Cohen Insurance Agency

10/05/2026

After years of doing this, I can tell you the #1 mistake people make in their first year of Medicare: picking a plan based on the premium alone.

A low premium looks great on paper. But it doesn't tell you:

What your deductible is
What your copays look like if you actually get sick
Whether your doctors and hospitals are in-network
Whether your medications are covered — and at what cost

I've had clients come to me after their first year, frustrated that their "cheap" plan cost them thousands out of pocket the one time they actually needed care.

The plan with the lowest monthly premium isn't automatically the best deal. It's the total picture — premium, deductible, copays, network, drug coverage — that determines whether a plan actually works for you.

Take the extra 20 minutes during enrollment to look at the whole picture, not just the sticker price.

09/28/2026

Most people have heard of Medicare Advantage and Medigap. Fewer have heard of Medicare SELECT — but it's worth knowing about.

Medicare SELECT is a type of Medigap plan with a twist:

It covers the same benefits as a standard Medigap plan
But it requires you to use a specific network of hospitals for non-emergency care
In exchange, the premium is usually lower than a standard Medigap plan

So it's a hybrid — Medigap-level benefits, with a network restriction like an HMO.

It's not available everywhere, and not every insurance company offers it. But if it's an option in your area and you're comfortable using a defined hospital network, it can be a way to get Medigap coverage at a lower monthly cost.

Not right for everyone. But worth knowing it exists before you assume Medigap only comes in one form.

09/22/2026

If you split your time between Florida and up north, your Medicare coverage doesn't automatically follow you — it depends on what type of plan you have.

Here's the breakdown:

Original Medicare (Parts A & B) — works anywhere in the U.S., no restrictions
Medicare Supplement (Medigap) — works anywhere in the U.S. that accepts Medicare
Medicare Advantage — usually has a network tied to one state or region

That last one trips people up. If you're a snowbird with a Medicare Advantage plan built around a Florida network, you may have very limited coverage — or none at all — while you're up north for the summer.

Some Advantage plans do offer "snowbird" or travel benefits. But you have to check the specific plan, not assume.

If you're splitting time between two states, this is exactly the kind of thing to review before you pick a plan, not after you're stuck with one.

09/14/2026

Your Medicare Part D plan doesn't cover every drug the same way. That list of covered medications? It's called a formulary. And if you don't check it every year, you could end up paying full price for something that used to be cheap.

Here's what a formulary actually does:

Groups your drugs into "tiers" — lower tiers cost less
Can require prior authorization before a drug is covered
Can require you to try a cheaper drug first (step therapy)
Changes every single year, even if your plan name stays the same

I've seen clients go from a $10 copay to a $200 copay overnight because their drug moved tiers and nobody told them. Formularies change on January 1st. Your plan is required to notify you, but the notice gets buried in a stack of mail nobody reads.

If you're on maintenance medications, check your formulary every fall during Open Enrollment. Don't assume this year looks like last year.

Call now to connect with business.

09/07/2026

Medicare and Social Security — How They Connect

Medicare and Social Security are run by different agencies, but they're more connected than most people realize.

Enrollment: If you're already collecting Social Security when you turn 65, you're automatically enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B. If you haven't filed for Social Security yet, you need to sign up for Medicare yourself.
Premiums: Once you're on both, your Medicare Part B premium is typically deducted directly from your Social Security check.
Income-related adjustments (IRMAA): Your Social Security income, combined with other income, factors into whether you pay a higher Part B and Part D premium.
Timing decisions affect each other: Delaying Social Security doesn't delay Medicare — you still need to enroll in Medicare at 65 to avoid late penalties, even if you haven't started Social Security benefits yet.

This is one of the most common points of confusion I see — people assume the two programs move together automatically, and sometimes they don't.

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.