Laura Johnson Insurance

08/06/2026

https://www.kff.org/quick-insights/cmss-decision-to-end-temporary-subsidies-to-medicares-stand-alone-drug-plans-could-mean-larger-premium-increases-for-some-beneficiaries-next-year/

Without these extra subsidies in place for 2027, some Part D stand-alone drug plan (PDP) enrollees could see a larger premium increase for drug coverage next year than they’ve faced in recent years, though plan-specific premium amounts are not yet known. While some policymakers questioned the rati...

08/05/2026

Friends, I'm here to bring you the truth about the Medicare Part D prescription drug program.

You may have heard a news blurb, or maybe you saw an alarming headline recently that said that the Part D program was ending or that premiums were going to increase dramatically in 2027. You may have also heard the political blame game going on. So, here I am to set the record straight.

If you recall, back in 2024/2025 I ranted about the upheaval caused by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that was designed to overhaul the confusing and confounding Part D program. Lo and behold, all of the upheaval I predicted came to pass. The IRA was passed during the previous administration.

Essentially, the new rules pushed more of the financial burden of the program onto the backs of the insurance companies participating in the program. As a result, some companies raised rates, dropped drugs off their formularies, restructured coverage so that some drugs were pushed into higher tiers, and copays for some drugs were replaced with coinsurance, a percentage of retail rather than a flat dollar amount (more cost to you). Most companies consolidated their plan offerings giving Medicare Part D members fewer choices, and some companies pulled the plug on their Part D programs entirely.

To add insult to injury, companies stopped compensating brokers for selling most Part D plans. Some brokers stopped assisting clients altogether with stand-alone Part D plans because of the time commitment required and the liability risk incurred with no compensation to show for it.

When the Biden administration got word of how high premium rates were going to be driven up by the regulatory changes brought about by the IRA, they decided to subsidize the insurance companies to the tune of $9.8 billion in direct payments so that rates were kept "artificially" low. In theory, this gave the insurance companies still participating in the program two years to figure out a pricing strategy without the aid of subsidy set to expire in two years. (Essentially, the can was kicked down the road).

The Trump administration is allowing the subsidizes to expire as the law was originally written. In the meantime, the cost of many high-utilization, high-cost drugs was negotiated down significantly. The current thinking is that while the cost of Part D plans will almost certainly rise, the amount of the increase should be in the $10/month range on average. No one knows for sure yet.

Keep this in mind the next time you hear or read a news report about this topic: The Inflation Reduction Act was passed during a presidential election year, and now the expiration of subsidy is happening during mid-terms. Funny how that works. It's a diabolical game.

Peace and love.

05/19/2026

Starting in July, Medicare will be rolling out a demonstration program called the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge that will cover THREE GLP-1 drugs indicated for weight loss. In the past, these drugs were covered only for those diagnosed with diabetes. The copay for these medications will be $50. This is NOT attached to your Part D coverage, and anything you pay does not count towards your out-of-pocket, etc.

The three drugs covered under this program are: Zepbound, Wegovy, and Foundayo. I attached a link that will explain the program to you if you think you're a candidate. This is not something we do as agents. Rather, speak with your provider and/or pharmacist about getting these drugs covered if you are eligible.

The link is a good read. Take a look!

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the Better Approaches to Lifestyle and Nutrition for Comprehensive hEalth (BALANCE) Model and a separate short-term demonstration (now called the “Medicare GLP-1 Bridge”)

12/07/2025

Happy New Year! The standard Medicare Part B premium is going up from $185.00 to $202.90 per month for 2026.

Some people with high incomes will pay more than this amount. Low income individuals who qualify for assistance will pay less, sometimes nothing. People who enrolled in Part B late (who weren’t otherwise covered by insurance at work) pay more because of added penalty.

Anyhooo…this gentle notice will be in your mailbox soon. Take note.

12/06/2025

Hello, friends! Today we completed our last appointment for this year’s Medicare Annual Election Period (AEP). Tomorrow is the absolute deadline for making changes if you have a Medicare supplement and a separate Part D plan. We will not be accepting requests for reviewing Part D plans tomorrow. If you need assistance with that, please call 1-800-MEDICARE or go online to Medicare.gov to shop for a new plan.

