Cohen Insurance Agency

Cohen Insurance Agency Independent Medicare broker serving Broward & Miami-Dade County, FL. I help people turning 65 navigate Medicare — comparing plans from 20+ carriers at no cost.

Medicare Advantage, Medigap, Part D & Special Enrollment. Call or text (305) 975-8523.

08/31/2026

Open Enrollment vs. Annual Enrollment — What's the Difference?

"Open Enrollment" and "Annual Enrollment" get used interchangeably, but they're not the same thing. Here's the difference:

Annual Enrollment Period (AEP): Oct 15 – Dec 7 Available to everyone with Medicare. You can switch between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage, change Advantage plans, or change Part D drug plans. Changes take effect Jan 1.

Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (MA OEP): Jan 1 – Mar 31 Only for people already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan. You can switch to a different Advantage plan or drop Advantage and return to Original Medicare (plus add a Part D plan). You get one change during this window.

The mix-up causes real problems — people think they still have options in February that were actually only available during AEP in the fall, or they miss the MA OEP window because they assume it's the same as AEP.

Knowing which window you're in determines what changes are actually available to you.

08/24/2026

What Is Prior Authorization and When Does It Apply?

Prior authorization — you'll hear this term a lot with Medicare Advantage plans, so here's what it actually means.

Prior authorization is when your plan requires approval before it will cover certain services, procedures, or medications. Your doctor has to submit documentation showing the care is medically necessary before the plan agrees to pay.

It commonly applies to:

Inpatient hospital stays and skilled nursing facility admissions
Certain imaging (MRIs, CT scans)
Specialty medications
Some outpatient surgeries and durable medical equipment

Original Medicare rarely requires prior authorization. Medicare Advantage plans use it more often, since they manage costs by reviewing care before it happens.

Why it matters: if prior authorization isn't obtained and the plan later determines it was required, you could be responsible for the bill. Delays in approval can also delay your care.

This is one of the real tradeoffs between Original Medicare and Advantage plans — worth understanding before you enroll, not after you need the service.

08/17/2026

Can You Go Back to Original Medicare After Choosing Advantage?

Yes, you can switch back to Original Medicare — but timing matters.

If you're in a Medicare Advantage plan and want to return to Original Medicare, you have a few windows to do it:

Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (Jan 1 – Mar 31): If you're already in an Advantage plan, you can switch back to Original Medicare once during this window. You can also add a standalone Part D drug plan at the same time.
Annual Enrollment Period (Oct 15 – Dec 7): You can drop Advantage and return to Original Medicare, effective Jan 1.
Special Enrollment Periods: Certain life events (moving, losing coverage, etc.) can open a switch window outside the usual times.

Here's the part people miss: switching back to Original Medicare doesn't guarantee you can pick up a Medigap policy without medical underwriting. Outside your initial Medigap enrollment window, insurers can ask health questions and deny coverage or charge more based on your health history.

If you're thinking about switching, the plan itself is only half the decision — the ability to get supplemental coverage afterward is the other half.

08/10/2026

Thinking about a Medicare Advantage plan? The network is one of the most important — and most overlooked — details.
Unlike Original Medicare, which lets you see almost any provider nationwide, Advantage plans typically require you to use doctors and hospitals within their network (HMO) or offer reduced coverage outside it (PPO).
Why this matters:

Your current doctors may not be in-network for a new plan
HMOs generally require referrals to see specialists
PPOs offer more flexibility but often at a higher cost outside the network
Networks can change year to year — a doctor in-network today may not be next year

Before enrolling in any Advantage plan, confirm your doctors and preferred hospital are actually in the network. It's one of the easiest ways to avoid an unpleasant surprise later.
Uri Cohen

08/03/2026

Plan G or Plan N — which Medigap plan actually fits you better? It depends on your priorities.
Plan G covers nearly everything Original Medicare doesn't, except the Part B deductible. You pay that deductible once a year, then you're largely done with out-of-pocket costs.
Plan N has a lower monthly premium but comes with small copays — up to $20 for doctor visits and up to $50 for ER visits that don't result in admission. You also may be responsible for "excess charges" if a provider doesn't accept Medicare assignment.
Quick way to think about it:

Want the fewest surprises and don't mind a higher premium? Plan G
Want a lower monthly cost and don't mind small, predictable copays? Plan N

There's no universal "better" — it comes down to how you use care and what tradeoff you'd rather make.

