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Medicare Supplement

What’s Covered App for Medicare

Medicare, Medicare Supplement /

It is now easier than ever before to find out what is covered on original Medicare by using a free app for your smartphone. While this app is not perfect, it is continually being updated by Medicare.

It is important to note that this application will not work for anyone on a Medicare Advantage, otherwise known as a Part C plan. Why? Because Medicare Advantage plans are not “original Medicare” but are private insurance whereby original Medicare is waived for the period that you are on the “Advantage” plan. 

Medicare Advantage plans can have more restrictions and limitations and require referrals and plan approval before many procedures can be approved. So, if you are on original Medicare, or using original Medicare with a Medicare Supplement, or Medigap plan, this app will come in handy, should you wish to check to see which procedures are covered by Medicare.

At the Senior Savings Network, we help seniors with their Medicare plan choices from coast to coast with our free broker services. 

If you would like help picking the best Medicare insurance plan for you, call us at 1-800-729-9590.

 
Try the “What's covered” mobile app!

 


   Downland What's covered on app store  Downland What's covered on play store

The app is an official program from Medicare. This website, the Senior Savings Network, and its employees, are a private organization not employed by Medicare and offer licensed advice and support for seniors in 46 states.

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Cheapest Medicare Supplement Plan

Medicare Supplement /

Important Video, please watch:

As my mother always said, "Sometimes you get what you pay for."

When a new carrier enters a new market, such as many of these smaller companies that you have never heard of before, they are allowed to have rates that are too low and cannot compete, over time.
They are allowed to make projections on their expected losses, and those projections are just that, projections. When they are new, the state insurance departments allow them to do this, until they have real data, which takes up to 2 years.

During this timeframe, they will very often undercut the entire market with rates that are not justifiable. This means that they cannot sustain those low rates but hope, as they often to, that they will get so many customers during the first year or two, based on super-low rates, that their customers will stay with them when they spring out the REAL rates. These rate increases have been seen to be up to 15% per year, once the “honeymoon” phase has worn off with the Department of Insurance, and they need to go from “buying business” with super low rates, to actually becoming profitable by raising rates.

What is sad to see, is where a senior goes on their own rate sheet, or advice from a brand new agent who does not know better, and gets the “cheapest” plan in the market from an off-brand insurance company that has virtually no experience in the market. When they have been in the market less than 2 years, and they are offering what we call a “teaser” rate, this is a recipe for disaster.

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

If you plan on being on Medicare longer than two years, the long term viability of the insurance company you pick should be very important to you. The rate stability is absolutely critical because, in most all states, you must qualify with health underwriting in order to change companies. When doing this, if you have suffered a catastrophic or progressively worsening condition that might last your entire life, as we see far too often, you are then STUCK with the insurance company you are with. Being with a “cheap” carrier right off the bat might very well mean that you are stuck with a company that:

1) Got you in with below-justified rates that they cannot sustain; and
2) Have too small an insured base to spread that risk among tens of thousands of other seniors in your state, like the larger insurance companies can do.

What happens in this case is that the small carrier can then go back to the Department of Insurance and get large, double-digit rate increases approved. 

Now, if you can predict what your health will be with certainty, in the next two years – great – take that teaser rate and switch companies when you get that first massive rate increase. It is sound advice to take a slightly higher cost company from the beginning of your Medicare journey. Preferrably, one with possibly millions of covered lives throughout the entire country, not just coverage in one state or one very small region. This is how you spread your risk and have rate stability throughout your entire time on Medicare.

While no agent can predict the future and see what rate increases will come from what company with certainty, what I have experienced in 25 years of the insurance business is that experience in the industry matters. Anyone can offer a super cheap rate. What do they do after that super cheap rate is the question.

How is their customer service with a small startup insurer?
How good are they at paying claims, with a small cheap company new to the market?

These are just but a few reasons why our clients are happy with our recommendations. We choose long term quality over short term cheap.

– Christopher Westfall, Sr. RFC

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Ways and Means Committee Report on AARP Removed From Site

medicare advantage, Medicare Supplement /

According to the internet archive, the last time the Ways and Means Committee report on AARP was available at its location on the congressional website was December 25, 2018. Some time shortly thereafter, before the new year of 2019, the file has been removed.

A Google search of the file name will show that it has been referenced in thousands of other websites and news reports, however, a click on those links, pointing back to the Ways and Means Committee website now shows, “FILE NOT FOUND.”

As the original report from 2011 was newsworthy and enlightening, the Senior Savings Network has decided to post the original report here, in its entirety. 
See the original report:

AARP Report House Ways and Means Committee

Until it is removed, too, here is the video talking about the report, from the Ways and Means Committee's Youtube channel:

Feel free to share this page.

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Warning to Seniors on Medicare Regarding Scams

Medicare Supplement /

Seniors on Medicare are especially vulnerable to scammers and sometimes those doing the scamming are actually insurance agents trying to hide their identity.

Seniors can verify the identity of an insurance agent by getting the agent's name, license number, and callback number and then verifying their license with the state's department of insurance. The numbers for each state department of insurance can easily be found with this link. Contact your department of insurance before giving out any personal information to someone who has contacted you by phone.

