Thomas Ashton, Medicare Insurance Broker
Thomas Ashton
Tom Ashton Insurance LLC
Medicare Broker Licensed in FL, AL, AZ, MS, OH, SC, TN, TX and VA
15+ Years of Experience
Contact Details
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Location
Cantonment, FL
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Phone
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Website
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About Me
Hello! I'm Tom Ashton, your trusted Medicare agent in the area. My specialty is Medicare, and I'm passionate about helping you select the ideal plan that caters to your individual needs and budget. I'll efficiently sort through plans from reputable national and local companies, saving you time and effort. Best of all, my services are provided at no cost to you. Contact me to discuss your Medicare choices and don't forget to mention that you found me on Medicare Agents Hub!
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Q&A with Thomas Ashton
What's the most important question I should be asking about Medicare that I probably haven't thought of yet?
Answer: If I am still working do I need to sign up for Medicare? How do I determine if a Medicare Advantage Plan or a Medicare Supplement is right for me?
What's the trade-off between a Medicare Advantage PPO and HMO when it comes to flexibility?
Answer: A Medicare Advantage PPO gives you more flexibility, no networks, and covers a larger territory, but normally is associated with higher copays for services. HMO's are based on the counties surrounding you and has a network to physicians and hospitals, but it has lower copays.
Am I eligible for a Special Enrollment Period if I lose employer coverage?
Answer: If you loose employer coverage, yo are eligible for a Special Election Period. You have a 2 month window to sign up.
Can I backdate my Medicare enrollment if I missed my initial window due to a medical emergency?
Answer: Medicare enrollments cannot be backdated. They always start on the 1st of the following month after signing up.
Which Medicare Supplement plan (Medigap) offers the best value for most seniors, and why?
Answer: If you started receiving or were eligible to receive Medicare prior to year 2020, than a Plan F Supplement or a High Deductible Plan F Supplement is best. If you were eligible or receiving Medicare after January 1, 2020, than a Plan G Supplement or a High Deductible Plan G Supplement is your best value. These four options are the only plans that cover all the part of Medicare 100% including Medicare Part B excess charges.
How do you educate clients who are completely new to Medicare?
Answer: I like to go through the process of explaining the different parts of Medicare.Than I go through each part and break it down further as to what each part covers, how each part works in conjunction with each other. The differences between Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplements. How Prescription Drug Plans work.
What's one piece of advice you wish every senior knew before picking a Medicare plan?
Answer: Beware of telemarketers calling you. It is illegal for a telemarketer to contact you without your approval. I have had many clients get their plans messed up throughout the years. If you have an agent you trust rely on them, If not contact, I will take very good care of you.
Why do so many seniors wait until the last minute to enroll in Medicare, and how can agents help prevent bad decisions?
Answer: I think in part because they don't know where to start and what steps to take. Also, the timing can be confusing of when to sign up.
Can I switch from a Medicare Advantage plan to a Supplemental/Medigap plan during the Annual Enrollment Period without answering health questions?
Answer: If you are within 6 months of turning 65. If you have a guarantee issued supplement policy, or if you were on a Medicare Advantage policy less than a year and switching back to a supplement.
Why would you not choose a medicare Advantage plan?
Answer: If you travel, you may not want a Medicare Advantage Plan, because they are territorial and are not accepted everywhere (except in emergencies). Your doctor or hospital can leave a plan at anytime throughout the year, but there are only certain times you can change plans, forcing you to have to find a new doctor or hospital.
I called to ask about a knee replacement and suddenly they said I need prior authorization. I thought my plan was supposed to be good-what's going on?
Answer: If you have a Medicare Advantage plan thy could ask for a prior authorization. It also could depend on the healthcare provider, or weather it is an HMO or a PPO.
How can I save money on my Medicare Supplement?
Answer: If you're on a Medicare Supplement or considering a Medicare Supplement you might have noticed that supplement rates have gone up every year for the last three years. The reason that they have gone up is that Medicare raised all its deductibles and copayments for Medicare Parts A and Part B. There is a solution to keep from paying the insurance companies thousands of dollars each year for services you are not using. I will try to explain an alternative that will lower your monthly premiums 75 percent or more of what you are currently paying. The solution is to purchase a HDF or HDG supplement. You may have not heard of a HDF or HDG supplement, that is because there are only a handful of companies that offer the HDF or HDG supplement. The HD stands for "High Deductible", it is the maximum annual deductible you would have to pay out of pocket in a calendar year. After all copayments reach the deductible, Part A and Part B would be covered 100%, meaning that you would have no more out of pocket cost for the rest of the year. The annual deductible is set by the federal government and for 2024 is currently $2800.
How do you approach educating clients who are new to Medicare versus those who are considering switching plans?
Answer: First, I would like to find out what they dislike about their current plan. Second, What the person is looking for in a new plan and if a new plan will meet their needs.
Why do some agents push Medicare Advantage plans over Medigap-should I be skeptical?
Answer: Medicare Advantage plans pay higher commissions and high renewals than Medigap plans. An agent should give you all the details on all the plans and let you, the consumer decide which option is best.
Why are seniors losing Medicare Advantage plans?
Answer: Seniors that are not paying for the plan if there is an additional cost is one reason they could lose their Medicare Advantage Plan. Also, if the carrier cannot sustain enough business in a county, the carrier can drop out of the area.