Wow. That is great the service is offered in my state.
Boomer Benefits opinions?
- Thread starter Murf2
- Start date
Wow. That is great the service is offered in my state.
CRLLS
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Apparently, Fidelity's Medicare service is not available everywhere. When I checked for plans available in my area, and for scheduling a time to talk with an advisor, this is what I got:
"We're sorry, but our services aren't available in your area yet."
I would think that their "advice" would be available everywhere. If they are "selling" something, then maybe they need some sort of license for my area. Yeah, I think that way. Son of a gun, I just found this online: All insurance agents and brokers practicing in the state of Illinois must obtain a license from the state's Department of Insurance. Make no mistake, Boomer Benefits is also a for-profit agency. What I found when I was looking for Medicare plans, many of the places that said they would help with selecting what is right for me, were agents and offered only a subset of what was available to me. Not all available options.
I am not against Fidelity or Boomer, both reputable IMO, just be aware that if you do get advice from anyone, be sure you get the whole picture, not just the companies and plans that they offer.
"We're sorry, but our services aren't available in your area yet."
I would think that their "advice" would be available everywhere. If they are "selling" something, then maybe they need some sort of license for my area. Yeah, I think that way. Son of a gun, I just found this online: All insurance agents and brokers practicing in the state of Illinois must obtain a license from the state's Department of Insurance. Make no mistake, Boomer Benefits is also a for-profit agency. What I found when I was looking for Medicare plans, many of the places that said they would help with selecting what is right for me, were agents and offered only a subset of what was available to me. Not all available options.
I am not against Fidelity or Boomer, both reputable IMO, just be aware that if you do get advice from anyone, be sure you get the whole picture, not just the companies and plans that they offer.
No agency is going to have all the options. You have to go direct to State Farm, USAA, Globe etc
If you're looking for all available options, I suggest contacting your state's Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP). They are volunteers who have access to the same rate quoting software as Medigap agents but don't filter the results. Most are usually willing to email you the rates if they are not posted on your state Department of Insurance website. You can also call the DOI and ask if they will email the rates. Be aware the company with the lowest rate now may not be the lowest in 5 years (like auto/home insurance).
Find a SHIP Counselor: https://www.shiphelp.org/
"Fidelity Medicare Services is operated by Fidelity Health Insurance Services, LLC (“FHIS”). FHIS acts as an insurance broker or agent (collectively referred to as a “Producer”). FHIS and its representatives are appropriately licensed in all states in which they conduct business. FHIS and its producers are certified representatives of insurance carriers."
https://medicare.fidelity.com/home?ccsource=osm
"Walmart Insurance Services, LLC is a licensed insurance agency that sells Medicare products. We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area."
https://www.walmartinsurance.com/
CRLLS
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
That is exactly what I did when I changed from BCBS F-HD plan to AARP/UHC Plan G. I did my own research on what Plan I wanted for coverage, which is not company dependent. Then I went to my state SHIP website where ALL the companies' offerings and pricing was shown in an easy-to-read chart to peruse at my leisure, including how each company's rates were for every 5-year age increment. I highly recommend this process for everyone in a state that does not allow annual changes without underwriting.
SecondAttempt
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
To me this would be a red flag. If they have a chart, why did they not show it to me BEFORE I signed up?
harllee
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
I remember seeing this chart before I signed up for AARP UHC. I did a bunch of research and used Boomer Benefits and the AARP policy was by far the least expensive policy G for me and still is after 4 years.
There is a link to the appropriate discount chart on the results page when you request Medigap quotes on the UHC/AARP website before making a purchase decision.
39% Discount chart for plans with Gym membership: https://www.aarpsupplementalhealth....t/StatePlanVariations/SA25873S4_SA25731ST.pdf
New 45% Discount chart til age 86 for plans without gym: https://www.aarpsupplementalhealth....t/StatePlanVariations/SA25908ST_WB27538ST.pdf
Dash man
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
I may have misspoken. But even if it weren’t, I had six months after I began to change plans before the requirements for underwriting kicked in. I could have changed plans at any time, which I actually did change from Plan G to Plan N, but stayed with AARP/UHC.
Boomer Benefits customer service helped me resolve an incorrect billing by Quest lab. That is they contacted Quest and got the same run around but then coached me through the Medicare appeal process resulting in full payment. I don't think the local broker I talked to would have been much help and, for sure, he doesn't have a customer service department.
Texas Proud
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
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WOW, I guess I am not going with either Boomer or Senior Savings...
