Services

Medicare Insurance
Education, Knowledge,
and Understanding

MAA / Services

New to Medicare

People who are new to Medicare are usually either turning 65 or receiving Medicare due to a disability. Either way, Medicare benefits work the same way and trying to navigate the Medicare world alone can feel a bit overwhelming.

First things first, you need a good understanding of the four parts of Medicare and to familiarize yourself with some basic terminology. Secondly, you need to know which parts, if any, you actually need. Third and most importantly you need to know how much Medicare is going to cost.

Even though Medicare may feel confusing at first, after spending some time with our team things will start making a bit more sense and soon you’ll be able to make confident and educated decisions about your choices.

How we can help:

  • Free in-person or over the phone one-on-one consultations and plan comparisons
  • Comparing the differences between Medigap vs Medicare Advantage
  • Confirming that your physicians, providers, and pharmacy accept your insurance
  • Medicare 101 Seminars at libraries, community centers, companies, and churches
  • Helping decide if remaining on your active employer coverage is beneficial
  • Reviewing financial penalties (if any) for delaying Medicare
  • Explaining additional costs to high income earners
  • Understanding the timeline of enrolling into Medicare
  • Assistance with applying for Medicare Part B
  • Assistance with applying for financial assistance with prescriptions, copays, and premiums
  • Enrolling you into the insurance plan of your choice

  New to Medicare? Connect and learn more.
New to Medicare FAQs

Click on a question to see the answer.

It is true that there are financial penalties sometimes with Medicare. However, it's very important to know if and when those penalties would occur and how to avoid them.

Depending on the number of employees your company has, you may be able to waive Medicare Part B without any penalties, stay on your group insurance, and enroll into Medicare at a later date saving you thousands of dollars per year. But many group policies have become more expensive over the years and depending on your out-of-pocket costs, it may be beneficial for you to start Medicare as soon as possible.

Our team can help you compare your options.

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Typically, once a person is approved for Social Security Disability they will be eligible for Medicare two years after they first applied for disability benefits.

Some conditions like ALS will award Medicare to an individual immediately without having to wait two years. Medicare for a person under the age of 65 has the same benefits as a person 65 or older.

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For people who are turning 65 or past 65 and retiring, we'll first help you understand the four parts of Medicare and then guide you through the enrollment process.

We'll help make the transition from your employer's insurance to Medicare so much easier.

If you're already on Medicare, you can change plans during the annual election period known as AEP which runs October 15th - December 7th. We help you compare plans during this time, so you'll always have confidence knowing you're in the right plan each year.

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Becoming a client is easy.

Contact Us or call us at (205)704-9020 and let's talk.

Our retail office is now open at 2116 Columbiana Road in Vestavia. We're opened 9am-4pm Monday through Friday.

#General #Service #Turning 65

If you’re turning 65 years of age, you have a 7-month window to enroll in Medicare. It's also when our team can really help you understand your options. However, if you are still working, you may not want or need to enroll. Deciding when to enroll and what to enroll in are our two most asked questions, and our team can help you make an informed decision.
#AEP #Eligibility #Enrollment #Turning 65

Many people think they’ll face penalties if they don’t sign up for Medicare at 65. That can be true, but not always. You can postpone enrollment beyond age 65 if you or your spouse are still working and you have health insurance under an employer plan.
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Already on Medicare

If you’re already on Medicare, you understand how full your mailbox can get during the Annual Election Period between October 15 and December 7 of each year.

You also should know that prior to the Annual Election Period you should receive an important document in the mail from your current insurance plan called the Annual Notice of Change. This packet is important because it not only tells you how your benefits will change during the upcoming year but also if your plan will still cover your prescriptions and what the new costs will be.

How we can help:

  • Free in-person or over the phone consultations to help review your Annual Notice of Change
  • Medicare 101 Seminars at libraries, community centers, companies, and churches
  • Provide a prescription drug cost comparison to be sure you’re still in the appropriate drug plan
  • Confirming your physicians, providers, and pharmacy accept your insurance
  • Comparing Medicare Advantage plans in your area
  • Reviewing your financial situation to see if you qualify for any assistance

  Learn how updates and plan changes may affect you.

Medicare and Retiree Coverage

Many employers continue to offer health insurance to their retirees in addition to Medicare. However, this can be very confusing as benefits and costs change over the years. A retiree also has to be very careful because dropping a retirement plan sometimes means never being able to get it back. So finding the right advisor you can trust in this situation is crucial. Most often if an employer is offering retirement insurance, it’s important to consider it.

However, there are times when employer coverage for a spouse of an employee is considerably more expensive than Medicare. Or your employer decides to no longer offer retiree coverage.

Recently, many companies have been offering retirees an HRA (Health Reimbursement Account) that basically reimburses the employee for whichever Medicare plan they chose. In that situation, the employee needs to fully understand their Medicare options and to completely understand how to take advantage of the reimbursement money your company is offering.

Our advisors are familiar with many of the scenarios in Alabama and are happy to review your options to help you better understand your choices.

Some of the more common retiree plans in Alabama are:

  • PEEHIP (Public Education Employees’ Health Insurance Plan)
  • FEP (Federal Employee Program)
  • UMWA (United Mine Workers of America)
  • TRICARE (retired military)
  • ACIPCO (American Cast Iron and Pipe Company)
  • Railroad Retirement Board
  • US Steel
  • AT&T

  Find Medicare options that work with your other coverage.

Veterans

Medicare and Veterans Benefits can be complex and it’s very important to get good advice before making any decisions regarding your health insurance.

Typically Medicare and the VA are two separate entities and when a veteran gets care at a VA facility the VA benefits are all that is needed. However, not all procedures are performed at the VA or you may want the option of going to a physician or facility outside of the VA. Therefore, Medicare becomes a vital complement to a veteran’s VA benefits. Our advisors can help you explore your options to see if you need to enroll in Medicare Part B and/or any other part of Medicare.

  Connect to discuss your options.

If you retired from the military and are eligible for TRICARE or you have a spouse eligible for CHAMPVA those plans are different than the VA. Our advisors can help shed some light on your options as well.

VA Pension is also available to veterans who served during wartime. This pension is available to provide financial assistance to veterans with high medical expenses or a limited monthly income. Our team works with several local elder law attorneys who specialize in Veterans Pensions and can be an excellent resource on how to apply for benefits.

Financial Assistance

Health insurance premiums, copayments, coinsurances, and deductibles can become overwhelmingly expensive. Fortunately, our team at Medicare Advisors of Alabama help you understand what financial assistance is available and also help you complete the appropriate applications.


  Discuss your financial assistance options with us.

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