Steve and Sue Brauer, Medicare Insurance Broker

Answer: Probably the most frustrating misconception Independent Brokers deal with each year with Medicare is that they have to re-enroll into their Medicare plan each year. The reality is that once you are on a plan, whether that is a Medicare Advantage Plan or a MediGap plan, the plan usually renews each Januay 1st unless you want to change.

Answer: It's actually pretty easy.... lean on the expertise of your INDEPENDENT Medicare Adviser, they can break it down pretty easy and show you the differences. Here is a good rule of thumb using generalities: a Medicare Advantage Plan covers EVERYTHING that a Supplement covers (by law) and also includes a lot of extra benefits like dental, vision, etc... The Medicare Supplement and Drug plan associated with it, costs money each month... depending on your age and where you live. The Medicare Advantage Plans usually have no monthly premium and "bundles" the Part D Prescription Drug plan within the medical coverage. Advantage Plans are more of a "pay as you go" model, since all of the services have a copay, where the Medicare Supplement or MediGap plans are a pre-pay model.... costing money each month whether you use Medicare services or not and there are little to no fees when you obtain services.

Answer: If you are retiring next year, over 65 and currently insured with your employer, you will need to coordinate terminating your employer coverage and enrolling in your Part B of Medicare (if you delayed your enrollment when you were first eligible) Once you leave your Group Health Plan from your employer, you have a limited time to ether enroll into a MediGap plan and Prescription Drug plan or a Medicare Advantage Plan. I highly recommend finding an Independent Medicare Adviser that ONLY does Medicare to assist you. Our services are free and vitally important to navigate the confusing Medicare waters.

Answer: The benefit of having a LOCAL broker is that they are (hopefully) experts at the local market and know the nuances of your area. In the Phoenix area, you also want to find an agent that is not a "snowbird".... meaning they leave for the summer to a cooler place. The reason is that your access to that agent will be severely reduced during the summer months when you may need to meet with them or need their help. Also.... you REALLY should hire a Medicare Adviser that ONLY does Medicare, because.... you can't be an expert at everything. There are just not enough hours in the day.

Answer: This is an EXTREMELY rare situation.... but if you can show a legitimate medical emergency situation that made you miss your enrollment, Medicare MAY give you what is called an SEP (Special Enrollment Period) which will allow you to enroll without the late enrollment penalties. They will NOT backdate your enrollment.

Answer: The only situation in which Medicare will pay for services outside of the United States is when you are NEAR the border of the United States; otherwise, you're out of luck. I ALWAYS suggest that my clients purchase a "Travel Medical" plan when they are outside the US. Its relatively cheap and VERY comprehensive

Answer: First of all, before anything else.... find yourself an INDEPENDENT Medicare broker that ONLY does Medicare. The reason is that all of our services are free, no matter what "agent" you use. I always ask people this.... if you had a heart issue, would you see a General Practitioner or a Cardiologist? When you hire an insurance agent (again, our services are free), you are tapping into their expertise. I learned a long time ago that you cannot be an expert at everything; there are just not enough hours in the day. When a broker does many lines of insurance, they cannot be an expert at all of them. Medicare is a very confusing and ever-changing thing. It's a full-time job staying current on all of the nuances and changes. Now, having said that, have your Independent Medicare Adviser HELP you find a Part D plan that covers all of your medications at a reasonable cost. Plan formularies change from one insurance company to another, and it can make a BIG difference which company that you're with.

Answer: When someone asks me this.... I remind them of the famous saying, "you get what you pay for". With Medigap plans, there are many to choose from. The only one that I recommend to people is the Plan G... which replaced Plan F in 2020, as the most comprehensive plan on the market. Other Medigap plans are less expensive, but there's a reason for that. Be VERY careful when a broker suggests Plan N or anything other than Plan G. The best time to purchase a MediGap plan is right when your Part B becomes effective. When you do that, there is no underwriting, and you enjoy the best pricing.

