CEDAR Financial

10/12/2026

An Underwriter Explains: Why Your Life Insurance Premium Is What It Is

Picture two 40-year-olds buying an identical policy: $500,000 of 20-year term life insurance. One pays about $30 a month. The other pays $300.

10/05/2026

When In-Network Becomes Out-of-Network

You did your homework. You chose a hospital and surgeon who both accept your insurance, so the final bill should be predictable.

09/28/2026

Medicare Advantage Star Ratings Explained: What those Stars Really Mean for Your Care

Every year, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) reviews Medicare Advantage plans and assigns each one a rating between one and five stars, with half-star increments like 3.5 or 4.5 also possible. While we are used to star ratings on everything from the latest gadget on Amazon to our...

09/28/2026

The World's Costliest Cruise: When Medical Care at Sea Sends the Bill Sky High

Diane had been looking forward to her seven-day Caribbean cruise for months. On the third night, she woke with sharp abdominal pain that would not go away.

09/21/2026

Medicare GLP-1 Bridge: Certain Weight-Loss Medications for $50 a Month

If you have Medicare and have been considering a GLP-1 medication for weight management, a new Medicare program may help make these medications more affordable.

09/14/2026

How to Read Your Medicare Summary Notice — Teach enrollees how to spot billing errors and understand their EOB documents

The envelope from Medicare that shows up every few months might look like a bill, but it isn't. It's called a Medicare Summary Notice, and treating it like junk mail is one of the easiest ways to miss a costly error.

09/13/2026

Coming to a Retirement Seminar near you 🙂

09/07/2026

What is Infinite Banking, Really?

You've probably seen the commercials. A confident spokesperson explains how the wealthy use a little known strategy called infinite banking to grow money tax free, borrow from themselves, and never pay bank interest again.

08/31/2026

Why Does My Prescription Cost So Much? Decoding Drug Tiers and Coverage Rules

Opening a pharmacy receipt and seeing a number far higher than expected is one of the most common frustrations in health care today. Nearly 68% of Americans take at least one prescription medication daily, and rising drug costs mean many are paying more than they realize simply because they do not u...

08/24/2026

Medigap vs. Medicare Advantage: Which Path Is Right for You?

Approaching Medicare eligibility brings an important decision that surprises many people. Original Medicare alone does not cover everything. So, once you enroll, you will likely need to choose between two very different paths for filling the gaps: Medigap or Medicare Advantage.