Steven Rukhman, Medicare Insurance Broker

Answer: I would say length of time in the business, the online footprint and reputation and how you connected with the agent in the first place. If it came from a trusted referral, like a friend or a doctor, chances are that you will be in good hands.

Answer: Yes, those events can be very helpful. I host monthly Educational Medicare Seminars in the local community, where I am not allowed to talk about plan benefits, nor enroll people onto a plan. An Educational Event can be helpful for someone not yet on Medicare because it will give you a great foundational understanding of the program, and if you make a connection with the presenter, that person will likely be a good resource to help you with the next steps.

Answer: Review your current health insurance situation to determine what next steps should be taken. Getting in touch with a reputable, experienced health insurance broker, specializing in Medicare health plans is also a great place to start.

Answer: Medicare is not one size fits all. Like any other financial product or investment, be strategic about it. You want to get as much benefit as possible and pay as little as possible. Working with an experienced, knowledgeable, licensed insurance broker specializing in Medicare health plans is a good start.

Answer: I always advise reviewing Prescription Drug Plans yearly, and seeing if anything can be improved based on your specific medications, which will allow for a thorough review.

Answer: I know that I am providing them vital information, up front, in determining the best course of action. If I do end up working with a Medicare beneficiary, I take great pride and pleasure in doing the right thing for them and, through education, giving them the confidence to understand and select the healthcare options they think are best for themselves.

Answer: Asking for a Social Security number, Medicare ID number or other personal information. Also if it is an unsolicited phone call, or if the mandatory call recording disclaimer is not read to the beneficiary.

Answer: Not reviewing their Medicare Advantage, Part D Drug Plan or Medicare Supplement plan, and not being aware of reduced benefits, increased costs and other costs/benefits that may have changed over the years.

Answer: The short answer is yes. In most cases, the application for the new Medigap plan will go through a medical underwriting and health questions are asked on the application. Some states have a "Birthday Rule," which allows for guaranteed acceptance when switching like-to-like or lower Medigap plans during a specified period of time surrounding the birthday, with no underwriting.

Answer: With recently implemented Part D Redesign, in the Catastrophic Coverage Phase (Phase 3), all plan-covered Part D medications are paid 100% by the Part D plan for the remainder of the year.

Answer: For many people, the biggest perceived disadvantages of Medicare Advantage (HMO) would be the limitations of where the plan can be used, needing to obtain referrals and authorizations, and not always being able to choose their own medical and hospital providers.

For Medicare Advantage (PPO), some people may perceive the co-pays for medical and hospital services as a disadvantage.

Answer: Per Medicare.gov:

Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) only covers acupuncture (including dry needling) for chronic low back pain defined as:

Lasting 12 weeks or longer

Having no known cause (for example, it's not related to cancer that has spread, or an inflammation or infectious disease)

Pain that isn't associated with surgery or pregnancy

Medicare covers up to 12 acupuncture treatments in 90 days for chronic low back pain. If you show improvement, Medicare covers an additional 8 sessions (for a maximum of 20 acupuncture treatments in a 12-month period). If you aren't showing improvement, Medicare won't cover your additional treatments and you’ll pay 100% of the costs if you continue getting them.

Some individual Medicare Advantage and Supplement plans also offer Routine Acupuncture.

Answer: I would say helping people through a very confusing topic and guiding them to confidently decide their Medicare decisions for themselves. I also love the flexibility, meeting people at their homes in different parts of the city, and being able to spend time with my kids.