Answer: Well... that depends on your situation and what is important to you. With a Medicare Advantage Plan, you usually have to stay within the plan's provider network, which is centered around the area where you live and usually includes the Part D prescription drug coverage as part of the plan. It's a "bundled" product. With a Part D plan, people usually have a Medicare Supplement plan, or a Medigap plan, to "supplement" the 20% that Part B does not cover. The downside to this is that Medigap plans can be pricey.... not so much when you are 65, but over the years they increase substantially.

Answer: You can call 800 Medicare to confirm benefits, but just so you know, ALL Medicare Advantage Plans MUST have coverage as good, or better than Original Medicare.... by law. Medicare Advantage plans usually have a lot of extra benefits that Original Medicare does not offer

Answer: The short answer is yes. If you want to use Medicare services when you return, you must keep your Medicare Part A and Part B active and paid up. If you don't, there is a chance you will owe substantial penalties when you return AND want to use your Medicare. Just so you know.... the penalties can be several hundred dollars A MONTH, and they are for the rest of your life.

Answer: Thanks for asking!!...Your MediGap or Medicare Supplement SHOULD cover all or most of the cost of your knee replacement surgery. There should not be any copays associated with this procedure, as long as it is considered "medically necessary" and done by physicians that accept Medicare "Assignment". That means they accept what Medicare pays them for specific services and will not bill above and beyond that. A doctor can accept Medicare patients BUT not accept Medicare "assignment", meaning they can charge patients up to 15% above what Medicare pays them. Fortunately for you, Plan G PAYS the extra 15%, called Medicare "excess fees".

Answer: My advice to people is to put all of it aside. If you try and read all of it your head will explode. Find an Independent Medicare Broker and use them as your Adviser, their services are free and if you choose one that only does Medicare, you'll be getting an expert

Answer: About the only reason I would not choose a Medicare Advantage Plan is if I traveled constantly and wanted to see Medicare providers out of my resident state. Other than that, I would absolutely choose an Advantage plan

Answer: Probably the biggest perceived disadvantage to Medicare Advantage Plans is that you have to stay within the network of the insurance company that you have. In reality, if you live in the Phoenix area, or Florida, the networks are VERY robust and easy to navigate.

Answer: When your Independent Broker strategized your new Part D plan, that should have been part of the discussion. Oh... you didn't use an Independent Broker... that may be part of the problem

Answer: Yes, typically most Advantage plans cover Home Health care. Some are more comprehensive than others, but the benefit exists with most of the Medicare carriers

Answer: With 68 million people using Medicare, I highly doubt that it will run out of money. They've been saying that about Medicare and Social Security since I was a kid in the 1960's

Answer: Probably the most underrated benefit of Medicare is the Annual Wellness Visit which can also include "end-of-life" care planning and assistance in completing the Advanced Directive

Answer: If you are healthy, enrolling into a Medicare Advantage plan would be the most cost effective, since most plans are premium free. They would pay copays when they use services

Answer: You would have to get a POA, Power of Attorney either with the parent giving consent, or by going through the court system and obtaining a Conservatorship or Guardianship. Its probably best to consult an Elder Law attorney

Answer: Medicare, or Medicare Advantage plans will cover "medically necessary" physical therapy. With Orginal Medicare, its covered under the Part B, and then you either have the remaining 20% covered with a MediGap plan or you'd pay a copay with your Medicare Advantage plan

Answer: Plans, depending on exactly what plan you're talking about, are priced based on your zip code, your age, your sex, and then discounted based on your income level.

Answer: If you fall into certain income brackets, you would be eligible for what they call Extra Help. It would either pay part, or all of your medications, copays and other charges. You would check with Social Security to see if you qualify.

Answer: All of the vaccinations that the CDC recommends are no cost to Medicare beneficiaries. That includes vaccinations for Shingles, Whooping cough, Tetanus, etc.