When I reached out to Boomer to get rates the guy did not want to talk to me at all about D plans... I had maybe a 10 minute conversation with him and then he was off...
So, went to Senior Savings and had maybe a 30 minute conversation with someone. Was going to go with them as she spent time talking about D plans... but she never gave me the AARP rate... asked her and she sent a rate but did not recommend them even though the rate was lower than some she did recommend.
The rate they sent me was $115 ish for plan N. I got a letter from AARP that has a rate of $107. I just sent an email to SS asking about it and got a pretty rude comment. It said that if I did not think they were worth and extra $5 per month then they are not for me.
Well, first it is $8 per month which is almost $100 a year FROM ME. All their videos talk about buying the lowest price plan as the benefits are the same. So why should I pay MORE
PLUS, they would get $23 per month from AARP!!!
She then slipped up and mentioned the real reason... they do NOT offer the United Health plan!!! REALLY, you do not offer one of the largest plans out there?
Oh well, in reality I only needed them for plan D as the gap plan is a one time decision... no reason to give them almost $300 for a 30 minute conversation.
When I reached out to Boomer to get rates the guy did not want to talk to me at all about D plans... I had maybe a 10 minute conversation with him and then he was off...
So, went to Senior Savings and had maybe a 30 minute conversation with someone. Was going to go with them as she spent time talking about D plans... but she never gave me the AARP rate... asked her and she sent a rate but did not recommend them even though the rate was lower than some she did recommend.
The rate they sent me was $115 ish for plan N. I got a letter from AARP that has a rate of $107. I just sent an email to SS asking about it and got a pretty rude comment. It said that if I did not think they were worth and extra $5 per month then they are not for me.
Well, first it is $8 per month which is almost $100 a year FROM ME. All their videos talk about buying the lowest price plan as the benefits are the same. So why should I pay MORE
PLUS, they would get $23 per month from AARP!!!She then slipped up and mentioned the real reason... they do NOT offer the United Health plan!!! REALLY, you do not offer one of the largest plans out there?
Oh well, in reality I only needed them for plan D as the gap plan is a one time decision... no reason to give them almost $300 for a 30 minute conversation.
WOW, I guess I am not going with either Boomer or Senior Savings...
When I reached out to Boomer to get rates the guy did not want to talk to me at all about D plans... I had maybe a 10 minute conversation with him and then he was off...
So, went to Senior Savings and had maybe a 30 minute conversation with someone. Was going to go with them as she spent time talking about D plans... but she never gave me the AARP rate... asked her and she sent a rate but did not recommend them even though the rate was lower than some she did recommend.
The rate they sent me was $115 ish for plan N. I got a letter from AARP that has a rate of $107. I just sent an email to SS asking about it and got a pretty rude comment. It said that if I did not think they were worth and extra $5 per month then they are not for me.
Well, first it is $8 per month which is almost $100 a year FROM ME. All their videos talk about buying the lowest price plan as the benefits are the same. So why should I pay MORE
She then slipped up and mentioned the real reason... they do NOT offer the United Health plan!!! REALLY, you do not offer one of the largest plans out there?
Oh well, in reality I only needed them for plan D as the gap plan is a one time decision... no reason to give them almost $300 for a 30 minute conversation.
Use MedicareNationwide.com - people seem satisfied with them
If you are able to input your drugs into your Medicare account it tells you which part D plan is the best. I don't think an agent has much to add.
It's tough for the less computer savvy and very elderly like my mother in law.
It's tough for the less computer savvy and very elderly like my mother in law.
There is no fee for using a broker. Does the UHC/AARP letter mention a 7% household discount in the fine print? ($115 less 7% = $107).
Texas Proud
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No fee except if their stated rate is higher than what you can get without them... then you can say the extra cost is a 'fee'...
It is a 10% discount... 119 minus 10%
Do not know why I get different prices from different places...
BTW, calling directly they wanted $139 per month...
Yea, I will be buying my own plan and also my own plan D....
After I signed up for my Medigap, Boomer Benefits sent me a form to complete for part D drug coverage. It was similar to the Medicare website. The premiums for the plan I selected and for many others is so low that it can't offer much of a commission.
I did everything on my own. I probably spent 6 months or more reading everything I could about medicare/advantage plans and decided on regular medicare with a medigap and drug plan. The drug plan was easy, I went on medicares website, put in my medications and it popped up a list of plans from least expensive to most expensive. I signed up for the least expensive right from the medicare website and that was that.
