Medicare sign up

Terry Says

I don’t personally know of an advisor in TN, but my search yielded this resource: https://askchapter.org/tennessee-medicare-guide

Or you can simply go to www.ehealth.com, where trained agents for each state will help you through the process of choosing your coverage.

BUT:
You need to know three basic things (details by searching my columns under the word “Medicare”)

1. You make a major choice of traditional Medicare (requiring a supplement, and Part D drug insurance) OR Medicare Advantage (which is”all-in-one”, seems cheaper and more attractive, and hugely limits your choice of doctors, hospitals and tests!). If you can afford it, stick with Original Medicare, and a supplement and Part D.
(By the way, agents receive significantly higher compensation for enrolling you into Advantage than by selling you a supplement plan to go with traditional Medicare.)

2. Supplements come in categories and are offered by several companies doing business in your state. To keep this simple, you just want Supplement G — the most comprehensive. (It isalso the most expensive!) You can find out who offers Supplement G in your zipcode at Medicare.gov. Since they must all offer the same coverage, at similar prices, you can easily compare rates and “star ratings” at Medicare.gov. You can even sign up there.

3. If you’re not taking Advantage, then each year you need to re-sign up for a drug plan, which is based on the drugs you currently take. Even if you’re not yet taking prescription drugs, you must sign up for Part D at this time, or face apenalty down the road when you DO need drugs (and you will!).

And in answering this question I’ve just convinced myself that I need to write a small book on this topic! Stay tuned!!!