Answer: Your Medicare plan will only work NEAR the US border, and only in some circumstances. I always advise people that are traveling outside of the US to purchase a Travel Medical plan. They are fairly inexpensive and very robust in their coverage. They don't cover travel to some countries where there is unrest.

Answer: There is definitely more utilization with all of the people turning 65. They say that each day, 10,000 people turn 65 in the United States. Hopefully focusing on addressing all of the fraud will also help revitalize the system

Answer: That is one of the benefits of having a Medicare Advantage Plan. Most Advantage plans have hearing aid coverage or provide substantial discounts on them at their network providers. With the new Medicare laws, people can purchase hearing aids "over the counter" and don't need a doctor's approval. Honestly.... Costco has some pretty good deals with them too!

Answer: Since Medicare is not a "one size fits all", you should listen to your Independent Medicare Broker. We are trained and hopefully knowledgable about the industry and products in your area. In my opinion, you MUST find someone that only does Medicare, since you can't be an expert at everything.

Answer: Whenever you get married should have no bearing on when or how you enroll into Medicare. Medicare is based on your individual situation and not typically about your spouse

Answer: Medicare is a highly regulated industry, but yes, they do allow the companies to advertise on TV and radio. Once again... if you have an Independent Broker, it doesn't matter what they advertise, your broker will advise you on what would be the best plan for you

Answer: Yes, Medicare Advantage saves you money, but you will still pay copays when you use services. The copays and out of pocket costs vary greatly depending on the plan. With a MediGap plan, you pay quite a bit up front for services you MAY use. The Medicare Advantage model is more of a "pay as you go"

Answer: The most overhyped benefit is the "money back" plans that many Medicare Advantage Plans offer. Don't get me wrong, they are a good product IF you are aware of the other benefits that are not nearly as robust as the non "money back" plans. There are some insurance products to pair with "money back on your Part B plans" that most brokers are not aware of.

Answer: If you had a broker that was good, they would have explained all of this to you. Once again, its important to not only find an Independent Agent, but one that ONLY does Medicare. You can't be an expert at everything and if the agent does multiple lines of insurance, they cannot be an expert at Medicare, there's just not enough hours in the day to stay current.

Answer: Something does not sound right... insulin costs are capped at $35 each month. I would check with your broker if you were being charged more than that.

Answer: Enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan offers incentives because Medicare is big business. Remember, all Advantage plans must provide the same coverage that Original Medicare covers and usually have many "extra" benefits. It's just a different model for administering Medicare.

Answer: IRMAA is an acronym for Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount. It sounds like you were lucky enough to make more money than most people, two years ago. the Part B and Part D premiums are based on a "lookback" of your tax returns of 2 years ago... if you made over $212,000 as a couple of $106,000 as an individual, you will be hit with the IRMAA upcharge for that particular calendar year. The next year, its recalculated and adjusted to whatever 2 years ago tax returns show.

Answer: Usually the biggest mistake people make when choosing a Part D Drug plan is they go for the cheapest alternative. Many Part D plans are very inexpensive, but if you look closely, the Prescription Drug list, or formulary, that they cover may be lacking or thin in some areas.

Answer: Ambulance rides and other types of services are covered under the Part B of Medicare. If you got a bill for an ambulance ride, that is most likely the copay for the plan that you've enrolled into. If you had a MediGap plan, you may not pay anything, but remember, there is a monthly premium (pretty high sometimes) with MediGap plans, based on your age and zip code.

Answer: There is a GREAT risk if you don't have what they call secondary coverage like a MediGap plan. Medicare covers 100% of the Part A (Hospital) coverage, but with Part B (physician services) it only covers about 80%, the other 20% is what you risk if you don't have a MediGap plan. Also... there is NO LIMIT to the amount of money you are responsible for with that 20%.

Answer: Again, if a physician deems the procedure medically necessary, Medicare will cover robotic knee surgery. You may still be responsible for some out of pocket costs depending on your coverage.

