Steven Lovell, Medicare Insurance Broker

Answer: Helping this in need of Medicare is extremely satisfying. To know that I have helped someone get, covers their medical bills is pure satisfaction.

Answer: The primary trade-off between Medicare Advantage PPO and HMO plans lies in flexibility and cost. HMOs generally offer lower premiums and lower out-of-pocket costs, but require you to choose a primary care physician and may have more restrictive networks. PPOs, on the other hand, allow you to choose any provider within or outside the network, often without referrals, but come with higher premiums and potential for higher out-of-pocket costs.

Answer: Generally, Original Medicare (Parts A and B) does not cover the cost of smartwatches for heart rate tracking. However, some Medicare Advantage plans (Part C) may offer additional benefits that include coverage for certain wearable devices, or even reimbursement for them. It's crucial to check with your specific Medicare Advantage plan to see if they offer this type of coverage.

Answer: I had a client that was still within their open enrollment opportunity but Medicare said otherwise. I had to prove timeframes were incorrect in the system and that client could still get approved without underwriting. Client was already sick but would be covered once approved. It was resolved and client received coverage.

Answer: Medicare will cover palliative care for serious illnesses through Part B and hospice care through Part A. Palliative care can be provided along with ongoing treatment. This care focuses on comfort and quality of life. Hospice care is for individuals with a terminal illness and 6 months or less of life expectancy. It also focuses on comfort and support rather than seeking a cure.

Answer: The star rating system helps the center for medicare services rate the performance of medicare advantage and part drug companies.

It also helps individuals rate quality of care and performance

Answer: Medicare basically is a federal heakth insurance plan consisting of 4 different parts.A hospital b medical c advantage and d drug plan.

Answer: Yes medicare does cover acupuncture specifically for low back pain. There are a limited number of visits per year allowed.

Answer: Original medicare will not medical care in any other country other than united states and its territories.

Answer: Medicare a and b does not cover hearing aids or the exams to fit them.Other plans such as medicare advantage might cover in a limited fashion.

Answer: Yes medicare will cover acupuncture for low back pain up to 20 sessions per year through Medicare A and Medicare B

Answer: Medicare covers part-time or intermittent skilled nursing care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology services, and medical social services when provided in a home setting.

Answer: Yes, medicare Part will cover medical nutrition therapy (MNT) for individuals with diabetes. Nutritional counseling and guidance from a registered dietitian or qualified nutrition specialist is included with this.

Answer: Medicare does not cover groceries but some Advantage plans will give grocery allowance as a supplement benefit.

Answer: There should be stricter regulations on Medicare Advantage marketing and Sales practices. There has been too much bait and switch with agents and how they conduct business for far too long. Clients are the priority, and with that, our duty is to make sure they have the best coverage now and in the future. We need more penalties for negligent agents when dealing with Medicare Advantages.

Answer: Primarily, is the agent just trying to sell you the first thing available immediately, or does the agent actually spend some time trying to determine your needs.

Answer: You can print a copy from your MyMedicare.gov account. You can also request a physical card to be mailed to your address on file by calling Medicare, or visit your local Social Security office.

Answer: You can absolutely meet with multiple brokers and agents before you make your final decision. The last enrollment you complete will supersede all previous applications.

Answer: Yes, just like your Original Medicare Medicare Advantage plans are required to cover the same preventive services, which includes the annual wellness visit typically at no cost.

Answer: There are a lot of factors that determine whether you should take social security early or try and wait to full retirement age or to age 70. This really is a conversation you should have with a Retirement Planner such as myself. We can help run a social security optimization for you. Once you turn on social security, it will stay that amount for the rest of your life and will never increase. So the longer you can hold out, the greater that check will be. II'd be happy show you that. [email protected]

Answer: Medicare plan G offers the best value for the best price and sometimes will include discounts to cover the most amount of health concerns for the least amount of premium and out of pocket.

Answer: IRMAA has a 2 year look back. So if you have a qualifying health event or life event , you can sometimes file an appeal and get that adjusted quicker.

