Senior Care Archives - Page 3 of 3 - Premier Insurance Services

Changes Ahead for Medicare Plans for 2020

Post author:Mark Kofalt
Post published:October 21, 2019
Post category:Personal/Family Senior Care

As open enrollment for Medicare is just around the corner, changes are coming for 2020 that all enrollees and those who are enrolling for the first time should be aware of. Some of the changes are routine, but there are a few regarding the availability of certain plans as well as significant changes to Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans. Below is a rundown of the changes coming for the 2020 policy year. Medicare Part B The monthly premium is projected to rise to $144.30 a month, up from $135.50 in 2019. Medicare supplements Two plans will disappear for new enrollees,…

Reminder: Open Enrollment Begins Oct. 15!

Post author:Mark Kofalt
Post published:October 10, 2019
Post category:Personal/Family Senior Care

You've probably read our earlier article reminding you about Medicare Open Enrollment, beginning Oct. 15. You can read the full story here. However, due to its importance, we just wanted to send a quick reminder that it begins October 15 and runs through December 7. That's not much time to get your plans together. So here's another reminder: We can help make this as easy and painless as possible. Premier Insurance Services began decades ago as a Medicare insurance provider. We have a deep knowledge of and experience in the Medicare system — meaning, you'll get every benefit possible and…

Don’t Miss Medicare Open Enrollment!

Post author:Mark Kofalt
Post published:September 30, 2019
Post category:Personal/Family Senior Care

Don't miss the Medicare Open Enrollment Period, which, for those of you who are already enrolled, begins October 15th and runs until December 7th. That's the only time a Medicare beneficiary can ordinarily make changes to his or her existing plan, or enroll in Medicare Advantage (Part C) or the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (Part D). However, your open enrollment period can vary depending on your specific circumstances. Turning 65 this year? If you are turning 65 this year and you are not already eligible because of a specific medical issue that may qualify you at an earlier age, then…

Six Most Common Errors Medicare Enrollees Make

Post author:Mark Kofalt
Post published:August 19, 2019
Post category:Personal/Family Senior Care

Choosing the right Medicare plan is one of the most important decisions you have to make as a senior. Since there are hundreds of policies to consider when choosing, and an overabundance of information to plow through with each one, most people just get frustrated and guess when they choose a policy. But by taking that approach, they can end up hurting themselves by paying too much for a plan that does not cover their needs. These are the six most common errors to avoid when enrolling in Medicare: Signing up too late or too early The initial enrollment period…

Six Most Common Errors Medicare Enrollees Make

Post author:Mark Kofalt
Post published:August 5, 2019
Post category:Personal/Family Senior Care

Choosing the right Medicare plan is one of the most important decisions you have to make as a senior. Since there are hundreds of policies to consider when choosing, and an overabundance of information to plow through with each one, most people just get frustrated and guess when they choose a policy. But by taking that approach, they can end up hurting themselves by paying too much for a plan that does not cover their needs. These are the six most common errors to avoid when enrolling in Medicare: Signing up too late or too early The initial enrollment period…

Two Popular Medigap Plans Closing to New Beneficiaries in 2020

Post author:Mark Kofalt
Post published:July 9, 2019
Post category:Personal/Family Senior Care

Two of the most generous and popular Medicare supplement (Medigap) plans are getting phased out starting next year, but only to new beneficiaries. Beginning in 2020, plans F and C will no longer be available for those just joining Medicare. Plan F has been the top-selling Medigap plan for years, as it provides the broadest coverage of any of the Medigap plans. While premiums are relatively high, once you are enrolled you won't have to pay anything out of pocket for medical services covered under Medicare. What do Plan F and Plan C cover? The two soon-to-be discontinued plans both…

Helping Your Workers Care for Aging Parents

Post author:Mark Kofalt
Post published:June 17, 2019
Post category:Business Personal/Family Senior Care

As the costs of nursing homes and assisted living services soar, the financial burden of paying for those services often falls on the elderly individual's adult children. Many families cannot afford these services, so they are opting for their ageing parent to live with them. Unfortunately, as those parents get older and need more care, it can take a toll on their adult children and has forced many of them to quit their jobs and take care of their parents full time. A recent survey by Unum Insurance Company found that 39% of caregivers end up quitting their jobs to…

Medicare Changes Take Aim at Drug Costs, Push Telemedicine

Post author:Mark Kofalt
Post published:February 1, 2019
Post category:Personal/Family Senior Care

A series of changes to Medicare programs may lead to lower drug prices for some Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage enrollees, expand services to include transportation and telemedicine, and bring hospice benefits to Medicare Advantage patients. Drug plan changes Under the Part D Payment Modernization initiative, the Center for Medicare Services is revising the way Medicare compensates private insurers, with the intent of increasing competition and creating incentives for companies to lower drug prices and reduce costs for plan enrollees. Under the current system, once a patient's spending reaches the "catastrophic" threshold, Medicare picks up 80% of the cost…