Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Join us. Now is Gary Kolp, who's the Medicare sales
managing director with health Spring formerly Signa Healthcare Medicare, to
talk about open enrollment Medicare in general and if you
have any questions, come on. Two oh five four nine
nine three seven two four nine nine three seven two Gary,
welcome in, Thanks for being.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Here, Hi JT. Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Well, I got to tell you I went through this
recently signing up for Medicare, and everybody says, oh, you're
gonna love it when you get on it, and you know,
I'll be honest with you, I do kind of like it.
It's uh, you know, the cost goes down and you
still get pretty good services, but there are a lot
of hoops to jump through. And I noticed in the
process that, uh, not everybody is aware of everything going
on in the process. You know, it's social Security, you
(00:41):
know paid for or comes through them Medicare reps. You
got Social Security reps, and you've got individual insurance company
reps that you're going through a system that your wife
may have through Blue Cross and blue shit. I mean,
it was hoop city and everybody had a little some
different to say about it. So let's start at the beginning.
If you're getting to the age, what is the age
you become eligible for Medicare? And when is open enrollment
(01:05):
this year.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Jat Most people become eligible for Medicare when they turn
sixty five. There are some exceptions to that, but that's
typically the eligibility for Medicare. And as far as the
Medicare annual enrollment period, it runs October fifteenth through December seventh,
And the importance around those dates is that's the time
of year where everyone on Medicare can pause and take
(01:26):
a moment to make sure they're on the right plan
for the upcoming year and determine what is important for
them in terms of their coverage, things like network of doctors, hospitals,
prescription drug coverage, and also share costs like premium and
deductibles and toe insurance for example.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
Now, I've noticed when I went through the process that
I got bombarded with a lot of different insurance companies
saying call us to talk about your Medicare benefits. These
were all sales pitches from different healthcare facilities, or not
healthcare facilities, but insurance facilities go through us with Medicare,
so does Medicare stand alone or is it always partnered
(02:05):
with an insurance company.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
You know, it's such a great question. Really you can
think about when you have Medicare that there's three options
in terms of what you can do with Medicare. One
is is that you can stay on traditional Medicare and
opt for what's known as a Medicare supplement, which covers
some of those things that are not covered by Medicare.
You can also look at what's known as a Medicare
advantage plan, and most of the Medicare advantage plans offer
(02:30):
medical coverage and pharmacy coverage in one plan, but they
also offer on many of those plans additional services things
like dental, vision, hearing, transportation, fitness programs, things that wouldn't
beyond traditional Medicare. And then the third option is a
standalone prescription drug plan, which traditionally is one that people
(02:51):
will opt for if they actually select a Medicare supplement
with their Medicare plan. All this might be confusing for some,
so what I would say is is that we're here
to help. There's two key resources that I would point
people to. One is that the Medicare program actually has
what's known as the Medicare plan Finder, which is an
(03:11):
online tool at medicare dot gov where people can go
in and actually look at what's available in their local
market and determine what might be a good fit for them,
and also reach us at healthspring dot com. We're here
to help in terms of navigating folks through some of
the things that you probably went through when you were
deciding what is the right plan for you. They have
(03:32):
folks on the phone that can help them on the
phone at eight seven seven three four nine two eight
nine seven as well.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
Okay, who should go on Medicare? Just because you turned
sixty five doesn't necessarily mean you should sign up. For instance,
I have a friend who's eligible for it but has said, look,
I'm still working full time and have a great program
through my work as far as insurance goes. I'm not
signed up for Metacare yet. Should you sign up? Anyone?
Speaker 2 (04:00):
Yeah? Such a great point. So everyone has a unique situation.
They might be currently working, they may be planning retirement
and planning to actually get their Medicare eligibility. Whatever the
case might be. I suggest that they plan in advance
and look at what the timing is. That's best suited
for them to actually enroll in the Medicare program. But
once you're on Medicare, the key is is to know
(04:21):
that annually there's the annual enrollment period, which we're in
from October fifteenth through December seventh, and that's the time
of year where you can make a change or stay
on the current plan that you'd like for the upcoming year,
but make sure that you're taking the time to consider
what is the best fit for this upcoming year.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
Can you go on Medicare and then find out later
that wait a minute, my wife's health insurance plan we've
been on is still there and it saves me money
to come off of Medicare. Can I come off of
it and then go back on a couple of years later?
