Medicare Supplements vs. Medicare Advantage. If you are turning 65 or finally ready to retire at any age, you need to know your insurance options. If you need help with health insurance, call Gordon Marketing 1-800-388-8342 to be referred to a local agent near you. Our agents receive the best training in the nation!
Gordon Marketing
20224 Hague Rd
Noblesville IN 46062
(800) 388-8342
The only advantage with medicare advantage is premium. And if you never get
sick they’re great. But there is a fallacy in the thinking of those who
say, “oh, I never get sick”. And then a month later they come down with
cancer—and then they discover all the out of pocket costs associated with
medicare advantage and their lack of flexibility
I agree with you. I’m also a medicare agent and have been for years. I do
not sell medicare advantage plans. Perhaps I should. Obviously they aren’t
all created equally. I will say this: In my market there has been a lot of
turmoil with plans moving and disappearing. In general I prefer the
consistency and standardization of medicare supplement
+John garner garner Agreed. Only financial illiterates and low information
(dumb) consumers would be tricked with the low premiums and the low value
benefits of Medicare Disadvantage. Anyone who chooses MA is a dumb person.
It’s a mean thing to say, but it’s true. Because healthcare in the US is so
expensive, it’s not hard to wipe out the savings in the early years with
one hospitalization and skilled nursing home stay. The MA plan has an
incentive to cut costs as much as possible since the MA plan gets a fixed
amount for every subscriber. The rest of the medical system will try to
soak the insurance companies dry while trying to save granny with the most
expensive and often the best care possible. Medicare plus Medigap is always
the right choice, even if you’re nearly broke.
+John garner garner I don’t want to give the impression I’m pro-Med
Advantage because I’m pro-each, individual client. I sell all types of
insurance based on what is best for each client. MA has more advantages
that “just price” such as health club memberships, dental, vision, hearing
aids, transportation, money for over the counter drugs and access to many
health-related programs such a smoking cessation and diabetes management.
Are there DIS advantages too? Yes! Limited networks, subject to change at
anytime, is among the biggest disadvantage. Insurance is about risk. If you
want no risk: buy a Medicare Supplement Plan F. It costs the most, but
gives you the most flexibility and certainty in your budget. Most people
are looking for more economical alternatives, Med Adv is not for every
client, but for some it is a good fit.
+John garner garner I couldn’t disagree with you more. The point of the
video is that there is no plan that is best for everyone. Period. Plan F
would be great for everyone but not everyone can afford it. You can’t even
speak on the effectiveness of any given MAPD plan because they are
different all over the country, as are Med Supp rates.
Thank you for this clear presentation.
Yes, this is 8 years old, so obviously dated and the premiums are much
different.
I do wish that you had told the public that if you don’t choose Medigap
(supplements) in the beginning, it is very likely that you can never get on
it because you have to go through underwriting that probably reject you for
“per-existing conditions” – but had you chose them in the first place, they
just have to take you. You CANNOT switch back and forth !!!
Thank you again.
My Medicare Advantage is far from zero premiums. I wish!!
I think her numbers are very low on both accounts. Even for very poor
people like me. I’m just pennies above qualifying for low income Medicaid.
Boy is this out dated, price wise.
Great analogy comparing the two. Very helpful!
This was very confusing]. It doesn’t gibe with what United Health Care and
calPERS videos said. She’s saying there’s no co-pay with Supplement? Then I
have been getting ripped off because I pay $300 mo, for Supplement AND have
co-pays. This is BS
Great presentation. Thanks,
How to Choose the Best Medicare Plan ?
What you need to know about Medicare supplements ?
For help with questions about buying insurance, choosing a health plan,
Buying a stand-alone prescription drug plan or Medicare policy, and your
rights and protection under Medicare,
Get The Best Health Insurance Assistance Program CALL TOLL-FREE NOW
(855)-402-6216
to speak to your local Care Advisor about senior care options available in
your area.
Good explanation of differences and risk associated with choices made.
She keeps misquotes her prices. The Medigap is at least $150 / month not
$120 because you need a drug plan. Plus there may be an extra cost of
Medicare part B for Medigap.
+Robert Rosenberg Veterans don’t need a drug plan, some people have retiree
drug benefits and don’t need a drug plan. Many people just don’t sign up
because they take no drugs and feel they don’t “need” a drug plan.
I’ll be starting Medicare at the first of the year and all the information
can be overwhelming. This was very helpful, clear and concise.
My dad is so lucky that I am doing this legwork for him because I can
barely understand all these confusing Lawyer speak… Why cant America just
go one payer and end this needless hell?
