If you or someone you know is enrolled in Medicare or is about to enroll, you’ve probably realized that it’s not easy to understand. The insurance program is filled with different parts, plans, confusing jargon, and more.
Because of this, it can be hard to navigate on your own, making the whole process stressful. Fortunately, you can enlist the help of an insurance agent or a Medicare insurance broker to make sense of it all. Doing so will make it easier for you to choose the right plans for your needs and ensure you enroll in Medicare at the right time.
If you’re interested in this, make sure to pick a licensed and trustworthy agent. Not sure where to start? Here’s how to pick a good insurance agent.
Medicare Compliance & Credentials
Another important factor is that an agent or broker is licensed and follows Medicare regulations. There are different rules put in place by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid, a government organization, that agents must follow.
For example, CMS recently added a new disclaimer to its guidelines that require agents and brokers to explicitly state that they do not represent all plans in a person’s area. If an agent does not share this with you, they are not following Medicare’s guidelines and can be a major red flag. Check out more red flags by visiting boomerbenefits.com/top-5-red-flags-to-look-out-for-when-choosing-an-insurance-agent.
Other CMS guidelines also relate to advertising practices, solicitations, sales activities, and more.
Additionally, you need to work with someone who is a licensed Medicare insurance agent. Specifically, you will want to ensure that the agent you work with is licensed to sell Medicare-related products in your state.
Potential Bias
You’ll also want to check how many insurance carriers an agent represents. If an agent only represents one company or type of plan, how can you get an idea of which route might be best for your situation? Agents like this are likely biased and won’t try to speak with you about other options that might be out there.
If you use an agent or broker, try to find one representing many plans and carriers. This will help you be aware of more plan options to find the right health coverage.
Reviews
A helpful way to know if an insurance agent or broker is good is to look at their reviews. Many agents and brokerages have positive or negative reviews from their clients. These reviews can help you learn how an agent operates and if their clients are happy with the agent’s services.
However, you want to make sure the reviews you’re looking at are legitimate. Although not super common, there are times when reviews can be artificial. To help avoid this, you may consider looking at reviews using companies like Shopper Approved.
Customer Service
Many agents and brokers can be good at selling you a plan. But are those same people assisting you with issues after the sale? In many cases, Medicare beneficiaries find themselves navigating policy issues on their own, even after working with an agent.
You want to work with someone that will be there for you to help with issues that might come up. For example, there are times when a service is billed incorrectly. It’s possible to fix this on your own, but it’s much easier when you have a Medicare expert on your side! So, be sure to find someone who provides support after the sale.
Final Thoughts
Although working with an agent or broker for your Medicare coverage is not required, it can be very beneficial when navigating the world of Medicare. Just be sure to find a licensed and trustworthy agent to work with that will support you throughout the years.
