Do you ever meet with your Medicare Insurance Agent?

[Snazzylass]

We had one (same Medicare plan for both of us), then for 2026, they stopped doing Medicare supplement, so... We found a local independent agent. DW is on one plan, and because I'm on a VA (small) disability, VA covers my prescriptions and Medicare gives me an extra $106 a month! Woo Hoo!

I've heard VERY GOOD things about VA healthcare and the benefits from Veterans

 

[Snazzylass]

If my husband had not passed - I would have had dental/vision/secondary insurance. Now I have to pay for it without dental/vision. It is what it is. Compare companies/check if your dentist accept the discount plan or insurance - but I found not worth it. My own dentist has their own discount plan also. But it's not any better than the plans I checked.

Wow! That's great! Your own dentist has a discount plan? Mine was terrific... but he retired and I am happy for him. Now, I've got to find a new practice and you can believe I will be avoiding these corporate-owned places where dentists are employees like so many veterinarians are these days.

 

[AnnaS]

Wow! That's great! Your own dentist has a discount plan? Mine was terrific... but he retired and I am happy for him. Now, I've got to find a new practice and you can believe I will be avoiding these corporate-owned places where dentists are employees like so many veterinarians are these days.

Too bad yours retired. There are a few in this office so one should always be there. Their discount plan is not any better or worse than others I checked. I will pay cash for cleaning for now. If the time comes and I need something more like a crown, root canal, etc., I can sign up on the spot and just maybe save a few dollars - or might just pay cash . We shall see.

 

[stmartinfan]

Also, many specialty systems like John Hopkins and the Mayo Clinic no longer will take an Advantage Plan, or at least that's my understanding.

Maybe it’s because we live in Minnesota, but our Blue Cross Blue Shield Advantage plan includes Mayo Clinic. But not all Advantage plans here do. And for us, it's a “must have” given the successful cancer treatment my husband got there.

My husband spends a long time each year reviewing our plan options to look at coverage, cost and to ensure our doctors are included. We ended up changing a few times.

Our Advantge plan includes cleanings and a small amount of coverage (about $2000 a year) after a large copay. We have looked at additional dental coverage but none of the plans added enough to justify the cost.

 

[Sugarcubesea]

My Medicare agent is in Arizona, and even though I am not yet on Medicare we have been meeting every year since mubby turned 65.

 

[Luanne]

Wow! That's great! Your own dentist has a discount plan? Mine was terrific... but he retired and I am happy for him. Now, I've got to find a new practice and you can believe I will be avoiding these corporate-owned places where dentists are employees like so many veterinarians are these days.

Our general dentist has their own plan as well. But we have never taken it as it works out to be about the same out of pocket for us.

 

[chipper1]

Go figure I book an MVC intro stay, come here to look up everything I need to know, and find this thread.

My spouse is a health insurance agent, and she would be the first person to tell you to enroll in a Medicare plan however you are comfortable doing so. You can go directly to Medicare(dot)gov yourself, or directly to any of the individual insurance carriers. The only thing she cautions is that sometimes you don't know what you don't know, and that it's completely free to talk to a licensed agent to confirm that you are not missing any details. Her clients overwhelmingly prefer to work with her in-person, and she actually prefers the same...she feels she can help people better understand Medicare when they can focus directly on her and not on something around them at home.

 

[chipper1]

Yes, he was recommended by a neighbor who had used him. He is licensed to provide insurance in my state.

When my premiums have gone up I check to see what else is available in my area, either through AARP or through AON, the company that administers healthcare insurance for the company I retired from. So far what the insurance agent has found for me has been the least expensive.

And we don't take out dental insurance either.

Would you mind if I reached out via DM to ask you about your experience with Aon?

 

[Luanne]

Would you mind if I reached out via DM to ask you about your experience with Aon?

Sure, I am happy to tell you our experiences with Aon.

 

[chriskre]

Maybe it’s because we live in Minnesota, but our Blue Cross Blue Shield Advantage plan includes Mayo Clinic. But not all Advantage plans here do. And for us, it's a “must have” given the successful cancer treatment my husband got there.

My husband spends a long time each year reviewing our plan options to look at coverage, cost and to ensure our doctors are included. We ended up changing a few times.

Our Advantge plan includes cleanings and a small amount of coverage (about $2000 a year) after a large copay. We have looked at additional dental coverage but none of the plans added enough to justify the cost.

Here in Florida the Mayo Clinic won't take any Advantage Plans either.

