Category Archives: Medicare Supplement Insurance

Best Northern California Medicare Supplement Plans – Call Michael Brines

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Whether you are just turning 65, or have been on Medicare for years and are looking for a more affordable Northern California Medicare Supplement, it is extremely important to compare multiple quality companies and plans. The best and most effective way to identify and enroll in a great plan is by contacting an expert. Michael Brines is considered the best Medicare supplement insurance agent in Northern California by many Medicare recipients, health care providers, and various local professionals. He offers expert, unbiased information about multiple quality companies and plans, and can also provide great advice regarding prescription drug plans.

Northern California residents have a leg up on Medicare recipients in other states as they are subject to the California Birthday Rule. This rule states all Medicare recipients in Northern California and across the state can switch to an equal or lesser Medicare supplement plan without answering any health questions during the 30 day window immediately following their birthday. Michael Brines helps every one of his customers shop for a more affordable option during this period every year, and has saved many of his customers over one thousand dollars per year as a result.

Many people regard Michael Brines as the best Medicare Supplement insurance agent in Northern California, and it is a well-deserved reputation. His knowledge, experience, and integrity are unmatched and he has a long list of customers to prove it. His success lies in the fact that he always does what is best for his clients, and consistently saves them huge sums of money on a monthly and annual basis.

Purchasing Medicare Supplement Insurance from a quality company is extremely important, and Michael Brines carries almost every quality insurance company in Northern California. These companies include, but are not limited to, Mutual of Omaha, Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield of California, AARP, Health Net, Standard Life & Accident, Gerber Life, and Sentinel Security. Every insurance company in Northern California offering Medicare Supplement insurance offers the same exact plans, which means it is wise to compare all companies to determine which one has the lowest price.

Many people in Northern California who are just turning 65 or are enrolling in Medicare for the first time have a fairly easy time navigating the Medicare supplement marketplace. The prescription drug plans, however, can be a real nightmare. Every prescription drug plan covers different prescriptions, has different co-payments, and some have deductibles. Furthermore, these plans change drastically every year. Finding the most affordable plan requires the help of a professional, and Michael Brines is the best guy for the job. He creates prescription drug plan comparison reports for all of his customers in Northern California that details the three most affordable options.

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Medicare Supplement Insurance – Possible 15% Surcharge Coming

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Healthcare inflation is affecting some of America’s most hard working individuals, and price increases for Medicare Supplement Insurance are a part of the problem. Over the past ten years, it has become standard practice among insurance companies to increase monthly premiums for both inflation, and age. This semi-annual increase has been a real burden for older Americans as most have seen their healthcare costs increase 50-100%. Furthermore, this comes at a time where many have seen their monthly incomes dwindle.

The Obama administration has proposed a 15% surcharge on Medicare Supplement Plans, which is effectively a 15% increase in monthly premiums. This would be in addition to the already extraordinary normal monthly increases already endured by Medicare recipients. The alternative to paying this 15% surcharge would be staying with original Medicare and absorbing the 20% coinsurance, or purchasing a Medicare Advantage Plan.

Medicare Advantage plans have been a viable alternative for some people, but not all. Many people find their doctors or hospitals do not accept any Medicare advantage plans, which makes them a horrible option. In addition, some people who live in rural areas do not have the option to purchase an advantage plan as there are no offerings in their area. To make matters worse, most people in rural areas have very low incomes, which mean they must make extremely difficult budgeting decisions when determining which Medicare Supplement Plan is best. A 15% surcharge could mean they don’t buy groceries this week.

Fortunately, this 15% surcharge is the small part of a budget proposal that would be up for vote in 2013, and won’t take effect until 2017. The chances of this bill passing are slim to none as the government has had quite a difficult time making important decisions lately. Medicare Supplemental Insurance will continue to be the choice more most people turning 65 as long as the monthly premiums are affordable and physicians and hospitals accept original Medicare.

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Upgrade to Medicare Supplement Plan F – Don’t Settle for Less

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Many people purchase Medicare supplement plans or an advantage plans, only to realize it does not meet their needs. The plan they purchased is either too expensive, their doctors or hospitals don’t accept the plan, or the lack of benefits makes it difficult to get quality care. The worst part of this horrifying trend is most seniors fail to realize this until after their initial enrollment is over! People who fall victim to lesser plans often look for a way out, and feel they will be turned down by insurance companies offering better, more comprehensive plans. This is quite simply not the case.

Medicare Supplement Plan F is the best plan money can buy, and is considered the Cadillac of all Medicare plans. Medicare counselors, physicians, and insurance brokers all recommend this plan at least 90% of the time and the majority of people buy this plan as a result. So why is this plan so popular? Well, Medicare supplement plan F is so popular because it is so easy to understand. People who purchase Plan F have very little to worry about, because they can visit any doctor or hospital that accepts original Medicare, and they never pay a nickel! This plan has no deductibles, and no co-payments, making it the king of all Medicare Supplement Plans.

