Supplement To Medicare

Medicare is unbelievably confusing to a new beneficiary. Stacks of mail come in daily from both the goverment and from insurance carriers hawking their medicare supplement or medicare advantage plans, making it difficult to figure out which plan is best suited for you. Your Part B open enrollment window only last 6 months from its effective date, so many people feel pressured to make a choice quickly, which can have terrible consequences if your doctor or preferred hospital does not accept your chosen plan. Independent insurance agents specializing in Medicare supplements can help you sort through the clutter so that you fully understand the insurance plan that you end up choosing.

How can you find a credible person who will give you unbiased information? Follow these tips to track down an insurance agent with the right experience to assist you.

First of all, watch out for the mailers sent to you directly from big insurance companies who claim to have the best plan. Calling the customer service number on these mailers for information will usually result in you speaking with a sales representative who works for only that one specific carrier. Since this person generally gets paid to sell you the company’s plan, he or she may not be willing to acknowledge if their plan doesn’t fit your personal needs. Throw out the direct mail and instead search the web for an insurance broker who is authorized to offer plans from several different carriers. An independent agent will first determine your needs and then search through various plans to find one that meets those needs.

Next, find a broker who has chosen to make Medicare supplements and other medicare-related insurance plans a specialty. In today’s world, there are literally hundreds of different types of insurance to sell, ranging from group health insurance to disability insurance. Medicare-related insurance plans, however, are very detailed and will demand alot of time to be spent by an agent before he or she can sell each carrier’s medicare plan. Agents who solicit too many kinds of insurance sacrifice being really knowledgeable in any one type of insurance. So if an agent sells group health insurance along with individual health insurance, cancer plans, and also Medicare supplements, it’s a good bet that he or she won’t have time to really be an expert in Medicare and knowhow it works. As a result, the agent may not know all the rules and regulations that affect you under Medicare.

Next, find out if the agent has considerable experience in the Medicare industry. Look at the agent’s business card to see if there is a toll-free phone number, a recognizable business address, and a website. If the agent’s card lists his email address as insurancebystephen@yahoo.com, he probably hasn’t even invested the time or money into a website that offers free information to the public. A business address shows you that the agent you are working with has an actual office where you can walk in the front door whenever you need help. Agents who list P.O boxes or no addresses at all probably work out of their home. This doesn’t necessarily mean the agent is inexperienced, but it might mean you’ll have problems reaching the agent at times when he is out meeting with other clients or pursuing new sales. Furthermore, if the agent wants to meet with you at your home, you are getting yourself into a high-pressure situtation. It’s advisable to meet either by phone or at the agent’s office, where you can take your time deciding, and hang up or walk away if something tells you the agent has his own agenda.

Finally, does the agent have other people available to help you with questions when he or she is tied up in an appointment or on vacation? A meeting with a prospective client can take from 1 – 2 hours, especially if the consumer is new to Medicare and needs extra time learning the basics. Solo agents can sometimes be in back-to-back appointments all day long. This means that it could take awhile before the agent gets around to returning your phone call. If you can find a well-established agency where several staff members are available to help clients with their questions, you’ll rest easy that you’ll be able to get the information or assistance you need in an emergency situation.

These tips can help you find an experienced and reliable agent whose most pressing concern is to make sure that you always have a policy that best fits the needs you have communicated. Such an agent rarely pressures you to buy something but instead focuses on educating you fully about Medicare, and making sure you feel empowered to choose a policy. He knows that by giving you information that helps you understand your choices, he can count on being your agent for the long term.

Overall, look for an agent or broker who has long-time experience in the Medicare insurance field and is appointed to sell various different Medicare-related insurance plans. Make sure the agent or agency offers you a true office location or suite where other staff members are available at least five days a week to take your calls and respond to your questions. Ask the agent if you can hold your initial consultation either at the agent’s office or by phone (whichever your prefer) instead of at your home. Last but not least, don’t be afraid to ask for references. Well-established agencies have many happy clients who can tell you how well their needs were met when they themselves were shopping for a medicare supplement.

If you or a friend is seeking an experienced Medigap insurance agent, be certain to read the wealth of great information compiled by the expert team at Boomer Benefits.