If you have an Advantage plan on January 1, 2026, you will get an additional three months to adjust your coverage, so bear that in mind

We will spend tomorrow making sure everyone is properly enrolled, then we will put files away for another year.

It’s been an intense AEP! Jake Johnson was an absolute superstar. He stepped up in a big way, and he will carry our agency into the future spectacularly. I have absolute confidence in his abilities, and I know he will do a good job for anyone who asks for help with Medicare.

Thank you to everyone who has placed your faith and trust in us. We appreciate your business and will work hard to retain it.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season! 🎄

Peace and love. ❤️

The official U.S. government website for Medicare, a health insurance program for people age 65 or older and younger people with disabilities.

12/03/2025

We’re down to single digits in this year’s Medicare Annual Election Period, and if you haven’t assessed your coverage for next year, the time to act is now. Let me break it down:

If you have a Medicare supplement and a stand-alone Part D prescription drug plan, you have until December 7 to change your prescription plan. Period. After the 7th, you will be locked into the Part D plan you have now in whatever form, at whatever cost, it will be for 2026. If you’re in good health, you can change your Medicare supplement at ANY time, but there will be nothing you can do to change your drug plan after December 7.

If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, you have until December 7 to switch Advantage plans that will be effective on January 1 . You will have a second opportunity to change plans between January 1 and March 31, 2026. This time period is called the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (OEP). I like to call it the “Buyer’s Remorse Period.” During this period you can switch Advantage Plans, for sure. You can also return to Original Medicare and a Part D plan, for sure. You can add a Medicare supplement during this time only IF you’re in good health or otherwise qualify for a Medicare supplement based on guaranteed-issue eligibility, like recently turning 65.

The message here is this: Agents know what to do and when to do it, but with five days left, we can only so so much. If you need to evaluate your stand-alone Part D drug coverage, here’s what you can do yourself. Establish your account on Medicare.gov. Compile a complete and accurate drug list. Log in and use the site to shop and compare plans. You can enroll at this site, too. BUT, if you don’t understand what you’re doing, STOP and call us. Enrolling in the wrong plan can be worse than doing nothing.

I will be at the Cora Veal Senior Center Friday afternoon from 2:00-4:30. If you need Part D help or if you need help using the Medicare website, please stop by.

The official U.S. government website for Medicare, a health insurance program for people age 65 or older and younger people with disabilities.

11/24/2025

Friends, if you haven’t done so already, this year, more than ever, it’s important for you to familiarize yourself with the Medicare.gov website for the purpose of checking your stand-alone Part D plan.

You may or may not know that many companies have stopped compensating agents AND they have suppressed us from using company enrollment platforms for the most popular Part D plans on the market. So, some agents are no longer willing to perform this service for you, especially if you have no other business with the agency.

Agents incur liability when giving you any advice. We are also spending a lot of time and resources on this non-compensated service. So, we face a dilemma.

I know how challenging exploring drug plans can be, and I know many seniors are unable to do this on their own. For this reason, for now, we are still servicing stand-alone Part D plans. We are prohibited from charging consulting fees, so this is a free service to you.

Please know that exploring medical options such as Medicare supplements and Advantage plans is MUCH more complex, and I am not advocating for you to go this alone. You need the insight and experience of an agent in such situations. Yes, we do get paid for those selling those products, but our services are always free to you.

An alternative to using the Medicare website is calling 1-800-Medicare for assistance with your stand-alone drug plan. I called them for a client on Friday to request a new card, and I was pleasantly surprised by the service and short wait time. But, as we get closer to the December 7 deadline, this could change.
I will help you understand using the site, and will post a short tutorial, hopefully today.

But, please, please regardless of HOW you check, it is essential THAT you check your coverage.

The Medicare market is volatile right now. Don’t get stuck paying more than you need to.

Check out our website for information on making an appointment with one of our agents.

Ljohnsonmedicare.com