Speaker 2 (04:52):
You know, that's a question I'd say is very specific
to an individual, and I would check with a couple
of things. One check with the Solid Security Office and Medicare.
Two would actually go to medicare dot gov or resources
that are available online. And three, in the instance that
you provided, check with the employer that's providing coverage to
ensure that the eligibility is what people are looking for.
(05:14):
But most important is when you do have Medicare and
you've opted for Medicare is to look at it each year,
and really that's where we're here to help, and you
can contact us set healthspring dot com or eight seven
seven three four nine two eight nine seven.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
All right, Gary, One last question Medicare. My premiums are
paid monthly through the Social Security That's another thing. I'm
still working, but I'm also collecting Social Security benefits because
you get to a certain age where you know the
money's there for you, it's yours. So my premiums are
deducted out of my Social Security benefits that I receive
(05:50):
every month. If you're not collecting Social Security, Uh, how
does medicare bill you do? Do they us set it
up through an auto draft and they take it out
or because they're tied together social Security.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
And medicare, right, Traditionally, what you described is what most
Medicare beneficiaries actually have, and that is that it's an
automatic abduction for what's known as the part the benefits
of Medicare out of a sold security check. But really,
you know, when once they have Medicare, though, it really
is looking at what is the right solutions for them.
So I would continue to kind of ask that they
(06:24):
go to medicare dot gov or contact UT so we
can help them navigate because part of what you're experiencing
is very individual in terms of what your needs are,
and same with those that are listening, like each person
has something that's very unique and different that we want
to help with.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Right, very good. So once again, the enrollment starts tomorrow
and goes through December seven.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
You said yes, so October fifteenth through December seventh, and
that's the time of year to make your elections for
the upcoming year, which go into effect on January first
of twenty twenty six.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
All Right, very good, Gary Kulp, thank you so much.
I sure to appreciate the inside and the information.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
Very good.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
Medicare sales Managing director their health Spring. Check them out
at healthspring dot com, or for more on medicare, go
to Medicare dot gov.
Join us. Now is Gary Kolp, who's the Medicare sales
managing director with health Spring formerly Signa Healthcare Medicare, to
talk about open enrollment Medicare in general and if you
have any questions, come on. Two oh five four nine
nine three seven two four nine nine three seven two Gary,
welcome in, Thanks for being.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Here, Hi JT. Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Well, I got to tell you I went through this
recently signing up for Medicare, and everybody says, oh, you're
gonna love it when you get on it, and you know,
I'll be honest with you, I do kind of like it.
It's uh, you know, the cost goes down and you
still get pretty good services, but there are a lot
of hoops to jump through. And I noticed in the
process that, uh, not everybody is aware of everything going
on in the process. You know, it's social Security, you
(00:41):
know paid for or comes through them Medicare reps. You
got Social Security reps, and you've got individual insurance company
reps that you're going through a system that your wife
may have through Blue Cross and blue shit. I mean,
it was hoop city and everybody had a little some
different to say about it. So let's start at the beginning.
If you're getting to the age, what is the age
you become eligible for Medicare? And when is open enrollment
(01:05):
this year.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Jat Most people become eligible for Medicare when they turn
sixty five. There are some exceptions to that, but that's
typically the eligibility for Medicare. And as far as the
Medicare annual enrollment period, it runs October fifteenth through December seventh,
And the importance around those dates is that's the time
of year where everyone on Medicare can pause and take
(01:26):
a moment to make sure they're on the right plan
for the upcoming year and determine what is important for
them in terms of their coverage, things like network of doctors, hospitals,
prescription drug coverage, and also share costs like premium and
deductibles and toe insurance for example.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
Now, I've noticed when I went through the process that
I got bombarded with a lot of different insurance companies
saying call us to talk about your Medicare benefits. These
were all sales pitches from different healthcare facilities, or not
healthcare facilities, but insurance facilities go through us with Medicare,
so does Medicare stand alone or is it always partnered
(02:05):
with an insurance company.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
You know, it's such a great question. Really you can
think about when you have Medicare that there's three options
in terms of what you can do with Medicare. One
is is that you can stay on traditional Medicare and
opt for what's known as a Medicare supplement, which covers
some of those things that are not covered by Medicare.
