Gagan Insurance

05/03/2026

GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound are reshaping treatment for obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, but high costs, Medicare limits, and strict prior authorization rules are complicating access. Learn how pricing caps, insurance policies, and federal programs may impact availability and affordability.

Read more at: https://www.gaganinsurance.com/blog/patients-face-new-barriers-for-glp-1-drugs-like-wegovy-mounjaro-and-ozempic

04/04/2026

Premiums change, but your peace of mind shouldn’t. Let’s review your Medicare Supplement options together.

Learn more: https://www.gaganinsurance.com/blog/medicare-supplement-premium-increase-reasons

03/16/2026

GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound are widely discussed for diabetes and weight management. But many Medicare beneficiaries wonder whether these medications are covered. The answer largely depends on why the medication is prescribed and on the details of your Medicare Part D plan.

Learn more: https://www.gaganinsurance.com/blog/medicare-glp-1-medications-what-you-should-know

02/15/2026

𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝗘𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝘀 𝗪𝗲 𝗔𝗴𝗲

Making smart food choices is an important part of healthy aging. Understanding the different food groups and how much of each should make up your diet can help you form a healthy eating pattern over time. We look at the main food groups and other important nutrients recommended for older adults. It is important to get the recommended amount of each food group without exceeding your daily calorie limit. Keep in mind that the amount you should eat to maintain your weight depends on your age, s*x, and level of physical activity.

MAIN FOOD GROUPS

Vegetables: Vegetables come in a wide variety of colors, flavors, and textures. They contain vitamins and minerals, carbohydrates, and are an important source of fiber.

Fruits: Fruits bring color, flavor, and important nutrients to your diet. There are so many choices: citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruits; different kinds of berries; fruits that grow on trees, such as apricots, cherries, peaches, and mangoes; and others like figs, grapes, and pineapples.

Grains: Any food made from wheat, rye, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley, or other cereal grain is a grain product. This includes bread and pasta, breakfast cereal, grits, tortillas, and even popcorn. Grains — along with fruits, vegetables, and dairy — contain carbohydrates, the body’s main source of energy.

Protein foods: Proteins are often called the body’s building blocks. They are used to build and repair tissues and help your body fight infection. Your body uses extra protein for energy. Older adults should try to eat a variety of nutrient-dense proteins. Choose lean (low-fat) meats and poultry. Keep in mind that you can also get protein from seafood, eggs, beans, nuts, seeds, and soy products.

Dairy: Consuming dairy helps older adults maintain strong bones and provides several vital nutrients, including calcium, potassium, and vitamin D.

01/01/2026

12/14/2025

𝗧𝗵𝗲 “𝗖𝗼𝘀𝘁” 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴

As families gather for the holidays, there’s a conversation many are avoiding—but shouldn’t. The numbers around caring for aging parents have shifted dramatically, and the financial implications are impossible to ignore.

Quick Facts That Might Surprise You

• 1 in 4 Americans is now a caregiver (63 million people — up 45% in just 10 years)

• Round-the-clock home care now costs nearly $290,000 per year

• 23% of caregivers go into debt; 13% raid their retirement accounts

• 88% of family caregivers say they don’t receive enough support

• The average caregiver spends 27 hours per week — nearly a full-time job

If you or someone you know has family members over age 75, these statistics may already feel familiar. Caregiving today isn’t what it used to be. It’s longer (30% provide care for 5+ years), more intensive (55% perform medical tasks like injections), and far more expensive. The cost of a home health aide has risen from $20 to $33 per hour since 2015. Meanwhile, Medicare only covers skilled nursing care for up to 100 days, and only 10% of adults over 65 have long-term care insurance. As one caregiving expert put it: “The new inheritance isn’t money you leave to your kids—it’s having enough to cover long-term care.”

The “Sandwich Generation” Crisis

Nearly half of caregivers under 50 are supporting aging parents and raising children. The strain is real:

• One-third have stopped saving

• 24% have exhausted emergency funds

• 13% have tapped their retirement accounts

And in many families, the burden falls on whoever lives closest—often creating resentment, sibling conflict, and emotional burnout.

