Find Help Navigating The Medicare Maze

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AIS Medicare & More

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Posted on

Apr 09, 2020

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Colorado - Southern Colorado

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Medicare can seem like a confusing web of options. Many seniors choose to rely on licensed professionals for help navigate an average of 24 plans they have to choose from. The amount of choices can be overwhelming. Adding to the confusion not all plans are available in all areas or to all beneficiaries. If you work with an agent, its important to keep in mind that the agent might not be contracted with all insurance companies that offer plans in your area. This means the agent might not take a look at every coverage choice available to you. Make sure they have evaluated your options through multiple carriers. With plans changing from year to year and new ones available in many areas, there could be a better choice out there for you both in terms of cost and coverage. Your agent should check whether your doctor, hospital, preferred pharmacy and other providers are considered in network.

Be aware that if you call a number on an ad you see on TV or elsewhere, you will not have a face to face, local agent to assist you if there are problems in future. Also, some Medicare agents focus on selling only supplemental insurance, or Medigap. Those policies help you with copays, deductibles and other out-of-pocket expenses, and can only be paired with original Medicare. While original Medicare with Medigap might be the option for you, you wont know if you or your agent doesnt check. You should work with an agent that represents both Medicare Advantage and Medigap plans to be aware of all of your options. There are federal and state laws governing agents or brokers who sell Medicare plans, which include things such as barring them from showing up uninvited at your house to pitch a plan or trying to lure you with a cash offer. They also cannot legally charge you a fee to process your enrollment as agents generally are compensated through commissions from the insurance carriers they are licensed with.

Make sure you are working with an actual licensed agent. Unlicensed volunteers can unintentionally cause you big problems. If they help you choose a plan and enroll and there is a mistake, unlicensed volunteers arent held accountable like a licensed agent would be. They do not receive the same annual training as licensed agents and may not be aware of all plan nuances and features because they do not receive carrier to agent communications.
Ideally the agents will be well-versed in Medicare matters and should be able to assist clients in applying for Medicare Savings Reimbursement, Extra Help and pharmaceutical prescription assistance programs if applicable.
If you pick an Advantage Plan during fall enrollment and realize afterward that its not a good fit, you may be able to switch to another plan or to original Medicare and a stand-alone Part D prescription plan between January 1 and March 31. Reach out to a local agent for assistance if you feel you enrolled in a plan that does not fit your needs.

Editors Note: This article was submitted by Jolynn Allen of Allen Insurance Services. She can be reached at 719-404-3202.

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Local Services By This Author

AIS Medicare & More

Medicare Advantage Plans 3030 N Hancock, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80907

AIS Medicare & More has been serving Southern Colorado seniors since 2008. We have started to spread all throughout Colorado, to broaden our reach and help more Colorado seniors. Our complimentary Medicare appointments are available in office, at your home, by phone or by computer. We believe in educating you about your Medicare options and both Medicare systems, so you can make an educated and informed decision that meets both your health insurance needs and fits your budget. Our agents are with you for life. We provide annual policy reviews, lifetime claims service, account management and prefer if you call us not the carriers. We want to know what is going on in order to better assist you with any of your needs in the future. We help you with State and Federal programs, Medicare Savings Reimbursement, Extra Help, Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs, Veterans Programs, Long Term Care Medicaid and more. By combining all of the programs available to you with your Medicare plan benefits, we can improve your overall coverage and reduce your out of pocket expenses. We are on your team! We want to ensure that you are taking advantage of all of the benefits available for you.