 

[zentraveler]

We have had Delta Dental for decades and it has been well worth it even though our dentist stopped taking it 2 years ago. They were getting paid less and less by DD. Their staff will still bill DD for us and we receive the checks, but the coverage is minimal and I can see why they stopped accepting it. I have gone to that dentist for 40 years and now both of his sons are taking over. It is still worth it to me to just pay the extra money but my husband got annoyed and found a new dentist who takes the insurance.

 

[AnnaS]

Not many doctors take the Advantage Plan. Before enrolling, I had asked my primary and GYN - two doctors I always see and they do not take it. If one is well and hopefully remains that way, the Advantage plan covers everything without paying extra for a supplement plan. One does need referrals and approvals and must find doctors that accept it. Their out of pocket cost for tests/procedures cost more.

A personal decision - what one is comfortable with and willing to pay. We pay either way - before or after.....

Good to know about Delta Dental.

 

[Brett]

Not many doctors take the Advantage Plan. Before enrolling, I had asked my primary and GYN - two doctors I always see and they do not take it. If one is well and hopefully remains that way, the Advantage plan covers everything without paying extra for a supplement plan. One does need referrals and approvals and must find doctors that accept it. Their out of pocket cost for tests/procedures cost more.

A personal decision - what one is comfortable with and willing to pay. We pay either way - before or after.....

Good to know about Delta Dental.

Yes, you're going to pay either way. We choose United Health Supplement plan because of acceptance with local doctors

 

[Luanne]

We have had Delta Dental for decades and it has been well worth it even though our dentist stopped taking it 2 years ago. They were getting paid less and less by DD. Their staff will still bill DD for us and we receive the checks, but the coverage is minimal and I can see why they stopped accepting it. I have gone to that dentist for 40 years and now both of his sons are taking over. It is still worth it to me to just pay the extra money but my husband got annoyed and found a new dentist who takes the insurance.

A good friend of my husband's wife is a dentist. He (the friend) ran the office for her. He said that Delta Dental was the worst to deal with in terms of payment. I know our dentist won't take Delta Dental insurance.

 

[AnnaS]

Yes, you're going to pay either way. We choose United Health Supplement plan because of acceptance with local doctors

Same here.

 

[SusanRN]

Yeah, maybe the dental insurance available to retirees is not worth it. I don't believe anyone has posted that they have it.

I have had a Carefirst BC/BS Preferred dental plan for 4 years and am comfortable with it. Here's why.
I originally was just going to go without insurance in retirement or use my dentist's 20%-off office discount plan, until I needed a crown in 2022. I was quoted $1,400 for it! The receptionist clued me in to a Carefirst BC/BS individual dental insurance plan that could kick in the first of the next month and pay 50%. [She tells me that now NO dental insurance plans will pay immediately.]
The *real benefit* of dental insurance (and also of health insurance to an extent) is that then the patient's applicable cost is their percentage of the " usual and customary" amount allowed by the insurance company, not the dentist's plucked-out-of-the-sky charge. I ended up paying $420 for that crown and now pay $143 per quarter for the insurance. "Usual and customary" costs have gone up a bit, of course. The crown I'm getting this month will cost me $484 for my share. And my quarterly insurance payment has actually decreased by $9.
Fillings and non-surgical peridodontal services are covered at 80% of usual and customary. Major surgical and restorative services are covered at 50% of usual and customary. One nightguard per 5 years is covered. Insurance will pay an annual benefit of $1,500 beyond preventive and diagnostic services, which are covered at no cost to me. It doesn't sound like much, but it would cover two crowns, a filling, and a nightguard, if needed, in a single year.
This is for in-network providers, which mine is. She has up-to-date equipment, for example, a camera that creates a 3-D image of the area where a crown needs to go. The picture is sent electronically for fabrication and comes back in a week as a perfect fit.
I like predictable expenses. The dental insurance helps.
Yes, if I have a good year and don't need anything beyond my two covered exams and Xrays, I would be happy, but at 74 that hasn't yet happened [I drink a can of Coke Zero every day, which doesn't help, but that's my caffeine -- I don't like coffee!]. However, I know I'm not going to get hit with a large charge unless something goes seriously wrong.
Susan

 

[SusanRN]

People who are navigating Medicare should be aware of SHIP, the free State Health Insurance Assistance Program, which is taxpayer-funded and can provide extensive guidance about the ins and outs of signing up for Medicare. They are free local programs, and let me tell you, my experience is those folks know *everything* about signing up for Medicare.