Answer: If someone is considered home bound and requires skilled care, AND is certified by a physician, Medicare will pay for some of the costs of Home Health Care. Medicare Advantage plans also have coverage for Home Health Care and differs from carrier to carrier.

Answer: Medicare covers cataract surgery like most other types of medically necessary procedures. It does not matter if you're on Original Medicare with a Supplement or a Medicare Advantage plans... they cover it the same, in terms of the procedure. IF you wanted to do the Lasik surgery while they are fixing the cataracts, it would be an additional charge, since Lasik is not considered medically necessary

Answer: Medicare covers people in Puerto Rico just like it would in the other 50 states, there is no difference, which makes some Americans relocate to places like Puerto Rico when they retire for a lower cost of living.

Answer: If you live in a rural area,. or an area that does not have a good Medicare Advantage plan "network", people can be disappointed in the amount of providers available to them. Sometimes people have been denied services from Advantage plans because the plan deemed the service not to be medically necessary.

Answer: That is more of a question for a tax expert... but I do know that IF you have an HSA that you've been building up for a long time, you can use those funds for any Medicare premiums, as well as Medicare services, on a tax free basis.

Answer: Most times, Ozempic and other medications are only covered if the member's Medicare plan has them in its formulary list or if they are deemed medically necessary. If someone just wants to lose weight, Ozempic is probably not going to be a covered service.

Answer: You can first tell him that nothing is free. Your Medicare Advantage plan may not have a monthly premium, but instead you'll have copays for services that you need, its kind of a pay as you go model. The MediGap plans are designed so that you pay a monthly premium up front, whether you use services or not, and then when you DO use services they are very low cost or free.

Answer: The "premiums" are what people pay each month, no matter if you use the Medicare plan or not. That is the cost of having the plan. Some plans have a "deductible" which means that when you receive covered services, you will pay towards the deductible first, before you realize any "benefit" on the plan. The copays are pre determined costs that you'll pay for certain services, based on your plan.

Answer: It depends on if your cholesterol medication is part of your Part D Prescription Drug plan formulary list. The formulary list is the list of drugs that the insurance company has agreed to make, part of their offering to the members that enroll on their plan. If the cholesterol medication is not part of the formulary, you will not have coverage and it will not count towards your yearly total spending of the $2000 limit.

Answer: You can change your MediGap plan at any time, but you will most likely have to go through underwriting. That means that depending on how you answer health questions, the carrier can deny you coverage.

Answer: Most Medicare Advantage plans do not have a monthly premium, but DO have copays for Medicare services. I tell people that Original Medicare is more of a "pre-pay" system, where Advantage plans are a "pay as you go" model.

Answer: This is another example of having a competent broker that ONLY does Medicare and is INDEPENDENT. Your broker should have explained the rules and deadlines to you so you would not miss your opportunity. The reason Medicare recipients should have a broker that only does Medicare is simple.... you can't be an expert at everything; there just aren't enough hours in the day.

Answer: That really depends on what type of "plan" you have. If you have a Medicare Supplement Plan or MediGap plan, you can change it any time of the year, but you must go through an underwriting process most times. If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan, you have two separate Open Enrollment times, October 15th thru December 7th is the Annual Enrollment Period, and then you have the actual Open Enrollment Period from January 1st thru March 31st. Both of these times you can change your Advantage Plan.

Answer: The best number we've found to reach Medicare is simply, 1-800 MEDICARE. I've helped many of our clients get through to Medicare and have been surprisingly impressed with the people that answer the phone. Once in a while you'll get someone that obviously needs to change jobs, but overall, they've been pretty good.

