Medicare enrollment window approaching

On this episode of the Post Podcast Sunflower Senior Solutions owner, Courtney Dale shares information about the upcoming Medicare enrollment window.

 

Transcript:

EDITORS NOTE: Transcripts are provided by an automated service and are not verified for accuracy.

 

James Bell 

The annual Medicare enrollment window is just around the corner. From Sunflower Senior Solutions owner Courtney Dale shares with us some of the details on this episode of the Post Podcast.

 

Courtney Dale 

It always gets here faster and faster every year. Kinda like Christmas. But speaking of that, you know how we start to see Christmas in the stores. sooner and sooner. It's the same thing with Annual Election Period with Medicare and people are already seeing the advertisements on TV and mailboxes are filling up and all that stuff. And the reason why is because of this time of year, and it officially is October 15. Through December 7, that window is the only window that a person can make changes to their prescription drug plan, or a Medicare Advantage Plan, which is not as common is as a Medicare supplemental plan for most people in the listening area. But those two things the prescription plan in the in the Advantage Plans can only be changed and adjusted during that window. However, as agents and brokers, we can start seeing the plans and all of their options and all of their pricing as soon as October 1. So we can start talking about them, and going over them with people as soon as October 1, which is less than a month away. And it'll be here before you know it. Sure. So very important time of year to kind of have all of your Medicare plans reviewed. And a lot of people do this religiously, a lot of people don't understand the benefits of having your plans reviewed. Just on the prescription side alone, there's a huge savings potential, especially for people who are paying higher drug costs for maybe you know insolence or blood centers or things like that. The formularies change every year. So the coverage changes and the different levels within the plan that changes so what you're on now, there may be something out there that covers your drugs better, and can save you you know, a few $100 over the course of the year, which is huge. Right now everyone is looking for ways to save money myself included. So that is, you know, that is the the main importance of it is to save money. Now on the on all of your other plans. So your Medicare supplemental plans and your dental vision and hearing plans and anything else you have that you want. Kind of a second opinion, hey, is this the right plan for me? Could I save money here? Could I get better coverage there? This is just a great time of year you have to have your prescription plan looked at it's a great time of year to just have a once over and have everything reviewed. And of course we do that complimentary We do not charge anything for our services to review your plan.

 

James Bell 

Yeah, so I think why not? You know, you mentioned that, you know, this time of year is a good time for it, you kind of it makes me think about your time change, you know, time changes comes, you're supposed to check all your fire safety equipment, right? It's like that time of year to do it. So why not take advantage of the free service and see if you can save yourself some money.

 

Courtney Dale 

Exactly. This again, you know, yeah, we kind of looked at a look at it as the end of one year. And how do we get straight for the start of the next year? We do again, we do the Medicare supplemental plans, we do Medicare Advantage plans. We do dental, vision and hearing plans. We also help people with their prescription plans. Of course, we also that's for people over the age of 65. We also offer insurance services for any age. And of course, the dental vision and hearing packages that any age. That's not just Medicare, Affordable Care Act plans are something that we also help with we started doing that a couple years ago, those new plans for the next year, they did change the tax, the tax subsidies. So if you have looked at them before, and you couldn't afford them before, you might want to take a look again, we can't look at those until November 1 for the next year. So if you're on one of those plans, again, great time to have it reviewed if it's if those plans are something that you've looked into or think that you could benefit from. We could take a look at those for you too. That is something that we do. Also we do a little bit of fixed interest rate investment products. Horse in the last year myself included. We've all kind of taken a little bit of a hit from the stock market, which we know is going to happen but a lot of people have kind of came to us and are interested in looking at more of a fixed rate product insurance product which we do those as well. And that's again this time of year is a great time of year to look at all that we have, you know, some fixed interest rates that are doing four and 5%. So if you have bank CD's or cash or anything sitting around, that's not earning anything. Great time of year to have all that looked at as well,

 

James Bell 

for sure. Now, Courtney, I'm curious you for those folks that are maybe in that window, and they want to have this looked at with that window between October 15 and December 7. At what point? Is it too late? Or can you just go all the way up and to December 7.

 

Courtney Dale 

On the Medicare side, it's December 7, on the Affordable Care Act plans. It is the end of the year, November 1 through the end of the year, or I'm sorry, Jane, it goes all the way through to January 15. On the Affordable Care Act plans. Now dental vision and hearing packages and any of the fixed rate insurance products and even Medicare Supplements. Those can be looked at and changed at any time during the year, the big push on October 15. And December 7 Is the prescription drug plans. And the Medicare Advantage plans. That's the only time of year that you can change those.

 

James Bell 

Okay, so somebody went into your office on say, December 6, they could still get that in get those changes processed? Or would you have time to do that?

 

Courtney Dale 

Oh, yeah, all the way we work all the way up till midnight on December 7. So in our our office hours change during starting October 1. We are available Monday through Saturday. So we do weekend appointments as well. Just we want to make sure to get everyone in that needs to have plans reviewed. So the best way to figure out how you can get in and book a time and we are booking appointments right now is cuz we can start, like I said, looking at plans October 1, call our office 785301 to 716. Or you can also book an appointment online. Sunflower senior.com.

 

James Bell 

Okay. Well, Courtney, I'm also curious, you know, this time of year with you busy looking at all these plans? Are you still doing the informational sessions?

 

Courtney Dale 

We do? Yes, of course, all over the state. So if you want to do a face to face workshop and get a refresher on Medicare education, if you're in the listening area, there's a good chance we're going to be in your area, we can also do a review face to face. We travel all over the state doing those reviews, and we actually have some dates and time set and locations. And so if you see one of those locations, you want to meet with us and do your review in person if you're not, you know, if you don't live in haze, we are all over. So that is also going to be available on our website. Sunflower senior.com.

 

James Bell 

Okay, so yeah, head over there. Check that out. And that phone number again, Courtney

 

Courtney Dale 

785-301-2716.

 

James Bell 

There you go. Anything else? You think that the folks out there need to know before we go?

 

Courtney Dale 

Oh, just you know, we can't stress the importance of having your plans reviewed enough. Even if you think you're in the right place. It's it's just not going to cost you anything and you might be able to save a few 100 bucks and didn't even know you were eligible for that. So we can't stress it enough. Just have your plans looked at even if it's not by us have somebody review your plans for the upcoming year.