Phoenix Medicare Supplement Insurance Costs & Agents

Given their local roots, agents can help plans reach a broader spectrum of beneficiaries, including racial and ethnic minorities and nonnative English speakers. Yet beneficiaries have limited ability to gauge the caliber of their agent, as there is no systematic or transparent way either for them or plans to avoid a bad actor. Often, friends or family can provide a referral to an agent, but in other cases it is up to the beneficiary to screen agents.

The annual AHIP certification exam comes with fee of $175 each year. Medicare is also a phenomenal way to support your existing customers so they aren’t going to another agent. No-pressure recommendations on all plan options, not just one or two. Our Licensed Independent Agents have undergone hundreds of hours of training.

Agents typically secure contracts with multiple carriers, but they are not required to contract with all available carriers in their market. This means that a single agent will not necessarily represent medicare agent every available plan. In this way, the agent market is filtering plan options, something that may not be apparent to the beneficiary even if the agents and agencies disclose it in their communications.

Download your free PDF and get help with understanding enrollment periods, penalties and Medicare's "alphabet soup" of coverage. When selecting a Medicare agent or broker, make sure they look at whether or not your current coverage — based on both coverage terms and price — is the best option for you. This free PDF will help guide you through the many enrollment periods, penalties and Medicare's "alphabet soup" of plans.

The Content on this website should not be considered medical advice and is not intended as medical advice. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, you should not rely on any information on this website and should seek appropriate emergency medical assistance, such as calling "911". You should always talk to your health care professionals for diagnosis and treatment, including information regarding which drugs or treatment may be appropriate for you.

Medicare brokers frequently sell other types of insurance — home, life, auto, long-term care — which may be of interest to you. Agents and brokers both compare different Medicare plans and combinations of plans to come up with the best options based on price and need. This type of agent can only sell policies from one insurance company. If you are enrolled in Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B, you are eligible for a Medigap plan. The enrollment period is open for 6 months from the beginning date of your Medicare B coverage. Medicare Part B pertains to MEDICAL coverage such as doctors visits, outpatient care, medical supplies, and preventive services.

However, the commissions agents and brokers receive for different plans vary by company and arrangement. For instance, the commission can be a flat fee or a percentage of the premium. Regardless, you don’t pay for the agent’s or broker’s service directly. A secondary advantage of being enrolled in a Medicare Supplement Plan is that you are easily able to close this gap and avoid paying extra for necessary prescription drugs. Unfortunately, there are very few insurance companies that will offer you a direct contract if you're not a captive or employed agent. That means you'll need to acquire most of your independent agent contracts for selling Medicare through a Medicare Insurance field marketing organization .

For instance, in Miami–Dade County, Fla., the online agents offered only three or four of the 10 Medicare Advantage plans with five stars. None of the agents that we surveyed in Summit County, Ohio, or Harris County, Texas, offered the five-star Medicare Advantage plans available in those areas. You can check with Medicare to find agents and brokers and with your state insurance department to verify the license status of someone who claims to be an insurance agent or broker.

This means that carriers’ and agents’ incentives for growth are perfectly aligned. When you need help signing up for your Medicare plan, contact our health insurance agents in Phoenix and learn about our simple, guided online Medicare enrollment process. We can make sure all your bases are covered and you select the right plan to meet your healthcare goals.