How Do I Prepare for a Meeting with a Medicare Agent?

When it comes time to enroll in Medicare, most people will seek out the help of a Medicare agent who is licensed and trained to understand the plans that they offer and all of the differences between them.

The agent’s job is to help you find the plan or plans that will best meet your healthcare and financial needs. With that, you may wonder what you need to do to prepare for a meeting with a Medicare agent.

The primary goal of any Medicare agent is to help you select the best possible health insurance coverage for your needs and budget. Here’s what to expect for your first meeting: 

1. Verifying your information: Have your social security number, address, phone number, and other basic identifying information handy.
2. Introductory conversation: Typically, you’ll have a brief, general conversation with your Medicare agent before discussing any Medicare-specific questions. This introductory step is crucial, as it allows the agent to gauge your healthcare needs.
3. Medicare discussion: Your agent will walk you through several plans based on your needs and goals.

What Type of Information Will the Meeting Cover?

Your Medicare agent may recommend several plans, including Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) and Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans. Though it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when presented with so many options, there’s no need to worry.Your agent will walk you through each one and help you compare plans to find the best option. Here’s a basic overview of Medicare plans and how they differ:

• Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) – Also known as fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare, this option provides a comprehensive set of health benefits covering both inpatient and outpatient care. FFS has an open network, meaning that you can generally see any Medicare provider that you want, anywhere in the country.
• Medicare Advantage (Part C) – Medicare Advantage is required to cover all of the benefits and services covered under Original Medicare, as well as benefits that are not covered under Original Medicare. These may include dental, hearing, or vision services, transportation, or home healthcare. The trade-off is that Medicare Advantage plans are a type of managed care plan with defined networks, which limits the number of doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies to which you have access.

In addition to a variety of Medicare Advantage and Original Medicare plans, you can expect your agent to discuss:

• Medicare Supplement (Medigap) – Medicare Supplement plans are add-ons to Original Medicare. Common examples include copayments and deductibles. Medicare Supplement plans are highly recommended for anyone on an Original Medicare plan, due to some of the financial protections that they provide.
• Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (Part D) – Regardless of whether you choose Original Medicare or Medicare Advantage, you are required to have prescription drug coverage. Normally, this will be provided by a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (Part D). This program helps cover the cost of prescription medications, such as those you purchase at your pharmacy.

These additional plans and services could help you afford the health treatments you need, and they may also help reduce your premium payments. Though Medicare agents earn a commission from health insurance companies, their primary goal is to help Medicare recipients select the smartest and most effective plan for their health needs.