Resources
Find answers to some of the commonly asked questions about Medicare Insurance and download valuable information.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I sign up for Medicare?
Medicare beneficiaries sign up for Medicare through the Social Security Administration via one of three ways:
- In-person by going to a local Social Security office
- Calling Social Security at (800) 772-1213
- Online at ssa.gov
Will I save money by enrolling directly with an insurance carrier and avoiding a middle-man or broker?
No. Each insurance company files their rates with the respective state insurance commissioners. Therefore the rates direct through the carriers are the same as through a broker like MBG. We shop all the carriers at once saving you time and money by recommending the products that have the best premiums, copays, and networks for each individual client. If you went direct through an insurance carrier, that company can only discuss their products. We can discuss all of the products as a one-stop shop as we don’t work for the insurance company…we work for you.
How do you get paid? Is there a fee for your service?
We get paid a commission by each insurance company. These commissions vary by product type. The carriers pay us very similarly across product lines so we can confidently say that we don’t care which company or plan our clients choose. We just care that our clients choose us because we have all the products and we don’t get paid until we help someone.
Does my doctor take your plans?
Yes. We’ve been helping folks with Medicare planning for many years. We wouldn’t be very successful if we recommended plans your doctors don’t take! We have all the top carriers to offer, but the doctor networks are all different. We look up each of your doctors to ensure the plans we recommend are accepted at your doctors’ offices.
Are Supplements (Medigap) better than Advantage (Part C)?
That’s for us to decide together. Medicare planning is like putting together a big puzzle. We work with each client individually to gather the puzzle pieces and start putting them in place. Medicare insurance is not one-size-fits all as each person has different needs, health, and budget. We recommend viewing this comparison chart and then giving us a call at (734) 657-4797 to discuss your options.
How can Medicare Advantage Plans have such low premiums, or even no premium whatsoever?
There are usually many low or even no-premium Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C) options in most areas of the country, and there’s no catch…low and even NO premium! What happens behind the scenes is that Medicare is subsidizing the plan premium. In other words, Medicare is paying for all or most of the premium. The amount of money the insurance company gets from Medicare is dependent largely on the ‘star rating’ of the plan. For example, when performing an ‘eye test’ on a couple zero-premium plans side-by-side, one can usually see that the copays and features of a 4.5-star rated plan look a little bit better across the board than that of a 3.5-star rated plan. We have all the plans! This is how our clients get the best coverage for the money because we comparison shop and can show you the side-by-side features of every plan in your zip code. Learn more about Medicare Advantage plans.
Quicklinks
Applying for Medicare
You can apply for Medicare in any of the following ways:
- Online at: ssa.gov/benefits/medicare/
- Over the phone by calling Social Security at 800-772-1213
- If you require a Part B-only application: You can download the form below, fill it out and drop it off at your local Social Security office.
- If you are over the age of 65 and still working, and are about to come off of your group plan and start Part B, your employer needs to fill out the form below, which goes along with the Part B application above, and drop it off at your local Social Security office.
To locate your local social security office click here.