What Smart Families Are Doing

• Having the uncomfortable conversations now (wishes, finances, responsibilities)

• Getting legal documents in order (wills, power of attorney, healthcare directives)

• Running the numbers on potential care costs using calculators

• Building support networks before they’re needed

• Understanding what insurance does and does not cover

It is very important to understand that neither Original Medicare nor your Supplemental or Advantage insurance plans will cover any Long-Term Care, which is primarily “custodial care,” such as bathing, feeding, dressing, ambulating from a bed to a chair, etc. For information on potential caregiving assistance, you may want to call your local county Department of Health and Human Services to see if they can offer assistance or direct you to community resources.

11/27/2025

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

11/10/2025

𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲

Medicare is an ever evolving entity, and next year is no exception. Here are two things to be aware of in 2026.

1. Medicare-negotiated lower drug prices start

Ten prescription drugs with high costs for Medicare will be available at lower prices in 2026. The first round of these Medicare-negotiated prices will help make medications more accessible and affordable. The lower prices for these 10 medications — which include arthritis, blood clot, cancer and diabetes drugs — are expected to improve quality of life for millions of beneficiaries.

The negotiated prices, which become effective Jan. 1, must be made available to eligible Medicare beneficiaries, and the 10 drugs must be included among the covered drugs for all Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans and stand-alone Part D drug plans that beneficiaries in original Medicare can buy. The savings are expected to lower recipients’ out-of-pocket spending by an estimated $1.5 billion in 2026, and the savings will continue every year.

2. Original Medicare begins prior authorization test

In a six-year experiment that begins Jan. 1, 2026 millions of original Medicare beneficiaries in six states could be required to get advance approval, called prior authorization, before certain medical services, procedures or devices are covered. If successful, the pilot project could lead to wider use of prior authorization in original Medicare, possibly using artificial intelligence (AI). The practice is already widely used in Medicare Advantage, with some plans using AI and algorithmic software to help make coverage decisions. The experiment runs through December 2031 and could involve up to 6.4 million original Medicare beneficiaries in parts of Arizona, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas and Washington. We do not have more information on those services that may require the prior authorization, but just be aware that if you live in one of these states and you have original Medicare and a Medicare Supplement plan, you may be impacted by this test run.

Here is the list of price negotiated drugs for 2026 (see photo):

10/11/2025

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘀

The Annual Enrollment Period is upon us—October 15 through December 7. Let’s take a look at what is changing and what is staying the same for 2026.

The Medicare Part B premium, which was $185 per month (base amount) in 2025, is anticipated to rise to $206.50 in 2026. For those with Original Medicare and a Medigap (or Medicare Supplement) plan, the Part B deductible—$257 in 2025—is expected to increase to approximately $288 annually in 2026.

Prescription Drug Plans will also see increases in premiums, deductibles, and copays this year. The highest allowable deductible for stand-alone prescription drug plans will be $615 in 2026, up from $590 in 2025. The “cap” or maximum out-of-pocket cost for prescription drugs will be $2,100 in 2026 (up from $2,000 in 2025). This means that once your deductible and monthly prescription drug copays together reach $2,100 out of your pocket (not including the monthly premium), you will pay $0 for prescription drugs for the rest of the calendar year. Many drug plan premiums have increased significantly in 2026. 𝙏𝙤 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙙𝙞𝙛𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙩, 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙣𝙤 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙧𝙤𝙠𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥 𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙣-𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 (𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙘𝙝 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙨 𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙣𝙤 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙗𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝘼𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙍𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙙). 𝙒𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙨𝙩-𝙨𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙣𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙜𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙙𝙧𝙪𝙜 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙨 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙤𝙬𝙣.

Another major change will be the loss of some Advantage PPO plan options. Carriers experimented with PPO plans but now appear to view them as too expensive to manage. Many carriers have either made their PPO plans non-commissionable—meaning I can no longer assist you in enrolling while remaining your broker—or have terminated them altogether.

The key point to remember: If you currently have a Medicare Advantage PPO plan, watch your mail for a Termination Letter. If you receive one, keep it. That letter may allow us to enroll you in a Medicare Supplement plan with Guaranteed Issue, meaning you could enroll without answering underwriting questions about pre-existing conditions. With very few PPO plans remaining in some areas, if you want to continue seeing doctors who do not accept an Advantage HMO plan, a Medicare Supplement plan may be your only alternative.

09/11/2025

Today, we remember the lives lost, the heroes who rose, and the resilience that carried us forward.