For my medigap plan, I knew I wanted plan G and after pricing them out, also from the medicare website I chose the AARP/UHC plan and went to their website and signed up. The major companies were for the most part a few dollars +/- of each other and a few were substantially cheaper ($25/mo) which were all part of some life insurance company that I'd never heard of.
To be honest, I don't know why people get so confused by this whole process, I found it to be fairly simple, but I also like to research things until I'm blue in the face.
For my medigap plan, I knew I wanted plan G and after pricing them out, also from the medicare website I chose the AARP/UHC plan and went to their website and signed up. The major companies were for the most part a few dollars +/- of each other and a few were substantially cheaper ($25/mo) which were all part of some life insurance company that I'd never heard of.
To be honest, I don't know why people get so confused by this whole process, I found it to be fairly simple, but I also like to research things until I'm blue in the face.
SoReady
Recycles dryer sheets
+1
Texas Proud
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It is kinda simple in the end... it is just that a number of people get confused because they cannot figure out the decision tree... once you do it is simpler....
You first have to decide if you want medigap or advantage...
If you choose medigap then it is what plan... well, in reality there are only 2 good options, plan G or plan N... some might want one of the plans that only pay part of your share but that is not a good option IMO...
Next, get rates and historical rate increases... as mentioned the beginning rates are not that far apart.. in reality you can choose almost any company and be happy with the choice...
IMO the advantage plans are a much harder decision.... there are networks etc. that you have to deal with... companies have plans that are zero costs but might have a high OOP max... others have higher premiums and no OOP... I really did not do research in this for me but had done it before when helping out my mom... she had picked some looser at times... I think she was 'sold' by a shady agent...
harllee
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
For traditional supplements the issue of which company to choose be difficult. In most states you are stuck with the original supplement insurer that you choose if you cannot pass underwriting. So at age 65 you are making a choice that you may have to live with for 20-25 years. DH and I did the research and got expert advice and we thought we made the right choice. But we found out in a couple of years it was a bad choice (Mutual of Omaha closed its books). I was able to change to AARP/UHC but DH could not pass underwriting and is now stuck with a very expensive supplement. Watch out in choosing your company.
Z3Dreamer
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Boomer Benefits did a great job with me. But I believe you must do much of your own research as it is a decision you will live with for many years. I explored many options and bounced a bunch of questions off of Boomer Benefits and insurance companies I was considering. You are only going to get so much of any broker's time.
Texas Proud
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
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Read the first post... very important IMO... I know that my decision is likely to be stuck... so I need real professional advice with an agent...
Both agents spent very little time with me... got my info and told me what the rates were... when I went back to one inquiring about AARP at a price that was less than what they gave me I got a response that I was not their kind of customer...
Both wanted me to sign with Accendo... I can find very little about them but they just got into medicare supplements... I would like to have someone with more years of info so I know they are not pricing low to get customers and will have larger increases in the future...
Both gave me a higher rate for AARP than I was able to get signing up by myself... it is not a lot but over $8 per month... one said they would NOT work with AARP...
After all this I see very little benefit in either agency if you do your own research and can make a decision. I saved money and did what both have in videos, choose the lower cost that will not have high rate increases.
NOW, if you want to change plans and will have to go through underwriting... I would go with one of these firms... I do not think I would want to do that on my own..
CRLLS
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
There are a lot of positive reviews for Boomer Benefits. I cannot argue that. I sometimes feel that those come from people who do not want to dig into the various Medicare Supplement plans, the providers, how their prices change as one ages and how they have historically operated. One doesn't pay extra for signing up thru an agent. BB as well as other agents are paid by the Supplement companies. The old adage holds in this arena, if you aren't paying for the product (service) you are the product. For some people, possibly many, BB provides a perfectly adequate service. Never think that BB or any agent for that matter is giving you the whole picture or all of the available options.
Some states allow changing plans and companies without underwriting. For those living in one of those states, the decision is not as binding as the majority of us.
Some states allow changing plans and companies without underwriting. For those living in one of those states, the decision is not as binding as the majority of us.
Texas Proud
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
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Agree with this... there are a lot of people who will get good service from either of these firms... and if everything was equal I would probably be with one of them...
I was going to go with Senior Savers so I would have an agent on my side but the rate I was quoted from UHC was less... they said they did not write UHC policies and did not want to figure out why the rate was different... so in reality the rates might not be the same as mine was not.
