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Does it matter who signs you up for Medicare?


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Getting ready to sign my DH up for Medicare for the first time. Does it matter who I use as a broker?  I wasn’t sure if I should use someone familiar with full timers or if it makes a difference. I know I won’t get an advantage plan.  Also, do I need to use someone in FL if that is my domicile State?

Thanks for any insight, got a lot of studying to do I think 🤔 

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You chose the supplement plan to help with the Medicare deductible and copay. Every letter plan is the same benefit package from all companies. Pick the one that has the lowest premium or the company you may favor. I use my union. Lots use AARP. You do not need a broker or agent you fill out a form and get your plan. Advantage plans are different, a broker may help making those choices. The Medicare web site has a good tool for picking a plan. I have F and have been very happy. 

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3 hours ago, Fun2travel said:

Getting ready to sign my DH up for Medicare for the first time. Does it matter who I use as a broker?  I wasn’t sure if I should use someone familiar with full timers or if it makes a difference. I know I won’t get an advantage plan.  Also, do I need to use someone in FL if that is my domicile State?

Thanks for any insight, got a lot of studying to do I think 🤔 

Are you already getting SS benefits?  If you are, they automatically enroll you in Medicare.   If not, just go to the Medicare website and follow their instructions.  After you've signed up for Medicare, then you can go about figuring out which supplemental plans fits you.

Barb & Dave O'Keeffe
2002 Alpine 36 MDDS (Figment II), 2018 Ford C-Max HYBRID
Blog: http://www.barbanddave.net
SPK# 90761 FMCA #F337834

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The first step is to visit the Medicare website and click on "Get Started With Medicare." If you already get benefits from Social Security, you'll get Medicare Part A and Part B automatically when you're first eligible and don't need to sign up. Medicare will send you a "Welcome to Medicare" packet 3 months before you turn 65. Once he has signed up for Social Security and for Medicare, you then consider a Medicare supplement because Medicare has a deductible each year and then only pays 80% of most bills and it does have other limits. You are not required to carry any supplement plan but there is a penalty if you do not at least sign up for a prescription drug plan, called "Part D" by Medicare. There are also supplemental plans that most of us purchase to cover things not covered by the standard Medicare plan. The supplemental plans are frequently called Medigap plans and there are plans, A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, & N. While each of these plans covers the same things from whatever company is offering, each plan letter is different from the others and some cover far more or less than do others and the prices tend to reflect that. 

In addition, the different part D plans not only vary in price but they also vary quite widely in what the out of pocket costs will be for each person, based upon the particular prescription drugs that each person happens to take on a regular basis. Every company uses a common schedule(drug tiers 1 - 5) of drugs and that determines what the premiums will be. Different companies have differing premiums and copays for different tier level drugs. Because both of my drugs are tier 1, I have a low premium plan that charges more for the upper tiers than does Pam whose premiums are more but she pays very little copay for drugs up through tier 3 and she has at least 1 drug from each of the first 3 tier levels. 

When you say "broker" I would assume that you mean the use of one of the healthcare exchanges, of which there are several. The wide range of choices can be very intimidating for the uninitiated user and an exchange agent will help you to work your way through those choices, if you wish to use one. I happen to use one that is provided to my by my former employer's benefits package but if you do choose to use one they usually are paid by the insurance companies the customers go to, rather than by the customer and all that I am familiar with do have a pretty good reputation. If you wish, feel free to drop me a private note via these forums and I would be happy to share our experiences with the one contracted by my employer and to share the information about who that is. If you are comfortable in doing volumes of research via your computer and making comparisons, you may not need to use one of the exchanges but for us it was and remains beneficial. As mentioned, it really doesn't matter where the service is located as part of the questions will be your domicile and that will determine where your carrier insures you.

Edited by Kirk W

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

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I went through a broker this year, don't know where he gets his commission but not from me. I stayed on the same plan with a different company but exact same coverage. Payments went from 180 to 130 a month, but part of that is a first year discount, so it pays to shop every year. I like the broker method because you tell him your basic health history and scrips, and if he is good, will know which companies will take you and which ones won't. Saves you filling out applications.

Foretravel 40ft tag 500hp Cummins ISM  1455 watts on the roof, 600 a/h's lithium in the basement.

 

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Be sure to go online to medicare and go to the section to compare plans:   http:// https://www.medicare.gov/plan-compare/#/?lang=en

The "Plan-Compare" area allows you to compare, in great detail, the different medicare supplement plans Kirk mentioned.  You also get good info on the costs and your out of pocket expenses.  

The same goes for Medicare plan D for prescriptions.  Be sure to enter each Rx your husband takes.  With the Rx's entered you will see a detailed price list including costs for each month of the year.  Lots and lots of info.  

I would suggest having or buying an inexpensive laser printer($90-$100) and a ream (500 sheets) of paper and print out each of the options that look the best for you.   I find it very difficult to compare plans looking at a computer screen.   

Al & Sharon
2006 Winnebago Journey 36G 
2020 Chevy Colorado Toad
San Antonio, TX

http://downtheroadaroundthebend.blogspot.com/

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I just went through this, changing from an Advantage plan to a Supplement.  I had to go through a broker because there was no way to sign up online with Humana, the company I decided on because their Plan G was the least expensive in my area (Washington State).  The broker was in Florida.

LindaH
2014 Winnebago Aspect 27K
2011 Kia Soul

 

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