Most people believe switching insurance companies will be a serious task. In reality, it is quite easy and almost anyone can do it. The most difficult part is signing your name on a new application and answering a few health questions. Most people find that the process only takes approximately 15 minutes, and they save up to $1000 per year as a result. Every insurance company has a different underwriting process, which means some companies may accept you, while others may not. It is important to speak with a field underwriter or Medicare supplement broker who is knowledgeable about insurance company best practices in order to get a good idea about which companies you should apply with.

California residents have the upper hand. Not only do they have gorgeous weather, and incredible outdoor activities, but they also have a special guaranteed issue period called the “California Birthday Rule”. This rule states that any California resident can switch to any company, with an equal or lesser plan, during the 30 day window that begins on their birthday. During this period they have guaranteed issue, which means they do not need to answer any health questions and their policy will be issued. Furthermore, there is one very well-known company that allows individuals to purchase Medicare supplement Plan F regardless of which type of plan they have currently. This means California residents can upgrade to Plan F, no questions asked, every year on their birthday.

Fortunately, the majority of Medicare recipients over the past 15 years have purchased Medicare Supplement Plan F. However, those who purchased this plan prior to June 1st, 2010 still have the old benefit package. All Medicare Supplement Plans were modernized on that date, and now include a new hospice benefit that many have found very useful. Even people who already have plan F should upgrade to the new modernized plan F. Contact your insurance company or a Medicare supplement broker to find out how.

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Best Medicare Supplement Insurance Companies

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The best Medicare supplement insurance companies provide the greatest coverage for the lowest price, and greatly differ depending on your location, age, and gender. Furthermore, choosing a great company depends significantly upon your perspective, and what you find important. As a Medicare supplement broker in 48 states, I have compiled a list of the best Medicare supplement insurance companies based on the experiences of over 5000 Medicare recipients.

Disclaimer: Every insurance company offers the same exact plans with the same benefits for a different price. This is important because if all plans are created equally, and they are, the only differing factor is price, which happens to be the single most important item to consider when choosing a plan. Pricing greatly depends on location, age, and gender, which means every person will likely have a unique answer when asking the question: What is the best Medicare supplement insurance company? That being said, below are the top 5 Medicare supplement insurance companies based upon customer service, ease of use, competitive prices, and financial stability.

Mutual of Omaha: Mutual of Omaha has a significant amount of customers, which means they understand how to efficiently serve their needs. Their customer service and claims processing is first class, and their financial stability is unmatched. Furthermore, they tend to have very competitive prices. Many agents will advise you to purchase elsewhere due to past price increases. However, historical price increases were necessary as the economy was in a recession and even with the price increases, their rates are lesser or equal than most competitors. From a customer perspective, Mutual of Omaha should always be a consideration when shopping.

AARP: AARP has the most well recognized brand among all insurers. Pricewise, they are extremely competitive in some states, and more expensive in others. This company has excellent customer service and should definitely be considered a frontrunner. Furthermore, their pricing methodology is unique and more predictable, which is nice considering some companies have huge price increases depending on their risk pools. In addition, AARP has unique underwriting guidelines, which can make purchasing a plan much easier for people who are healthy, but have some health issues.

Blue Cross: Most Medicare recipients have been insured by Blue Cross or Blue Shield, or BlueCrossBlueShield at some point in their lives, which makes this a comfortable top pick. Blue Cross is a first class company, but recently their customer service has been a little suspect. Their claims processing is unmatched, but they could use some additional help with their back office support. In some states they are extremely competitive based upon price, but in others they are quite expensive. Keep in mind Blue Cross is operated by different insurance companies depending on the state, so just because they are great in some areas does not mean they excel everywhere.

Standard Life & Accident: Standard Life & Accident is an excellent company, but few consumers are familiar with the name. However, they have an “A” (excellent) rating with A.M. Best and are known for having Ritz Carlton service. This company is dependable, easy to work with, and physicians and hospitals love them. They consistently have the lowest price for High deductible plan F in every state and often have very competitive prices for standard plans as well. Standard Life & Accident is an excellent choice by any standard.

Gerber Life: Gerber Life is another “A” rated company with excellent prices. They have been a well-known company for years due to their baby food and child related products. However, they are an outstanding insurance company as well. They have very low prices in some areas, but recently have taken a few pretty steep price increases. Over the past few years this was the best choice for many Medicare recipients, but today they are slightly overpriced in most areas. Their customer service and claims administration is completed by Mutual of Omaha, which means it is first class.

Family Life: Family Life is an excellent company to work with, and has very low prices in many areas making them a great choice for some people. They are a smaller company that isn’t as well known as the big players, and their “B+” rating is a good demonstration of this. However, everyone who has purchased a plan from this company has nothing but great things to say and can attest to their quality performance. Don’t be surprised if Family Life is a major player in the near future.

The Rest: There are several fly-by-night companies that offer Medicare supplement insurance. They are popular for a year or two before they take significant price increases and are never heard from again. Unfortunately with these companies you never know what you are going to get. Some have excellent service and maintain great prices while others are very difficult to work with and take steep price increases after you are already locked into a plan.

About the Author: Cris Brines is the CEO of Medicare Supplement Shop, which is one of the leading enrollment centers for people who are turning 65 and seeking advice.

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