Get Medicare Help from Your Local SHIP Program | SHIP TA Center

Get trusted, local Medicare help from SHIP. We connect you with counselors to provide guidance on Medicare enrollment, coverage, and costs.

www.shiphelp.org

Even though I made my basic Medicare decisions years ago (Johns Hopkins Medicare Advantage, then switched to (after medical qualification) Traditional Medicare with a Plan G Supplement two years later.
I still get in touch with SHIP 45 days before my birthday, when I'm allowed to change my Supplement plan, and have them send me their booklet that includes the Plan G prices for the current year so I can follow up with the half dozen that have the best rates for my demographic.
Susan

 

[AnnaS]

I have had a Carefirst BC/BS Preferred dental plan for 4 years and am comfortable with it. Here's why.
I originally was just going to go without insurance in retirement or use my dentist's 20%-off office discount plan, until I needed a crown in 2022. I was quoted $1,400 for it! The receptionist clued me in to a Carefirst BC/BS individual dental insurance plan that could kick in the first of the next month and pay 50%. [She tells me that now NO dental insurance plans will pay immediately.]
The *real benefit* of dental insurance (and also of health insurance to an extent) is that then the patient's applicable cost is their percentage of the " usual and customary" amount allowed by the insurance company, not the dentist's plucked-out-of-the-sky charge. I ended up paying $420 for that crown and now pay $143 per quarter for the insurance. "Usual and customary" costs have gone up a bit, of course. The crown I'm getting this month will cost me $484 for my share. And my quarterly insurance payment has actually decreased by $9.
Fillings and non-surgical peridodontal services are covered at 80% of usual and customary. Major surgical and restorative services are covered at 50% of usual and customary. One nightguard per 5 years is covered. Insurance will pay an annual benefit of $1,500 beyond preventive and diagnostic services, which are covered at no cost to me. It doesn't sound like much, but it would cover two crowns, a filling, and a nightguard, if needed, in a single year.
This is for in-network providers, which mine is. She has up-to-date equipment, for example, a camera that creates a 3-D image of the area where a crown needs to go. The picture is sent electronically for fabrication and comes back in a week as a perfect fit.
I like predictable expenses. The dental insurance helps.
Yes, if I have a good year and don't need anything beyond my two covered exams and Xrays, I would be happy, but at 74 that hasn't yet happened [I drink a can of Coke Zero every day, which doesn't help, but that's my caffeine -- I don't like coffee!]. However, I know I'm not going to get hit with a large charge unless something goes seriously wrong.
Susan

That is not a bad price paying $420 with your CareFirst Dental plan. I paid about the same out of pocket a month before my dental insurance ended.

 

[SusanRN]

That is not a bad price paying $420 with your CareFirst Dental plan. I paid about the same out of pocket a month before my dental insurance ended.

That's because I'm paying 50% of the "usual and customary" fee, which is the contractual arrangement the insurance has with the dentist. Same thing as when my former employer's dental policy paid. It's what the dental offices are used to, so they don't feel gypped. As I mentioned in my original post, I think that having the actual fee paid be reduced to "usual and customary" is actually the biggest benefit of having insurance -- same thing for regular health insurance.
To use my example in my long paragraph above -- the dentist quoted $1,400 for the crown. She accepted a total of $840, half from the insurance and half from me.
I'm on Medicare, but I handle the health claims and payments for my daughter and her 4 kids. She's an ER nurse at a hospital, so she has good insurance. I see that "usual and customary" reduction on her benefits statements -- it often cuts in half the amount paid in total by the insurer and the patient -- or even more.

 

[SusanRN]

I've used this same agent for a couple of years. We've never met.
I think this is odd. I've never had an agent who I've not met - well, one for my house (but I was out of state at the time) and have since switched. I think this is a Generational thing. It's more efficient and less time consuming for them to do everything over the phone.

Yes, generational, but also more time efficient for the agent.
I used to use the agents at MedicareSchool.com, who had been recommended by several people here on TUG. They would make appointments to call me. The head of the company, Marvin Musick, gave frequent video seminars explaining the ins and outs of various Medicare rules. Everyone was very knowledgeable, friendly, and organized. They still offer great information.

My spouse is a health insurance agent,

In that case, @chipper1 she can tell me if I'm correct about what I say below.
I stopped using MedicareSchool.com after the second year because Marvin explained that they were no longer going to use certain insurance carriers because "they will no longer work with us." I interpreted this to mean they would no longer give the MedicareSchool agents commissions. But to me that means that they will get me the best rate for my needs, but limited to companies they can receive a commission from. Am I wrong? Isn't that true of all licensed agents, even if "independent"?
So if I obtain published Supplement rates from my state's SHIP office and follow up to get specific quotes from certain promising companies, couldn't I get a better rate than any independent agent would give me? BTW, each company I contact has one of their agents contact me, so I am going through an agent and they recive a commission if I choose their company.