Answer: It all depends on if you're still currently working and covered under your employer's Health Insurance. If you are, you can stay on that coverage until you retire. If you're retired, you need to immediately sign up for Medicare A and B unless you already have it by drawing social security. Once you have Medicare A and B, then you can apply for a Medicare supplement and a Medicare prescription, part D drug plan.

Answer: No, you do not need to as long as the employer has 20 employees or greater.You can continue to stay on your employer's Health Insurance until you retire. If the employer has 19 or less employees you need to go ahead and sign up for Medicare.

Answer: You should listen to a medicare specialist to help determine your financial needs, your health care concerns and who's gonna pay the ultimate bills in the future. If something was to happen to you, your friends unfortunately are not experts and your children may be responsible for paying the bills making the decision for you that may not be in your best interest.

Answer: The satisfaction of knowing that the healthcare that I help them enroll into will be the last best healthcare they'll ever need for the rest of their lives to cover their most potential expenses.

Answer: It's not required but a Hospital Indemnity Plan can be a valuable addition to Medicare Advantage. It can help cover out-of-pocket expenses during hospital stays. If you're hospitalized twice in the same year, a Hospital Indemnity Plan can still provide benefits, as it typically pays a set amount per day of hospitalization, regardless of the number of hospitalizations.

Answer: While complete privatization of Medicare is a complex issue with varied perspectives, it's unlikely to occur in its current form. The current Medicare system, which is a national health insurance program, has a significant public backing and support for its continuation.

Answer: Annuities play a crucial role in retirement planning by providing a predictable stream of income for life, offering potential downside protection, and enabling tax-deferred growth. They can be valuable tools for diversifying retirement portfolios and helping to achieve a more secure and comfortable retirement.

Answer: Medicare Advantage replaces Medicare and you will be responsible for any and all copayments and deductibles. Also In some cases, you doctor may or may not accept your Advantage plan.

Answer: This program is a once-per-lifetime behavior modification course that includes 16 sessions over 6 months, focusing on diet, exercise, and weight management. The MDPP is covered by Medicare Part B and Medicare Advantage plans

Answer: YES, IRMAA (Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount) definitely can affect your Medicare Parts B and D premiums if your income exceeds certain thresholds. You'll receive a notice from the Social Security Administration (SSA) called an "initial determination" if IRMAA applies to you, and you can request a re-determination if you believe the calculation is incorrect or your circumstances have changed. You can make some financial changes that can help reduce your IRMAA and subsequently your premiums for Part B and Part D. Feel free to contact me for further explanation.

Answer: It's common for insurance plans to cover the basic cataract surgery, including a standard intraocular lens (IOL), but not the cost of upgraded, advanced technology lenses. This is because these upgraded lenses are considered a cosmetic enhancement, and insurance plans usually only cover the medically necessary parts of the procedure. You can have an indemnity plan to help cover other costs that the Medicare doesn't cover.

Answer: 1. Prioritize Current Plan Mail:

Even if you're switching plans, open and read mail from your current health or drug plan(s). This will help you understand your current coverage and any important information before your new coverage starts.

2. Sort mail between Medicare Supplement or Advantage

3. Meet with an unbiased agent to help determine plan best for your situation.

Answer: Working with a local Medicare agent offers personal attention, in-depth local knowledge, and face-to-face interaction, while remote agents provide convenience, wider options, and specialized expertise.

Answer: It depends if you're talking about a medicare.Advantage or a medicare supplement.A medicare supplement plan g would be a standard premium and then you would pay a deductible once and then there would be no surprises.All bills would be covered if you're having in copays every appointment you go to, then you may have a medicare advantage.Contact me and we can discuss further.

Answer: Regardless of your current plan, health conditions shouldn't affect it or how it pays your bills at all. If you feel like you want additional coverage you may want to contact someone like myself to review your situation and see if you can change plans but it's not necessary due to a change in your current health situation.

Answer: Absolutely not true. Medicare covers hospital, doctor and other medically related bills. Life insurance covers your death. Two different insurance plans. Both are needed independently and individually.

Answer: Absolutely, it's meant to do that. However, if you didn't confirm your doctor will take the plan next year than that's a problem. Aside from the review, sometimes doctors can decide to stop taking a plan but they must give you notice.