Verify an Insurance Agent License

The good rule of thumb is – if they call you, you do not know who they are – regardless of what the CALLER ID says.
If you contact them, you are in control of who you are talking to. So, verify who they are, then call back their legitimate number

Here is the helpful video on the topic:

Christopher Westfall, National Producer # 596926
1-800-729-9590

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Medicare Supplement Plan N

Medicare Supplement /

Medicare Supplement Plan N can be a good value, depending on your location (ZIP code), Age, and whether you're a male or female. Meaning all rates and rate comparisons are personalized depending on YOUR situation.

For any agent to make a complete blanket statement that ONE particular plan is the best for everybody all the time, is simply not aware of all of the options out there. I provide personalized service by pulling up all available plans and companies for our potential clients. As always, my service is Free.

Plan N Medicare Supplement can be a good value, or it might not, depending on your situation. To find out whether Plan N or Plan G or Plan F is the best for you, give us a call at 1-800-729-9590.

It takes less than 3 minutes to give you the breakdown of what is available.

Are you working with someone else? At least get a second opinion (and more options) Call me today!

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Aetna Medicare Supplement in the News

General, Medicare Supplement /

You might have seen it in the news…

Aetna was in the news this week about their pulling out of certain states in the “ObamaCare” exchanges.

This only impacts those UNDER 65 on regular health insurance, not your plan with Aetna.

This is a smart move for AETNA, as they've been losing money – like all insurers have, and Aetna has already lost over $400 million by participating in the “ObamaCare” exchanges.

Aetna's Medicare plans are stronger than ever and are delivering the best value in the market right now with their below-average rate increases at renewal time. Part of the reason Aetna is able to deliver great renewals is because they recognize vulnerabilities, like the continued participation in the UNDER 65 health insurance market would continue to bring.

Thank you for allowing me and my office to help you with your Medicare Supplement plan.

Please remember that we are here to help if you have ANY questions at all about anything having to do with Medicare.

Sincerely,

Christopher Westfall
Senior Savings Network
1-800-729-9590

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¿Cuál es el mejor plan de Medicare Supplement?

Medicare Supplement /

¿Cuál es el mejor plan de Medicare Supplement?

Si está considerando su primer plan de Suplemento de Medicare, o está considerando cambiar a un plan de Medicare Supplement más asequible, debe ver este video.

La mayoría de los agentes de seguros que trabajan con personas de la tercera edad presionarán a Plan F como la mejor solución. Mientras que el Plan F cubre todo, a menudo es a una prima tremenda, innecesaria. Los mismos beneficios exactos se pueden obtener con el Plan G, con el deducible pequeño, ahorrando así cientos al año. Pero, se pone mucho mejor.

Por favor, vea este video que explica los muchos beneficios del Plan G vs. Plan F:

ÂżQuieres ver las tarifas de TODOS los planes y todas las empresas? Podemos hacer eso, y mi servicio es 100{57afd372ef552335ba870edf523b8e4a4ddf98dad7cf21c72091c800f1bfac05} gratis. ÂżCĂłmo? De la misma manera que su seguro de automĂłvil y los agentes de seguros del propietario trabajan – se les paga de las primas al transportista, que luego paga a los agentes. Trabajamos de la misma manera. No te cuesta nada.

Llámenos aquí o llame al 1-800-729-9590 las 24 horas del día.
¡Gracias por leer!

Chris Westfall

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GE Retiree Options Outside the “Exchange” Save Money

Medicare Supplement /

GE employees should get a second opinion because they can save up to $1,000 per person, per year, starting in year ONE.

See the video:


Can you buy a Medicare plan outside the exchange? Yes.

As long as you buy at least the drug plan OR the Medicare plan through the exchange, you WILL get the reimbursement money.

When this same thing happened to AT&T retirees in 2014, we successfully helped them save, collectively, millions of dollars that would have otherwise gone to the most expensive insurers in their markets. They used those savings for other policies and as a cushion against future rate increases.

All they had to do was purchase the Part D drug plan through the exchange, and then entire reimbursement money was there to pay both premiums.

We provide a second opinion, and independent review of ALL of the plans available to you.
If you prefer to work with the exchange, a huge call center where you are likely to get a different new-hire every time you call in, you certainly can. If you want the benefit of 20 years of experience and true independence, call us for that second opinion.

You can call us 24 hours a day at 1-800-729-9590

If we're not in the office, please leave your information on our phone so that we can call you first the next morning.

 

 

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Weiss Medigap Report – only $49 for free rates

Medicare Supplement /

Over the 4th of July weekend, I received an e-mail offering a comparison of all of the Medicare Supplement rates in my area for ONLY $49!

This was such a deal because their usual cost is $99 for an unbiased quote of all Medicare Supplement plans in my area.

What a deal, right? Wrong.

I'm often asked by potential clients what my service costs.. for me to look up the rates and also provide them the background on the companies listed in the results.

Very happily, I tell them that our service costs them nothing, as it is included in the cost of the premiums, whether they went direct to the carrier OR used the service of an experienced agent.

No extra cost!

I did a video about my reaction, and show the e-mail from the company offering the $49 Medicare Supplement quote.

For the record, we do free quotes all the time and help with plan selection.
You can call us at 1-800-729-9590, even the call is free!

 

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