Laura Johnson Insurance

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

11/23/2025

Our office will be closed Wednesday through Friday this week as we prepare to enjoy this Thanksgiving holiday with family. We are thankful for your support!

11/15/2025

This company is one of the best. Instant underwriting on Medicare supplement plans! You have an answer before you leave our office. We can enroll you with a remote text or email signature. We love Wellabe!

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1Qj9cfZi41/?mibextid=wwXIfr

11/15/2025

I’ve followed this smart and articulate guy on YouTube for a few years now because of his ability to explain complex Medicare issues and because his integrity is apparent. This video explains why agents may be forced to stop assisting clients with some Medicare products when there is no compensation for their services.

We are facing this dilemma right now when assisting clients with stand-alone Part D prescription drug plans. Many (most) companies do not compensate us anymore for offering this service, yet we incur liability and invest a lot of time and resources when we do help.

At this point, we assist with Part D plans, but these days might be numbered. We encourage you to create a Medicare.gov account to help us continue to be able to help you.

FYI, The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 is directly to blame for most of this shake up in the Medicare market. It’s very frustrating 😣😞

Three important things are happening in the Medicare space that affect those either on Medicare or hoping to go on Medicare soon. 1. Advantage plan exits in ...

11/06/2025

Good morning! We’ve had a busy Medicare Annual Election Period, and we appreciate all of you who have trusted us with your business.

I’m here to open your eyes to a reality we are seeing in the market this year. Several of my clients have come to me having been sold a plan that is unsuitable for their needs. These “chronic condition” plans offer a grocery allowance and other perks, but the medical benefit such as the hospital copay and the out-of-pocket maximum is worse than what they had in many cases (not all).

One dramatic example is a client of mine who was talked out of a golden Medicare supplement we fought to get for her only to be enrolled in a plan that gutted her medical benefits….all for a meager grocery allowance. She said they could afford their groceries, but not a hospital stay. Before the change, her hospital stays were covered 100%. The new plan she was talked in to would have cost her $350/day in the hospital. She was in great distress when she learned of the deception. She did not realize how profound the loss of benefits was. Fortunately, we were able to fix things for her, but sometimes we can’t.

For some agents selling you a product is the goal…their top priority. Your needs are secondary to that. That’s not us.

You come first. We find the product that fits you and saves you the most money while still giving you the benefits you need.

Please don’t fall for the “perks” of a plan without considering the cost of losing ground on the medical benefits. Your agent should explain everything fully. If in doubt, call us before jumping ship.

Most agents I know personally are ethical and intelligent agents. Those who blow through a county with their bag of goods might not be. Please be careful. We are local. You know where we are if you have an issue. We will not sell you a product then abandon you to the machinery of the insurance industry.

Make an appointment online at our website. 🙂

We Work For YouWhether you are new to Medicare, retiring, or just wanting to explore your Medicare options, we can help. LJI offers a wide variety of Medicare products including Medicare supplements, Medicare Advantage Plans, and Part D prescription drug plans. We go the extra mile to help you navig...

11/04/2025

If you have a Medicare supplement, you are seeing rates going up at higher rates than normal. If you are in good health, we can shop for you! One of our companies gives us instant underwriting, so you can leave our office with a new, less expensive policy. Same coverage, less premium.

The worst thing that can happen is that you keep what you have.

Call for an appointment or go to our website to schedule yourself ljohnsonmedicare.com

Jake Johnson - 423-519-8194
Johnna Easter - 865-386-4261
Laura Johnson - 423-253-4371

We Work For YouWhether you are new to Medicare, retiring, or just wanting to explore your Medicare options, we can help. LJI offers a wide variety of Medicare products including Medicare supplements, Medicare Advantage Plans, and Part D prescription drug plans. We go the extra mile to help you navig...