Answer: Lets make sure we talk about both plans.

MEDICARE ADVANTAGE:

You can typically change your Medicare plan during two main periods: the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) from October 15 to December 7, and the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (MAOEP) from January 1 to March 31. The AEP allows for switching between traditional Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and Part D plans, with new coverage starting January 1. The MAOEP is specifically for those in Medicare Advantage, allowing them to switch to another Medicare Advantage plan or back to traditional Medicare. Other special election periods may be option. For you depending on your individual circumstances.

MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT:

As far as a Medicare Supplement is concerned, you can change as often as you'd like as long as you can answer and pass the health questions.

Answer: The biggest mistake seniors make when enrolling in Medicare is missing the Initial Enrollment Period (IEP) or failing to understand the timing of their enrollment. This period, which starts three months before a person's 65th birthday and ends three months after, is crucial for avoiding late enrollment penalties. Missing the IEP can result in a 10% increase in the Part B premium for every 12-month period of non-enrollment.

Answer: Medicare Advantage plans don't necessarily save money in the long run for all seniors. While some plans offer lower premiums and out-of-pocket limits, network restrictions and pre-authorization requirements can lead to unexpected costs. If you are healthy and want predictability, Medicare Advantage might be a good option, but if you prefer flexibility or have complex health needs, traditional Medicare with a Medigap (supplement) plan could be more cost-effective.

Answer: Medicare is very limited in what it covers for long-term care. It will cover you up to a 100 days for skilled nursing care. It will cover hospice and it will cover some home healthcare with specific conditions that have to be met. If you want to make sure you're covered for long-term care, you need to be contacting an agent like myself to discuss a long-term care insurance plan or a hybrid long-term care plan where you don't have to pay for a premium. 706-294-4270

Answer: When you call the insurance company, you're often stuck on hold or talking to someone who doesn't know your full situation. You'll never get the same person twice. With a broker, you have a go-to person who knows you, your needs, and your plan inside and out and more than likely, that agent/broker is local to your area.

Answer: During the Medigap Open Enrollment Period: If you enrolled in your Plan G during your Medigap Open Enrollment Period (the 6-month period that starts the first month you have Medicare Part B and are age 65 or older), the insurance company cannot deny coverage or charge you more based on a pre-existing condition, like your knee condition. However, they may impose a pre-existing condition waiting period of up to 6 months. This means that while your policy won't be denied, the benefits related to the knee replacement might be delayed for that period. Original Medicare will still cover its portion during this waiting period, and your Plan G would cover costs for new conditions

Answer: First and foremost, you are talking about two different products. Medicare Advantage plans can have a low premium as low as $0. Other Medicare Advantage plans have a higher premium but typically not in the $200 range. You might have a Medicare Supplement plan which automatically has a premium and normally exceeds $100 a month. Then based on age, and zip code location, the premium can be higher from there. So, first make sure you are comparing the same product of plans first (supplement to supplement). Then make sure zip codes are compared. If you need help comparing this, call and I'd be happy to help.

Answer: If you are struggling to afford your Medicare premiums, several options can help. You can explore Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs) offered by your state, which can assist with premium costs, deductibles, and coinsurance. Additionally, the Social Security Administration (SSA) provides "Extra Help" for those with limited income to lower prescription drug costs, which can indirectly alleviate financial strain.

We can allook at other products and other ways to pay for it.

Answer: Medicare alone does not offer dental or vision coverage. A Medicare Advantage plan may offer some benefits; however, you need to make sure your provider accepts your plan. You can purchase a stand-alone dental/vision plan from a number of carriers. You just need to make sure you do your homework before selecting a Medicare plan.

Answer: That lies in whether or not you want to pay more or less in copayments and large MOOP deductibles. If you keep original medicare and you don't have a medicare supplement, you're going to be paying copayments and large deductibles. If you go with a medicare part c medicare advantage. You're gonna have copays and large deductibles. If you go with a medicare supplement, you'll have a premium, one small annual deductible and no copayments.

Answer: Under specific circumstances, Medicare considers a bone density test as a preventative service. They will normally cover them every 24 months.