Answer: The biggest red flag when you're interviewing agents is to ask them what other types of insurance do they provide. If they tell you that they can do multiple types of insurance, you're not dealing with a specialist. Secondly, you have to make sure that they are an INDEPENDENT agent... meaning they are contracted with many insurance companies and not tied to one or two. You want a SPECIALIST, not a GENERALIST

Answer: There are different ways to appeal a decision based on what type of Medicare coverage you have, whether that's Original Medicare, or a Medicare Advantage Plan. If you have a good Independent Broker, they should help you appeal any decision that you don't agree with.

Answer: Special Needs Plans for Medicare usually serve people with Heart, Liver, or Kidney issues and, in some areas of the country, lung issues. Certain Medicare Advantage Plans are designed to specifically address those medical issues with a more focused problem-solving approach.

Answer: Medicare and Life Insurance are two completely different types of insurance. Depending on the type, life insurance is usually a fixed-benefit type of product, meaning if you die, you will receive the amount of insurance you set up with your policy. Medicare is more like traditional Health Insurance and covers people for illnesses and injuries. A certain type of Life Insurance can cover people that are looking for Long Term Care, where when a person meets certain requirements, it triggers a daily or monthly payout of a certain amount.

Answer: If someone has Original Medicare without any secondary insurance, they will be responsible for 20% of any covered services under Medicare. Also important to note is that there is NO limit to the amount of money you're responsible for, if you don't have secondary insurance. A "guess" of how much it would cost you for an ambulance ride with just Original Medicare, would be in the range of about $400-$600, roughly speaking

Answer: Moving to a new state only affects your enrollment in your "secondary insurance" as it pertains to Medicare. The Part A and Part B of Medicare is done on a Federal level, so the enrollment periods are the same no matter what state you live in. If you were enrolling in a Medicare Supplement Plan or Medicare Advantage Plan, moving to a new state opens a window of enrollment for you, called an SEP, Special Enrollment Period.

Answer: Medicare does not have free annual physical exams but DOES have a yearly wellness visit. It's possible that your friend has a Medicare Advantage Plan and most of those have a $0 copay for visits to your primary care physician.

Answer: Private insurers will play a major role if Medicare expands its preventative care coverage, like offering many more "extra services" and benefits all centered around prevention. Currently almost all Medicare Advantage Plans and private insurers have some type of dental coverage, whether that be preventative checkups and maintenance to a more robust offering of basic and major services like fillings, crowns, deep cleanings, etc.

Answer: The Medicare Savings Program or MSP, is a program that helps lower-income seniors with help paying for things like Part A and Part B premiums, copays, co-insurance and other out of pocket costs. There are many "levels" of help that people can get, all based on your income level.

Answer: That's an interesting question. I just had this come up recently. With typical DME, Durable Medicare Equipment, like wheelchairs, hospital beds, etc., is usually covered under Medicare Part B. Stair lifts, in particular, would fall under Part A coverage and are generally not covered under Medicare. There is an actual exclusion for that type of Home Modification need.

Answer: If they're done right, they can be both informative and also gives the broker a chance to show the audience that they would be the right choice for people to work with. "Its all in the delivery" as they say, so choose your broker wisely.

Answer: If you are under 65, and your disability has been ongoing for at least 24 months, you should qualify for Medicare under those circumstances. Workers Comp plays a part in that, but your Medicare may be available to you if you are deemed "permanently disabled".

Answer: The absolute earliest you can discuss Medicare options with your Independent Medicare Broker would be October 1st. The newest plans and options are released to brokers in September and the earliest they can discuss them is in October.

Answer: Yes... but that is the cornerstone of the Medicare Advantage programs. They take a proactive approach to healthcare and are incentivized by the Federal Government to do so.

Answer: I would absolutely do the yearly wellness exam to start with. Medicare Advantage plans offer "incentives" for people who are willing to be proactive with preventative services, join gyms, etc.

Answer: There are various levels of "Extra Help" that you can explore with Social Security. Its based on your Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) and they determine what level of extra help you qualify for.