You can also look at what's known as a Medicare
advantage plan, and most of the Medicare advantage plans offer
(02:30):
medical coverage and pharmacy coverage in one plan, but they
also offer on many of those plans additional services things
like dental, vision, hearing, transportation, fitness programs, things that wouldn't
beyond traditional Medicare. And then the third option is a
standalone prescription drug plan, which traditionally is one that people
(02:51):
will opt for if they actually select a Medicare supplement
with their Medicare plan. All this might be confusing for some,
so what I would say is is that we're here
to help. There's two key resources that I would point
people to. One is that the Medicare program actually has
what's known as the Medicare plan Finder, which is an
(03:11):
online tool at medicare dot gov where people can go
in and actually look at what's available in their local
market and determine what might be a good fit for them,
and also reach us at healthspring dot com. We're here
to help in terms of navigating folks through some of
the things that you probably went through when you were
deciding what is the right plan for you. They have
(03:32):
folks on the phone that can help them on the
phone at eight seven seven three four nine two eight
nine seven as well.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
Okay, who should go on Medicare? Just because you turned
sixty five doesn't necessarily mean you should sign up. For instance,
I have a friend who's eligible for it but has said, look,
I'm still working full time and have a great program
through my work as far as insurance goes. I'm not
signed up for Metacare yet. Should you sign up? Anyone?
Speaker 2 (04:00):
Yeah? Such a great point. So everyone has a unique situation.
They might be currently working, they may be planning retirement
and planning to actually get their Medicare eligibility. Whatever the
case might be. I suggest that they plan in advance
and look at what the timing is. That's best suited
for them to actually enroll in the Medicare program. But
once you're on Medicare, the key is is to know
(04:21):
that annually there's the annual enrollment period, which we're in
from October fifteenth through December seventh, and that's the time
of year where you can make a change or stay
on the current plan that you'd like for the upcoming year,
but make sure that you're taking the time to consider
what is the best fit for this upcoming year.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
Can you go on Medicare and then find out later
that wait a minute, my wife's health insurance plan we've
been on is still there and it saves me money
to come off of Medicare. Can I come off of
it and then go back on a couple of years later?
Speaker 2 (04:52):
You know, that's a question I'd say is very specific
to an individual, and I would check with a couple
of things. One check with the Solid Security Office and Medicare.
Two would actually go to medicare dot gov or resources
that are available online. And three, in the instance that
you provided, check with the employer that's providing coverage to
ensure that the eligibility is what people are looking for.
(05:14):
But most important is when you do have Medicare and
you've opted for Medicare is to look at it each year,
and really that's where we're here to help, and you
can contact us set healthspring dot com or eight seven
seven three four nine two eight nine seven.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
All right, Gary, One last question Medicare. My premiums are
paid monthly through the Social Security That's another thing. I'm
still working, but I'm also collecting Social Security benefits because
you get to a certain age where you know the
money's there for you, it's yours. So my premiums are
deducted out of my Social Security benefits that I receive
(05:50):
every month. If you're not collecting Social Security, Uh, how
does medicare bill you do? Do they us set it
up through an auto draft and they take it out
or because they're tied together social Security.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
And medicare, right, Traditionally, what you described is what most
Medicare beneficiaries actually have, and that is that it's an
automatic abduction for what's known as the part the benefits
of Medicare out of a sold security check. But really,
you know, when once they have Medicare, though, it really
is looking at what is the right solutions for them.
So I would continue to kind of ask that they
(06:24):
go to medicare dot gov or contact UT so we
can help them navigate because part of what you're experiencing
is very individual in terms of what your needs are,
and same with those that are listening, like each person
has something that's very unique and different that we want
to help with.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Right, very good. So once again, the enrollment starts tomorrow
and goes through December seven.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
You said yes, so October fifteenth through December seventh, and
that's the time of year to make your elections for
the upcoming year, which go into effect on January first
of twenty twenty six.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
All Right, very good, Gary Kulp, thank you so much.
I sure to appreciate the inside and the information.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
Very good.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
Medicare sales Managing director their health Spring. Check them out
at healthspring dot com, or for more on medicare, go
to Medicare dot gov.
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