Why Should I Have an Advocate for My Retirement Coverage?

 It is essential, in preparation for the flood of 2025 Medicare updates and the Inflation Reduction Act, to acquire an advocate agent that is there with your best interests in mind.  Allow me to illustrate this urgency.

We have 10,000 Baby Boomers retiring each day.  Navigating the world of Medicare isn't simple, even for those of us who do it on a daily basis.  It is easy when you approach 65 to just sign up and apply for the first thing that comes along.  Unfortunately, this is costing Americans billions in unnecessary coverage of charges.  Having a trusted agent that is there for the long haul can provide that peace of mind for our seniors.

Your Medicare Part A is what you pay into throughout your working years.  Being fully vested requires 10 years or 40 quarters.  That entitles you to Part A benefits once your conditions have been met.  Your Part B is what costs most Americans around $174/monthly provided your combined tax return doesn't exceed around $208,000.  Of course, with Part B you have the annual deductible of around $240.  Thankfully, if you are on a supplement or other plan, those charges may be covered.

Now, regarding supplements I direct your attention to the Choosing a Medigap Policy put out by the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services.  On page 9 and also 18, in bold, it states that all letter plans across all insurers are standardized under the umbrella of Medicare.  They are all the same benefits no matter what company you go through.  HOWEVER, what isn't dictated is what each company charges YOU for that exact same letter plan.  This is huge!  As with anything the costs for the same product can vary greatly company to company.  This alone, is worthy enough to have your own personal agent advocate with whom you have regular annual (at least) Medicare plan reviews.  

I want to add something to this point, and it's really the crux of the health and safety of millions of our seniors.  There are seniors out there that have opted to forego certain essential ancillary benefits such as dental and/or vision simply because their chosen supplement carrier has stretched their dollar too far.  What I do as an advocate is find the exact same plan for a much more affordable price.  With that margin of relief, a valued Medicare recipient has the option to accept necessary ancillary benefits.  The result is maintaining your monthly billing while now having additional benefits at your disposal.

It is priceless having someone who looks out for your health and presents options that can improve your health, security and happiness.