Answer: You can get denied for a MediGap plan if you did not enroll in that plan when you were first eligible, at that time, it would have been given to you without underwriting. After a certain time, if you want to change plans, or try to enroll into one for the first time, they can deny you coverage.

Answer: Its a great thing.... you're out of pocket limit has been reduced greatly. Its a complicated formula, but generally, you will not have to pay more than $2000 for "covered" or formulary prescription drugs in a calendar year. The formula takes into account, what YOU'VE paid for your prescription and what the drug manufactures drug costs are. The trick is making sure that you have a Prescription Drug Plan that covers your prescriptions.... with all of the changes, many plan have revamped their formulary offerings or moved drugs into different "tiers" to save money.

Answer: Concierge medicine is usually not affiliated with or accepts any type of insurance coverage. I've heard that Concierge doctors' offices often bill Medicare for some of the services performed by their doctors, but I would not count on that to be the case 100% of the time.

Answer: When you leave your Employer coverage, you usually have a "Guarantee Issue" scenario called a Special Enrollment period where your health issues are not a factor. But... you have only 60 days to obtain that Medigap coverage when you lose your employer health insurance. By the way, you have up to 8 months to enroll into Part B when you lose your employer coverage if you have not already enrolled.

Answer: If someone travels extensively throughout the year, it usually makes the most sense for them to be in a MediGap plan, or sometimes called a Medicare Supplement plan. With a MediGap plan, the person can see any doctor in the United States, as long as they accept Medicare patients. With International travel I ALWAYS recommend a "travel medical" policy.

Answer: Medicare Advantage Plans are incentivized to not only give good service to their enrollees but also to proactively strategize people's healthcare. When one of their enrollees ends up in the hospital or has a chronic illness that is not treated properly, the Advantage plan is penalized, meaning it affects their star rating on that plan. The better the star ratings for a plan are, the more money they get from the federal government.

Answer: Well, hopefully you have an Independent Medicare Broker that does that for you... at no charge by the way. It's not easy to stay up with all of the nuances of Medicare and all of the plan options... that's why I HIGHLY recommend finding a broker that ONLY does Medicare.

Answer: Typically, the "outpatient surgeries" are covered under Part B of Medicare. There may be some situations where you are actually in the hospital and go home that same day, which may be covered under Part A of Medicare

Answer: Nice question.... OK, if you're talking about a Medicare Advantage Plan and the "Open Enrollment" you're speaking of is the Annual Enrollment Period between October 15th and December 7th, then yes, you have what is actually called the "Open Enrollment Period" at the first of the year, between January 1st and the end of March. Between that time, if you want to change your Medicare Advantage Plan you can do that, but only once, during that time.

Answer: Your 30 years of work with the Federal Government should not affect your Medicare when you reach the age of 65. Every situation is different, but you may have different options after you've enrolled into your Part A and B since you've been with the Federal Government.

Answer: Green card holders have to have lived in the US for at least 5 continuous years and either qualify for a disability or reach the age of 65. They also may have to pay a premium for their Part A hospitalization coverage if they have not worked enough quarters and paid into the Social Security system

Answer: Expanding the Medicare program to younger Americans COULD be a good thing, but like most things, the devil is in the details. That's really a political hot potato issue... there are a few scenarios introduced where it may make some sense.

Answer: Annual Wellness Vists or AWV should be free to anyone with Part B of Medicare. It doesn't matter if you have a PPO or an HMO Medicare Advantage Plan.

Answer: With employer plans, if you are still working and want to stay on the Employer Health Insurance plan, and you have more than 20 employees at the job, you can delay your Part B enrollment until you leave the employer. With VA-type benefits, it's a little trickier. The VA covers some people, and others have Tri-Care for life. With both you have to enroll into Part A and B of Medicare, but its a longer conversation with the coverage beyond that.

Answer: It really depends on who's running the show! The Medicare seminars, if they are "Educational", should be done without using any sales tactics. Agents can pass out their business cards and ask if they can call attendees, but other than that, they should be ONLY educational. This can be a shady industry.... you have to choose your Independent Agent wisely!

