Southwest Florida's Health and Wellness Magazine Health and Wellness Articles
By Ulla-Undine Merritt (Dee) National Producer Number (NPN) 8853366
CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)
CMS regulates marketing and plan presentations, including when companies are allowed to market, and how they market. Unsolicited direct contact that was not requested or initiated by the consumer is prohibited. This includes in-person (e.g., door-to-door marketing), telephonic (e.g., outbound telemarketing), electronic (e.g., email, voicemail messages, text messages) solicitation. DO NOT give anyone that contacts you without your permission your personal information.
There are companies that are using unethical marketing practices; do not let yourself be taken advantage of. Medicare and Social Security will never call you unless you reached out to them for a return call. There are companies calling individuals pretending to be Medicare, claiming to be there to help. Again, Medicare will not call you to enroll you in a plan! Some companies that may have your prescription Part D drug plan have been calling customers saying they are entitled to some free benefits. They try to switch you to an Advantage Plan Part C because they are more profitable. If that occurs you will not have Original Medicare anymore and, since it is illegal to have an Advantage Plan and a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) at the same time, you will lose your Medicare Supplement plan. You might never be able to get a supplement plan again. You must medically qualify for a supplement plan; if when you re-apply you are older and have developed illnesses that come with age, you could be ineligible.
Florida is an entry age state for Medicare Supplements; this means that all premium increases will be based off the age you were when you joined the plan. There are lower cost Medicare Supplements that work well if you are healthy and do not need a lot of care. The price of the lower cost supplement plan plus the out-of-pocket maximum you could pay if you got really sick is still less than the out-of-pocket maximum cost of most Advantage Plans. Insurance agents and insurance companies like to sell Advantage Plans because they make more money. I’m not saying they are bad, but you need to understand the true differences and what could happen in the future.
Did you miss Medicare/Health Insurance Open Enrollment?
THERE ARE: Special Enrollment Periods
• You turn 65 or are new to Medicare
• MOVING out of the Area, Moving to a New Area.
• You qualify for extra help with Medicare Prescription Drugs
• You dropped a Medigap Policy for the 1st time within the 1st 12 months
• Special Needs Plans – New or no longer requiring a Special Needs Plan
• Losing Coverage
*You qualify for a Special Enrollment Period if you’ve had certain life events, including losing health coverage, moving, getting married, having a baby, or adopting a child. Depending on your Special Enrollment Period type, you may have 60 days before or 60 days following the event to enroll in a plan.
Individual/Family Medical Insurance – There are other options available if you do not have pre-existing conditions. These plans can be a lot less expensive especially if you do not qualify for government subsidy. There are national carriers that offer particularly good plans with comprehensive coverage. You can buy them any time during the year. Do not go without coverage!
Travel Insurance – Most of our USA Health plans do not include coverage when leaving the United States, including Cruises. We recommend always getting a comprehensive Medical Travel Insurance Policy. They are less than you think and can make a world of a difference. There are Trip cancellation insurance policies that cover you for delays, cancellation, lost baggage; they can be costly but may also be well worth it; but check that the medical coverage is enough.
Pet Insurance – Our fur babies need insurance coverage too. The younger you start the less it costs as vet bills escalate. Most of us would do anything for our 4-legged loved ones. Why not cover them as well. There are a wide range of deductibles and copays. In most cases coverage starts for less than $1.00 a day. Pre-existing medical conditions in most cases are NOT covered, so the earlier the better.
You should really work with a local broker to explore all your options. Don’t invite strangers into your house or give them your personal information over the phone. With social media, Facebook, WebEx solicitation if you do not know them, please be careful. There are so many scams out there. Go or call a local agent, build a relationship and if in the future you have a question you can back and see them.
Also remember when moving you may have a special enrollment period to apply or change your health insurance coverage. Also check your wills, trusts, and make sure they follow Florida’s laws and guidelines. Establish yourself with a local Insurance Broker, Attorney and CPA. Ask a professional; most of the time your first consultation is at no charge.
To learn more about your options, call to schedule an appointment:
Logical Insurance Solutions for all your insurance needs – Dee Merritt
info@logicalinsurance.com
www.Logicalinsurance.com
239-362-0855
*We also do a complimentary homeowners review
