare Agent Licensed in UT, AZ, CO, FL, LA, MD, ME, MI, MO, OR, WA and WI
Contact Details
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Location
Tooele, UT
Stephen Can Help With:
About Me
Does Medicare seem confusing and stressful? Are you sick of marketing advertisements and phone calls? Do you wish you could find a trusted personal advocate who could make the Medicare experience simple and painless?
Hi! I'm Steve "The 'Insurance Mechanic!" With more than 20+ years in the healthcare sector, and having helped thousands of seniors and people with disabilities, I am your local and trusted Medicare expert.
Let’s face it—Medicare can be confusing. But with me in your corner, you’ll have a local, trusted expert who’s looking out for YOU. I take the stress out of the enrollment process and ensure you get the maximum coverage and savings you deserve. I am an independent licensed insurance brokerage and best of all, my services are always FREE!
Whether you're new to Medicare, helping a loved one, or have been navigating the system for years, I’m here to make sure your Medicare experience is the best it can be. Just like having a good mechanic in your back pocket, when it comes to Medicare, it's good to know a guy!
Give yourself peace of mind and a reason to ignore all the marketing noise - get the MECHANIC!
Steve Garrard, The Insurance Mechanic
Directions to My Office
Q&A with Stephen Garrard
I just got a $300 bill for an ambulance ride I thought was covered. Am I the only one who didn't know Medicare doesn't pay for all emergency transport?
Answer: Without knowing your exact plan type or benefit structure, I will provide info on likely scenarios.
Most likely, you have a Medicare Advantage plan and your bill reflects the copay portion of covered ambulance charges (that’s about the range of a typical ambulance MA copay). The actual cost of the emergency transport billed to the plan was likely much, much higher, so chances are you’re only paying a fraction of the billed charges.
If you do not have an Advantage plan, and you only have original Medicare, then Medicare will pay 80% of covered charges, leaving you with 20% patient responsibility (your out of pocket cost). If that’s the case for you, then the $300 may be the 20% coinsurance portion of your bill.
If you pay an additional monthly premium for a Medigap plan (or Medicare Supplement) then your ambulance may have been covered and the bill should be reevaluated.
But if I’m right and you do have an Advantage plan and still think the bill is erroneous after comparing it to your Summary of Benefits document, I would recommend calling the Member Services number on the back of your plan ID card and confirm with them that it was billed correctly.
What do you like most about being a Medicare agent?
Answer: It sounds cliche, but my passion is helping people improve their lives. And some of the individuals who need the most help are Medicare beneficiaries. Finding this niche is something I wish I had done decades ago, but I’m glad I am now doing what I love!
What is one Medicare trend that you believe is having a positive impact on Medicare affordability? How is it making a difference?
Answer: The fact that CMS has FINALLY held PBMs’ feet to the fire and negotiated prices on some of the most outlandishly expensive and frequently used medications is potentially a major game changer. It’s only 10 meds for 2026 but there’s more on the way in coming years. Fingers crossed that it will begin to shift the power back to the Medicare patient to get the Rx care they need and not be priced out.
How has telemedicine enhanced personalized healthcare?
Answer: One could argue that COVID-19 was the best thing to ever happen to our healthcare system: It forced so much of the medical landscape that was lagging decades behind in technology to catch up to the digital age, practically overnight.
The first early adoption of Telemedicine (virtual doctor appointments) was spurred around 2010 by health systems serving rural America, a far-spread population who typically do not have convenient access to medical care. As a result, the overall health trends reflect a sicker population in rural areas when compared to urban areas. For about a decade, millions of rural Americans began accessing telemedicine for virtual care when other care was not readily available.
At the same time, a hellscape of disparate medical record systems, fax machines, and old-school paper files existed and were still a dominant limiting factor across the country. It’s no surprise that America’s mainstream health system was slow on the draw to adopt telemedicine.
Fast forward to 2020 when the whole world shut down with COVID-19. Suddenly health providers and patients were unable to see each other in person. Medical providers en masse began clamoring for a digital solution. Gratefully, telemedicine technology vendors and robust best practices had already emerged. Patients who had otherwise been disinclined to meet with a doctor online were suddenly motivated to change their tune and get in line for digital appointments. This was viewed both as a safe and cost effective alternative for patients and providers alike.
Personally, I believe that if COVID had not happened, America would still be languishing in catching up to the digital era. Telemedicine enabled America’s health system to not only survive the pandemic, but gave it the jump start and wake up call it needed to bring the rest of the slow-adopting providers and patients into the digital age.
Today, telemedicine is a widely-accepted, cost-effective, mainstream alternative to in-person care.
I exercise regularly and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Does Medicare offer any incentives or additional benefits for preventive health behaviors?
Answer: Yes, there are plenty of incentives offered by plans to help members adopt healthy habits and lifestyles. One of the most common among Medicare Advantage plans is a gym membership or fitness reimbursement benefit.
Each plan is different in different areas of the country. To find out if your plan has such a benefit, call your plan’s member services, usually found on the back of your member ID card or check your Summary of Benefits document.
When shopping for new plan options, always check the Summary of Benefits document (and the more detailed Evidence of Coverage document) to determine what member programs and rewards the plan offers.
Usually, Medicare supplement plans (Medigap) do not offer healthy habit incentives, but I have seen a few that do cover gym memberships or offer fitness discounts. Otherwise, you’re going to find these rewards and programs in the Advantages plans.
Can I use a health savings account (HSA) to pay Medicare premiums after I retire?
Answer: Yes. HSA expenses can be withdrawn tax-free for eligible medical expenses after age 65.
Note, there are additional changes included in the recently passed “Big Beautiful Bill” that will soon affect HSAs. For example, up until recently, the rule has always been that you may only make HSA contributions until you enroll on Medicare. That rule will be changing.