Since we are required to tell people to call Medicare or SHIP for Medicare, I want to create a document telling people the pros and cons of using independent agents/brokers vs calling Medicare or SHIP to enroll in a plan. So, I'm calling on everyone for your thoughts. Maybe this is something we can all use.
Should I use an insurance agent/broker or should I call Medicare or SHIP?
I don't recall ever discussing SHIP but sometimes the idea of calling Medicare or the carrier direct is interjected.
Medicare . . .
Some of the folks understand Medicare but few, if any, are familiar with tenure in the market (Medigap) or plan benefit differences (MAPD)
I doubt any of them can explain Part D
How long has the person you talk to worked the Medicare market?
Do you realize you will never talk to the same person twice?
Do you really want to call, press 1 for English, leave a voice message and wait for them to call back when you are in the shower?
Carrier . . .
Same as above plus . . . whoever you talk to will only tell you about THEIR plans . . . the only way to find out what other carriers offer is to call each one
Medicare . . .
Some of the folks understand Medicare but few, if any, are familiar with tenure in the market (Medigap) or plan benefit differences (MAPD)
I doubt any of them can explain Part D
How long has the person you talk to worked the Medicare market?
Do you realize you will never talk to the same person twice?
Do you really want to call, press 1 for English, leave a voice message and wait for them to call back when you are in the shower?
Carrier . . .
Same as above plus . . . whoever you talk to will only tell you about THEIR plans . . . the only way to find out what other carriers offer is to call each one
straightnochaser
Guru
- 549
idk if any of y'all are on reddit but people in there absolutely hate agents and push SHIP heavily, cracks me up.
AgentGeneral
Guru
- 281
We are working in a time that we are more needed than ever. People are T65 at highest rate ever, and with all the 1000s of calls they're getting it's confusing them even more.
Huh? No didn't know this. Now I have to go check it out.
For every 1 person who doesn't want our help, there's 20 more who do.
With so many T65 there's plenty to keep us busy. We've never been MORE needed and fortunately there's enough people who know this.
Huh? No didn't know this. Now I have to go check it out.
For every 1 person who doesn't want our help, there's 20 more who do.
With so many T65 there's plenty to keep us busy. We've never been MORE needed and fortunately there's enough people who know this.
straightnochaser
Guru
- 549
Oh yea the medicare subreddit is full of people denigrating agents and telling themto not use us and go through ship.
- Thread starter
- #7
Just spoke with Medicare. @somarco , you're going to love this: They don't sell Medigap plans! They probably don't even know the difference! Also, they are not licensed agents.
You will probably never talk to the same person twice. There's no direct contact number to each rep. They push Part D plans over advantage plans. Also, they don't have all of the details about the advantage plans. They tell you that you need to call the carrier for more specific information. Their information may be limited to what we see on medicare.gov. For example, it may say a plan offers dental, but doesn't tell you how much dental coverage you get.
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Confused . . .
Are you saying they can't/won't enroll you in a plan if you ask? Or they won't enroll you in Medigap but will sure as hell push MAPD.
I haven't looked at their Medigap info in quite some time, but the last time I looked for Medigap in Georgia they showed limited information on about 30 plans. Some of those carriers no longer offer Medigap in Georgia, some never did that I can tell.
StephanieCJ
Guru
- 660
Our local ship counselors only help with PDP plans. If you want a supplement or advantage plan, there are 4 agents locally that they have vetted and will refer people to see...I'm one of 4
- Thread starter
- #10
Yes, they will only enroll you in Part C or a Part D plan. If you want a Medigap plan, you have to call the carrier or find an agent. They don't push Part C plans, they prefer stand alone Part D plans, my guess is that it takes less work. But beware, if they do put someone in an advantage plan, they just choose one at random.
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