07/27/2026

Ever heard of IRMAA? If your income is above a certain threshold, it could be adding hundreds of dollars a month to your Medicare premiums — and most people don't find out until the bill arrives.
IRMAA stands for Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount. It's a surcharge added to Medicare Part B and Part D premiums for higher-income enrollees, based on your tax return from two years prior.
A few things to know:

It's based on your Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI)
It applies in tiers — the higher your income, the higher the surcharge
A one-time event (like a home sale or retirement account withdrawal) can trigger it, even if your income is usually lower
You can appeal if you've had a "life-changing event" like retirement or divorce

If your income has shifted recently, it's worth checking whether IRMAA applies to you.

07/20/2026

Turning 65 but still covered under your spouse's employer plan? You may not need to enroll in Medicare right away — but you still need to make a decision.
If the employer has 20+ employees, that group plan is usually primary, and you can delay Medicare Part B without a late penalty as long as you have "creditable coverage." If the employer has fewer than 20 employees, Medicare typically becomes primary at 65, and delaying could leave big gaps.
Before you assume you're covered, confirm:

Employer size (20+ vs. under 20 changes everything)
Whether the plan counts as creditable coverage
Your Special Enrollment Period timeline once that coverage ends

Get this wrong and you could face a permanent Part B penalty. Get it right and you avoid paying for coverage you don't need yet.

07/16/2026

Ever get a Medicare Summary Notice in the mail and toss it aside? Don't.
Your MSN is a claims report — a rundown of the services and supplies billed to Medicare on your behalf over the past three months. It shows what was billed, what Medicare paid, and what you may owe.
Why it matters:

Catches billing errors before they cost you
Flags potential fraud on your account
Helps you track your out-of-pocket spending
Confirms services you actually received

If something looks off — a service you never got, a date that doesn't match, a provider you don't recognize — that's your cue to call and ask questions.
It's not just paperwork. It's your paper trail.

07/06/2026

How to Check if Your Doctor Accepts Medicare

Not all doctors accept Medicare. Some opt out entirely. Others accept assignment; some don't. Knowing the difference protects your wallet.
Start with Medicare.gov's Physician Compare tool. Search by name or specialty. It shows participation status clearly.
Call the doctor's office directly. Ask two questions: "Do you accept Medicare assignment?" and "Are you accepting new Medicare patients?" Front desk staff answer this daily.
If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, check your plan's provider directory too. Original Medicare acceptance doesn't guarantee your MA plan's network includes that doctor.
Understand the three participation levels:
Participating providers accept Medicare's approved amount as full payment.
Non-participating providers can charge up to 15% more than the Medicare-approved amount (the "limiting charge").
Opt-out providers don't bill Medicare at all. You pay full price out of pocket, no reimbursement.
Ask for this in writing if you're unsure. A quick phone call today saves a surprise bill later.

07/01/2026

Why using a broker costs you nothing

A lot of people avoid brokers because they assume there's a fee. There isn't.
Medicare brokers get paid by the insurance carrier, not by you. The premium you pay is the same whether you buy direct or go through a broker.
Here's what you actually get for free:

Someone who compares plans across multiple carriers, not just one
Help checking if your doctors and prescriptions are covered before you enroll
A person to call when a claim gets denied or a card doesn't show up
Year-round support, not just during enrollment season

Going direct to one carrier means you only hear about their plans. A broker can show you what else is out there.
Same price. More options. Someone in your corner.

Address

Lauderhill, FL

Telephone

+19543244604

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