Answer: They are two separate things entirely. You can enroll into Medicare at age 65 or delay it if you are still working and insured by an employer plan, IF your company has more than 20 full time employees. It will not affect your Social Security draw later in life.

Answer: Anyone legally in the United States can enroll into Medicare if they are at least 65 years old or if they have been deemed disabled for the last 24 months by a physician. Someone that has worked overseas and not paid into the system may have to pay a premium for Part A (Hospital coverage) of Medicare, that people who have paid into the system get it premium free.

Answer: Every Part D Prescription Drug Plan, whether its a stand alone plan, or attached to a Medicare Advantage Plan has a list of Formulary Drugs.... the prescription drugs they're willing to cover on your plan. You enter the Catastrophic Coverage phase once you've reached the $2000 limit, a formula between what YOU'VE paid on prescriptions and the cost of those prescriptions from the drug company. All your FORMULARY drugs are covered at no charge for the rest of the calendar year.

Answer: There should be no copay for preventative services with Medicare, or with any health plan for that matter. That was addressed with the beginning of the Affordable Care Act, or in slang terms ObamaCare.

Answer: Yes, if you fall into one of the SEP's, the Special Enrollment Periods. If you change your residence to outside of the service area, you move from another state, you lose coverage through no fault of your own, you leave your Employer Group Health insurance plan are a few examples.

Answer: You have the right to an appeal and to request the reasoning behind the denial. I would have my agent discuss with the carrier the reason for the denial and possible alternatives.

Answer: In easy-to-understand terms, you are only responsible for up to $2000 in Prescription Drug costs on formulary medications. In previous years, you were responsible for part of the Prescription Drug costs up to $5030, and then the Donut Hole, or Coverage Gap, began. Then a formula ensued where between what you paid and the Prescription costs reached $8000, you would enter the Catastrophic phase and you portion was finished for the calendar year.

Answer: There is never an "always" answer... but in most cases vaccines are covered at 100% now with most plans. Again, if you have an agent, they should be able to answer that question for you

Answer: Yes, it is. As they say... the devil is in the detail. When a Medicare Advantage Plan offers "dental" coverage, it can mean a lot of things. Is it "first dollar dental", meaning that you have a pot of money to draw from, usually without having to pay anything first. Is there a "network" associated with the dental coverage offered. Is it an HMO dental plan or PPO? If you have a good Independent Broker, they know things like this.

Answer: There is never a "one size fits all" approach to picking a Medicare Advantage Plan. If you have high copays, you most likely have other benefits to that plan that maybe other plans do not have. The best part, is that you can switch your plan once, and sometimes twice, a year!

Answer: I like to stick to my own lane...I always send people, and even accompany my clients many times, to the Dept of Social Security here in Phoenix. The people I've worked with there are super knowledgeable and helpful. I would not want to inform you about something like that if I was not 100% comfortable with it.

Answer: Your Independent Medicare agent that solely does Medicare should be able to strategize plans for you that cover your particular medication with the best coverage. Every carrier has their own "Formulary", which can differ greatly. If you have an expensive medication, you may have to spend a little more money each month to have it covered under a specific Part D plan.

Answer: Well... with a Medicare Advantage PPO plan, you have a little bit of flexibility with going to a provider OUT of the HMO network, however, if you compare the PPO benefits to the HMO benefits on Medicare Advantage Plans, you'll see that for a little bit of out of network coverage, your in-network benefits suffer.... and you'll get a lot less "extra benefits" like Dental, Vision, Over the Counter, etc...

Answer: Well... I would only recommend working with an INDEPENDENT Medicare agent, and one that you think you can trust. Our services are free, and I highly recommend you find an Independent broker that ONLY does Medicare.... Medicare has a lot of nuances, and I've learned over the years, you can't be an "expert" at everything!