10/10/2025
The scariest season of the year approaches and soon the monsters will be on the loose. I'm talking about the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period!
1. đź§ź The Zombie aka "One & Done": He chose a good health plan years ago but he never reviews his coverage again. Trick: Health plans often get less competitive over time and your personal health needs may change. Read your Annual Notice of Change and review your coverage. Don't rot away in the wrong health plan.
2. đź•· The Spider aka "The Internet": Shopping online for a health plan may trap you with awful coverage. Trick: Enrollment websites offer great information but may bedazzle novice shoppers into taking excessive risks. A sky-high maximum out of pocket easily hides as the first choice on a list organized by premium, drug costs and star ratings.
3. đź‘» The Ghost aka "Telemarketers": After you sign up, they disappear and never want to hear from you again. Trick: A telemarketer with a national audience must stick to a few national carriers and knows little about your local market. Service hurts their bottom line so it will be minimal. If you get an unsolicited call from beyond, hang up immediately!
4. ⛓️ Frankenstein aka "The Captive": When you call his company directly, he only offers his master’s plans. Trick: Captive agents are limited to solutions from only one insurance carrier. They piece together what they have and hope you come to love it. Don't become the square peg forced into the round hole.
5. 🧛 The Vampire aka "It's the Best!": That “Cadillac” plan just sucks you dry when you can least afford it. Trick: There are some factions that aggressively promote only one way of setting up health coverage with zero regard for affordability. That fear will keep you broke.
6. 🙋♀️ Your Local Independent Agent aka "The Treat": Review coverage with ME your friendly local independent agent and you won’t be haunted by a bad decision. Treat: Having a local independent agent is completely free!