I just learned today that Fidelity is now offering Medicare advice.
Haven't explored it, just wanted to let people know it's available.
Fidelity Medicare Services®
Wow. That is great the service is offered in my state.
I just learned today that Fidelity is now offering Medicare advice.
Haven't explored it, just wanted to let people know it's available.
Fidelity Medicare Services®
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.
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).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.
...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.
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/
AARP does community pricing, but gives discounts that gradually go away as you get older. They’re upfront about it and will send you a chart soon after you sign up.
I highly recommend them.
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?
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.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?AARP does community pricing, but gives discounts that gradually go away as you get older. They’re upfront about it...
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?
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.
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).The rate they sent me was $115 ish for plan N. I got a letter from AARP that has a rate of $107.
SAVE 7% with the Multi-Insured Discount
You can take 7% off your monthly premiums if two or more members are enrolled under the same AARP membership number and each is insured under an eligible AARP-branded supplemental insurance policy insured by UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company.
Source: https://www.aarpsupplementalhealth....t/StatePlanVariations/SA25873S4_SA25731ST.pdf
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).
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 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.
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.
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.