From the beginning we've always offered our clients the ability to enroll in a Medicare Supplement plan over the phone. Back then it was for the client's convenience, but during this pandemic it's for everyone's safety. While it's always nice to meet someone in person, that's not a possibility as we deal with COVID-19. Luckily, this won't impact your ability to enroll in a Medigap plan. With just a short 15 minute phone call, we're able to complete a Medigap application for o

As we prepare for the Presidential election in 2020, the Medicare for All debate is sure to heat up. Medicare Life Group founder, Troy Baccus, caught up with Kathe Kline of MedicareQuick for an in-depth discussion of the implications of these potential changes to Medicare. To read Troy's views, as well as those of other Medicare experts, be sure to read Ms. Kline's article, Medicare For All – What do you think? #Medicare #MedicareForAll #Medicare4All

Several years ago, Troy and I decided to turn our focus entirely to the Medicare health insurance market. The shift in focus to Medicare was in response to constant feedback from our clients that Medicare help was an invaluable service in an complicated industry. They felt that we helped them choose the right plan, save money by shopping options, and offered great service after the sale. Fast forward to 2019 and we have nearly a thousand loyal clients. Our clients have given

For years, the "Cadillac" Medicare Supplement plan has been Plan F. It's the most comprehensive plan, completely filling the Medicare gaps. But beginning in January 2020, Plan F will no longer be available to newly-eligible Medicare enrollees. Plan G will be the most comprehensive Medigap plan With the phase out of Plan F, Medigap Plan G becomes the most comprehensive Medicare option. Plan G offers identical benefits to Plan F except it does not cover the Part B deductible. I

Our clients often tell us one of the main perks of retirement is having time to travel. But how does travel impact your Medicare coverage? To get the best idea of how your healthcare coverage will travel with you, we should break down the answer into Medicare coverage and supplemental coverage. Medicare Coverage While Traveling We have good news and bad news. The good news: While traveling within the United States, you can go to any provider that accepts Medicare (which is th

Enrolling in Medicare and securing a Medicare supplement insurance plan is a complicated, but important task. It's best to have a professional agent by your side to help with the process and offer advice based on their experience. Usually enrollment goes smoothly, but when a hangup with the enrollment process happens, a competent agent can make all the difference. Here are 5 questions you can ask a Medicare supplement insurance agent to help you decide if you want to work wit

I receive inquiries all the time about additional "IRMAA fees" being assessed on Medicare Part B and Part D premiums. The base premium for Medicare Part B as of 2018 is $134 per month. Part D premiums vary, but they are generally between $20 and $30 per month. Some individuals will receive a letter from Medicare stating that additional fees will be charged as well because of something called IRMAA. This can be a frustrating realization, but sometimes there is an option to hav

Routine dental care is not covered by Medicare. The following common dental procedures will not be paid for by Medicare: cleanings fillings extractions crowns dentures bridges routine checkups The only instance where Medicare will pay for dental services is for some dental services that are provided while you are hospitalized. In these situations, Medicare Part A will pay for the dental services. Additionally, Medicare Part A may pay for hospital stays resulting from certain

The Medicare Annual Open Enrollment ("AEP") is important, but not for purposes of purchasing a Medicare Supplement plan. Let's explore what you need to know about AEP, also called the Medicare Fall Open Enrollment Period. Medicare Fall Open Enrollment Period The Medicare Fall Open Enrollment Period occurs annually between October 15 and December 7. This open enrollment period is relevant to Medicare Advantage plans (Medicare Part C) and prescription drug plans (Medicare Part

Beginning in April of this year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will begin mailing new Medicare cards to everyone with Medicare. CMS will be mailing out more than 55 million new cards, so the roll-out of new cards will take about a year and is being done in phases based on geography. Click the link to see the planned mailing by geographic location: Medicare Card Mailing Plan. There's a good reason for these new Medicare cards: to protect your identity. You

With the start of the new year, we wanted to pass along some good news regarding changes to Medicare in 2018. Usually you can expect to see a small increase in your Medicare Part B premium and deductible each year, however, the Part B premium and deductible will remain the same in 2018. Here's a breakdown of the Part B premium for 2018, which is based on income: $134/month: less than $85,001 (single)/less than $170,001 (married) $187.50/month: $85,001-$107,000 (single)/$170,0

If you plan to retire by age 65 and are enrolled in Medicare Part B, then you have a 6-month Medicare Supplement (Medigap) enrollment period starting on the first day of your birthday month. But what if you plan to continue working after your 65th birthday? Will you be eligible for a Medigap policy once you retire? If You Retire After Age 65 Can You Get a Medicare Supplement Policy? To be clear, you can potentially get a Medigap policy at any age as long as you have Medicare

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has announced the cost of Medicare premiums and deductibles for 2017. As you're probably aware, Original Medicare is split into Medicare Part A (hospital) and Medicare Part B (medical). Medicare Part A Premiums in 2017 Chances are the Medicare Part A premium won't apply to you. If you have worked in the United States for at least 40 quarters, you likely do not have a Medicare Part A premium. Individuals who had at least 30 quarters

Today we explore the cost of Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) for a resident of California in 2016. Rates vary depending on a number of factors, including your exact age, the county you live in, and which insurance company is offering the policy. The quotes below should be considered merely ballpark estimates. For a free personalized quote, give us a call or request a quote online. For each of these example quotes, we assume a non-smoker, age 65, living in Los Angeles

This post will look at the cost of Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) for a resident of Montana in 2016. Rates vary depending on your exact age, which county you live in, which insurance company is offering the policy, among other factors. Therefore, these quotes merely ballpark estimates. For a free personalized quote, give us a call or request a quote online. For each of these example quotes, we assume a non-smoker, age 65, living in Yellowstone and Big Horn counties.

This post will break down the cost of Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) for a resident of Florida in 2016. Rates vary depending on your exact age, which county you live in, which insurance company is offering the policy, among other factors. So with that said, consider these merely ballpark estimates. For a free personalized quote, give us a call or request a quote online. For each of these example quotes, we assume a non-smoker, age 65, living in Miami-Dade County. Med

You become eligible to enroll in Medicare beginning three months prior to your 65th birthday. If you are already collecting Social Security retirement, then you will be automatically enrolled. If you are not already receiving your Social Security, then you will need to sign up to be enrolled. Your enrollment window is as follows: the three months prior to your 65th birthday, the month that you turn 65, and the three months after. This means if you turn 65 in July, then your e

In our experience, Medicare SELECT plans are the least popular of the Medicare options (regular Medigap and Medicare Advantage are far more common). For starters, Medicare SELECT is not available in all states. But what exactly is Medicare SELECT? What is Medicare SELECT? Medicare SELECT is a type of Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap). But whereas with a Medigap policy you can choose to go to any doctor or hospital that covers Medicare, with a Medicare SELECT policy you

As you approach age 65, you're probably aware that you need to make some decisions regarding your healthcare coverage. You might be familiar with the basics of Medicare. Maybe you've heard of Medigap, Medicare Supplement Insurance, Prescription Drug Coverage and Medicare Advantage. But how do they all relate? What choices do you actually have to make? We'll help you with this step-by-step guide to your Medicare coverage choices. Decide How You Want to Get Your Medicare Covera

If you're on this site you're probably interested in Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap). Maybe you're trying to decide between a Medicare Advantage plan and Original Medicare supplemented by Medigap. These decisions alone can be confusing, so it makes sense to start with the first building block: What is Medicare? Medicare is health insurance. Specifically, it's health insurance for people age 65 or older. There are four different "parts" to Medicare, which we'll break d