 

[easyrider]

My wife and I both have a Medicare Agent who is also a licensed insurance broker for other types of insurance like life, dental and disability. We both went Plan G. The main reason is if we started with Plan G there isn't any underwriting to get a Plan G later. In our Washington State we can switch Plan G providers for a lower rate with no consequences. The change is fairly quick and takes place at the beginning of the next month.

Bill

 

[WinniWoman]

Yes, generational, but also more time efficient for the agent.
I used to use the agents at MedicareSchool.com, who had been recommended by several people here on TUG. They would make appointments to call me. The head of the company, Marvin Musick, gave frequent video seminars explaining the ins and outs of various Medicare rules. Everyone was very knowledgeable, friendly, and organized. They still offer great information.


In that case, @chipper1 she can tell me if I'm correct about what I say below.
I stopped using MedicareSchool.com after the second year because Marvin explained that they were no longer going to use certain insurance carriers because "they will no longer work with us." I interpreted this to mean they would no longer give the MedicareSchool agents commissions. But to me that means that they will get me the best rate for my needs, but limited to companies they can receive a commission from. Am I wrong? Isn't that true of all licensed agents, even if "independent"?
So if I obtain published Supplement rates from my state's SHIP office and follow up to get specific quotes from certain promising companies, couldn't I get a better rate than any independent agent would give me? BTW, each company I contact has one of their agents contact me, so I am going through an agent and they recive a commission if I choose their company.

Correct! That’s why I chose our Medicare plans ourselves. Then we called the broker and essentially handed them to him. Nice gift- he didn’t have to do anything for his commission! He said we chose the right plan! Lol!

 

[SusanRN]

My wife and I both have a Medicare Agent who is also a licensed insurance broker for other types of insurance like life, dental and disability. We both went Plan G. The main reason is if we started with Plan G there isn't any underwriting to get a Plan G later. In our Washington State we can switch Plan G providers for a lower rate with no consequences. The change is fairly quick and takes place at the beginning of the next month.

Bill

Yes, I have had Plan G for two years. My question is how do you find the cheapest Plan G, since the benefits are the same for every Plan G? Are you certain your Medicare Agent has worked hard enough to find you the cheapest rate, or are they looking only among the carriers they represent?
I have looked for the cheapest by myself by using the basic price booklet provided by SHIP, but then I need to call the ones I believe may have the lowest rate for my demographic and get an actual quote. I called 6 carriers last year.
The Plan G I chose in 2024 was going up by $40 for the next year. I found one that was $40 less, so no increase for me.

 

[easyrider]

Yes, I have had Plan G for two years. My question is how do you find the cheapest Plan G, since the benefits are the same for every Plan G? Are you certain your Medicare Agent has worked hard enough to find you the cheapest rate, or are they looking only among the carriers they represent?
I have looked for the cheapest by myself by using the basic price booklet provided by SHIP, but then I need to call the ones I believe may have the lowest rate for my demographic and get an actual quote. I called 6 carriers last year.
The Plan G I chose in 2024 was going up by $40 for the next year. I found one that was $40 less, so no increase for me.

In Washington we can switch plans from a high deductible plan g to a regular plan by the beginning of the next month depending on how fast the application process goes. This was suggested by our agent. It's about a third of the cost of a regular plan g. Worse case scenario is the plan doesn't change by the next month and we hit the about $2400 deductible at which point might not make sense to change. I'd have consult our agent to know for sure.

Bill

 

[WinniWoman]

Yes, I have had Plan G for two years. My question is how do you find the cheapest Plan G, since the benefits are the same for every Plan G? Are you certain your Medicare Agent has worked hard enough to find you the cheapest rate, or are they looking only among the carriers they represent?
I have looked for the cheapest by myself by using the basic price booklet provided by SHIP, but then I need to call the ones I believe may have the lowest rate for my demographic and get an actual quote. I called 6 carriers last year.
The Plan G I chose in 2024 was going up by $40 for the next year. I found one that was $40 less, so no increase for me.

In NH I’m pretty sure we can’t switch to another company without undergoing underwriting. So that is unfortunate.

And yes, brokers only work with certain insurance companies so they can try to find you better rates amongst those they have contracts with, but not amongst every single insurance company out there and people don’t seem to get that.