Unfortunately this talk is contributing to the ignorance of people by not
giving any data on the price gouging going on by the clinical centers and
hospital networks. What is the total cost of each visit to the primary
care, ER, or overnight stays? Focusing on the tiny copays ensures the
continued ignorance of the consumers. We as taxpayers are paying the
difference between these tiny copays and the actual amount the doctors
quietly guide into their clinic and hospital cost centers. There is NO
transparency about outcomes and prices and who is getting gauged. So, this
video segment should remind consumers that as taxpayers they are getting
screwed and they should be pushing back. Much of the high cost hospital and
specialist treatment simply reflects a failure to intervene earlier as
there is no money in primary care, care coordination, and chronic disease
complications prevention.
I really enjoyed your presentation. Thanks!
Thanks for the awesome help! As an Independent agent we need to be up to
-snuff on all the ins and-outs
Hello enjoyed your channel and videos large thumbs up! since we are both in
the same corner tell me what you think of mine! have i got what it takes?
My show is on once every week. Subscribe and spread the word 🙂
See ya Andrew Lock
Very informative video. I don’t use the doctor that much but I also have a
Federal health plan as well. I live in Seattle and belong to an HMO. Can I
still use my Federal health plan even with an Advantage plan? Any thoughts
on how that would work?
+Tom W There are many types of Federal Health Plans, let’s just say you
have VA. You don’t have to buy a supplemental plan but I usually recommend
it if there a way to afford it because the VA is not always accessible. Do
you have to drive an hour to get there? Most Vets are not aware that the VA
has a limited formulary of drugs until they are sick and find out they
can’t get a brand name drug that their doctor thinks will perform better
than the drug the VA will pay for. Private insurance always gives you
flexibility to see the BEST specialist in the nation, now. Waits for care
at VA facilities are so bad that legislation was passed in 2014 to stop the
madness and get people seen in a reasonable time frame or refer them out to
the private sector.
This really helped put things in perspective for me. I was feeling mighty
overwhelmed by the choices, none of which seemed to be comparing apples to
apples. I feel equipped to make a good decision now, thanks to your
explanation. There are still many things to consider, but the decision will
be in the light of your insight. Many thanks, from an easily-befuddled old
man!
Can you tell me how the trial right works? How does a person switch back to
original medicare from a medicare advantage plan and get a supplement plan?
Is there a special election period for this? I know you can only disenroll
at a certain time of year. So if you want to switch in May 2015 you cannot
do it till later? What if a person is within a year and wants to switch
back for May and they have been in the MAPD for only 4 months? How are all
the parties involved contacted so this can be accomplished?
+Dandy Dan Dan please email me directly and I can explain your question to
you at lenght
[email protected]
Hello Dandy Dan. The answer is pretty simple. If you choose a medicare
advantage plan you have the right to switch to a supplement within the
first year, no questions asked. All you have to do is switch back to
original medicare. Afterwards you have to wait until open enrollment, Oct
15 thru Dec 7th. You can then disenroll from medicare advantage and buy a
supplement. However, at this point you would have to qualify for the
supplement through the insurance company’s underwriting process.
+Dandy Dan You can’t go back after the initial Medicare enrollment period
without medical underwriting. The only ways to get into Medigap is to move
to a state with no underwriting (best way) or enroll in the least popular
MA plan with the hope that they will eventually leave the region. If they
leave, you can go into Medigap since your chosen MA plan left.
+Dandy Dan Will you please go in and LIKE my video and subscribe to our
channel if you found it helpful! It was a pleasure helping you.
This video is not accurate in some cases. There are often per-visit
expenses with MC Supplements (depending on which plan you choose–the
benefits and premiums vary a lot between the different plans), and MC
Advantage plans aren’t always zero premiums, and they vary as to co-pays,
etc. It’s not nearly as cut and dried as this video claims it is. You
have to read carefully to see what each costs and what each pays.
I know, because my husband had a MC Supplement plan (and lots of health
problems), and I have a MC Advantage plan through my former employer,
available as retiree insurance, and it definitely has monthly premiums. My
husband’s premiums were a lot more than $150/month (he had one of the more
expensive supplement plans), but it did pay very well. The less expensive
MC Supplements don’t pay everything.
+ec fan This video is EIGHT YEARS OLD, please refer to our channel for
videos on changes in Medicare Supplements. I don’t intend for any video to
be a complete “cut and dried” explanation, it isn’t possible in a few
minutes. I want to break a confusing topic down for consumers and new
agents so people want to learn more. If people want to learn more, they can
contact Gordon Marketing or me personally at [email protected].
This is a great, visual way to think of the major differences between Med
Supp and Med Adv. I stand by my buffet vs a la carte concept.