Author: Dan Alcorn

Categories
Medicare

Get Questions Answered at “Medicare 101” Webinar

Are you going to be eligible for Medicare in the near future? Have you been enrolled in Medicare for awhile and want to better understand what it offers? Do you have a family member you help with Medicare issues?

If you answered yes, then “Medicare 101” is for you. This no sales-pitch educational webinar, led by multi-state licensed and Medicare Plan Specialist Dan Alcorn, will be held 9:30 am on the following days:

Monday – September 28, 2020 Register Here
Tuesday – October 6, 2020 Register Here
Sunday – October 18, 2020 Register Here
Monday – November 2, 2020 Register Here
Saturday – November 14, 2020 Register Here
Friday – November 20, 2020 Register Here

We’ll explore Medicare Parts A, B, C and D, the difference between a Medicare Supplement and Medicare Advantage plan, and more. After registration, you will receive the login instructions by e-mail. (The presentation is via GoToMeeting, a video conferencing platform. No video camera is necessary.)

For the GoToMeeting link and access code, register online at:
https://dgalcorn.com/dans-public-presentation-schedule/medicare-101/

Categories
Case Studies Part D Prescription Drug

New York State EPIC and Mary – a case study

“… a huge thanks for cluing us in to the EPIC ..program.”
“…we now estimate yearly savings to be $7,000+/-” 
“…we’d never heard of this program until one of your newsletter emails..”

When Mary became eligible for Medicare I helped her enroll in the Medicare Supplement Plan G she selected as secondary to Original Medicare.

Then we searched and found a Part D prescription drug plan that included her specialty medication in its covered drugs, known as the “formulary.” Although the specialty drug was categorized at the highest cost sharing, tier 5, its being included saved the added step and hassle of requesting a “formulary exception.” 

John and Mary’s joint income is below $100,000 so she became eligible for the New York State EPIC program. 

As John’s note to me states, once Mary’s pharmacy cumulative copayments reached her EPIC 2020 deductible level, that tier 5 specialty drug copay was reduced to $20. John estimates this saves the household about $7,000 annually.

Of course I was thrilled to hear my mention of EPIC helped John and Mary like this. I encourage every client to confirm your New York EPIC eligibility and enroll. I have included the EPIC enrollment form below and am available to assist with any eligibility or enrollment process questions. 

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Download NY EPIC application [715.73 KB]

Categories
Webinar Reviews

Medicare 101 Webinar – a review

Medicare 101 webinar review

“After listening to the webinar by Dan Alcorn I can honestly say I finally have an understanding of the process as well as how to make an educated decision on what will work best for me. I appreciated his approach to the information as well as opportunities to ask specific questions.” ~ Sandra M. (May 3, 2020)

Sandra will celebrate her 65th birthday this year and had some questions about what to expect regarding Medicare eligibility and options. She attended the April 27, 2020 free educational webinar: Medicare 101. I am pleased to hear the information was helpful to her and appreciate her kind note.

Do you have Medicare questions? Simply choose a date and reserve a spot at any session.

Categories
Medicare supplement

What is a Medicare Supplement Plan G?

Medicare Supplement Plan

Medicare Supplement Plan G, also called Medigap, coverage is very similar to Plan F. It offers great value for beneficiaries who are willing to pay a small annual deductible. After that, Plan G provides full coverage for all of the gaps in Medicare. It pays for your hospital deductible, copays and coinsurance. It also covers the 20% that Part B doesn’t cover.

Plan G is an increasingly popular supplement for several reasons.

First, it has great coverage. For Medicare Part A in-patient hospital stays, it covers all of your expenses. That includes the Part A hospital deductible, which is $1,556 in 2022.

Second, Plan G covers each of the gaps in Medicare except for the $233 annual Part B deductible. We can often find a supplement Plan G that saves quite a bit in annual premiums over Plan F, substantially more than the $198 annual deductible.

Compare for Yourself! New York State Department of Financial Services publishes the Medicare Supplement monthly premiums by county.  Yes, it is as simple as that. I represent several of the insurance companies listed here and can assist you with the application process, please call (518) 346-2115 or book a telephone or video appointment directly to my calendar.

Attn: New York Residents. Did You Know?

  • Enrollment Calendar: New York State residents enrolled in Medicare can choose or change to a Medicare Supplement / Medigap Plan at any time. That’s because New York is a “guaranteed issue” state.
  • Health Underwriting? New York State residents enrolling in a Medicare Supplement / Medigap Plan are not subject to health underwriting.
  • Pre-Existing Conditions? The six month pre-existing condition claims exclusion can be eliminated for New York State residents changing to a Medigap plan from other creditable coverage.

Categories
Case Studies Part C Medicare Advantage Part D Prescription Drug

“Thank you for helping me change my insurance!”

This month I received this wonderful thank you note from Nancy. She had recently relocated and needed to find new doctors along with a Medicare Advantage plan covering those doctors and her medications.

Nancy was concerned that she would have to remain on her current plan and wait until the Annual Open Enrollment Period in order to find a new plan effective January 1 of next year!

Nancy was relieved when I let her know she was eligible for a plan change due to a Special Enrollment Period.

A Special Enrollment Period allows eligible individuals like Nancy who are enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B to make a Medicare Advantage or Prescription Drug Plan selection or change outside of the normal October 15 – December 7 time frame.

When are you eligible for the Special Enrollment Period? The 5 most frequent examples I see:

Summary:

The initial, annual and special enrollment periods are when individuals enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B can make Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement or Medicare Part D prescription drug plan. Please feel free to call Dan at (518) 346-2115 for a no-cost no-obligation consultation.