Medicare
Medicare, explained once and explained properly
Parts A, B, C and D. Advantage versus Supplement. Drug coverage that actually covers your prescriptions. We go through it together, at your pace.
Where most people start
Medicare isn’t one decision, it’s several, and they interact. These pages take them one at a time.
Medicare 101
The four parts, what each one pays for, and the enrollment windows that matter. Start here if the whole thing is new. Read Medicare 101
Turning 65
Your Initial Enrollment Period, the Part B decision if you’re still working, and the one window where Medigap underwriting is generally waived. Turning 65 guide
Your plan is changing
Your Annual Notice of Change is arriving now and it spells out next year’s premiums, copays and drug coverage. What to look for
Coverage options
Medicare Advantage (Part C)
One plan bundling hospital, medical and usually drug coverage, often with dental, vision and hearing added. Medicare Advantage
Medicare Supplement (Medigap)
Pairs with Original Medicare to cover what it leaves behind. Higher premium, near-total freedom of provider. Medicare Supplement
Part D prescription drugs
Drug coverage priced around your specific medication list. Formularies change every year. Part D plans
Rounding out the coverage
Dental, vision & hearing
Original Medicare covers almost none of it. Standalone plans often beat the allowances bundled into an Advantage plan. Dental & vision
Wellness benefits
Gym memberships, over-the-counter allowances, transportation and meal benefits vary widely between plans and go unused constantly. Wellness benefits
Glossary
Every Medicare term you’ll meet, in plain English, from MOOP to IRMAA. Medicare glossary
Questions we hear every week
What does your help cost?
Nothing. Carriers pay broker compensation, and your premium is identical whether you enroll with us, directly with the carrier, or on your own.
Is Medicare Advantage better than a Supplement?
Neither is better in the abstract. Advantage costs less monthly and bundles extras but routes care through a network. A Supplement costs more monthly and gives you near-total freedom of provider. The right answer depends on your doctors, your health, your travel, and your tolerance for surprise bills.
Can I keep my own doctor?
With a Supplement, generally yes — any provider who accepts Medicare. With an Advantage plan it depends on that plan’s network, which we check by name before you enroll.
Do I have to switch every year?
No. But you should review every year, because plans change their costs, networks and drug lists annually even when your health doesn’t change.
What if I'm still working at 65?
You may be able to delay Part B without penalty, depending on the size of your employer and how their coverage is structured. Getting this wrong creates a lifetime penalty, so it’s worth twenty minutes of checking.
Bring your list of doctors and prescriptions
That’s all it takes to get a real answer rather than a general one. Appointments run about an hour for a first Medicare conversation.