Senior Health Plans Of The Ozarks - Scott Puryear

10/15/2026

The Annual Open Enrollment Period (AEP) for Medicare is officially here!
Your current plan may have changed significantly for 2027 with higher max out of pocket amounts, co-pays for hospitalization, MRIs/CT Scans, outpatient surgery, maybe a higher medical deductible, a rise in drug plan premiums, etc.
Here are two options: Shop for a different plan for '27 ... or consider spending a few dollars per month and add a Hospital Indemnity/Cancer plan to your coverage to reduce the risk of a big financial blow in the event of an accident or serious illness.
I can help with both.
Give me a call at (417) 576-7779 and let's get you on the appointments calendar before Dec. 7!

10/08/2026

Unfortunately, that time is here ... when everyone from Aunt Sally to Uncle Jim to your PT assistant or healthcare worker is giving unsolicited advice on Medicare plans.
"This plan is bad."
"That plan is the only way to go."
"You're better off doing this ... it's what I'm doing."
Don't put your own financial future ior your health coverage at risk by listening or reading others spew opinions about other plans and options.
Need to shop around for a new plan during this Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) from October 15-December 7?
Then find a licensed, local agent who can sit down with you (at no cost), go over those options and then assist you in determining what's best for you.
That's what we are trained to do. It's why we study the new plans available each Fall from the carriers.
Because every person's situation - lifestyle, financial, health - is different.
There is no "one plan fits all."
Call me at (417) 576-7779 if you want to visit about your options for 2027 and we'll get you on the calendar in the coming weeks during AEP!

Retirement comes with so many choices and decisions regarding your Medicare coverage for the rest of

10/02/2026

Details on the 2027 Medicare Advantage plans are now out ... and as licensed, local agents, we can now share these with you.
Did your max out of pocket (MOOP) number jump on your current plan for next year? Your dental allowance get reduced or eliminated? Your co-pays for care like MRIs, out-patient surgery, an in-patient hospital stay, etc., go up?
Benefits change on these plans annually ... it's important to stay on top of yours before a surprise cost hits you.
Call me at 417-576-7779 to set up your free consultation of your current plan and some 2027 options that may be better for your lifestyle, health condition and financial situation!

09/30/2026

It's here! Tomorrow (October 1) is the first day we can start talking in detail about 2027 Medicare Advantage plan benefits from our carriers ahead of the official Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) from October 15-December 7!

There are changes aplenty in the plan offerings. If your plan underwent some major changes (read those ANOCs or "Annual Notice Of Change" you should have received from your carrier by now) and you need to look at some new options, give me a call at (417) 576-7779.

There's never a fee for our consultations ... we're here to help you understand your coverage better and decipher any changes, good or bad, with your existing plan. Sometimes all it takes is making an effort to see what's out there ... you might be able to save some money in 2027 with some of these new options.

Our calendar is filling up for October and November ... book your no-cost appointment today!

09/23/2026

Want to avoid surprises in 2027 when you go to the doctor or hospital to utilize your Medicare health insurance coverage?
Then let's schedule your no-cost appointment during the Annual Enrollment Period for Medicare (October 15-December 7).
We'll go over your current plan, see how it has changed for '27 in regards to benefits and co-pays, and we can also take a look at some options to see if there's a better fit for you and your current health and financial situation.
There are again many changes to the existing plans ... and in this current climate of rising health-care costs and shrinking benefits, understand that you do have options during AEP!
Call me at (417) 576-7779 and let's get you on my calendar.
And if you are retiring soon and/or want to leave behind your work health insurance, or you are turning 65 soon and just need help with the Medicare sign-up process ... we do that, too!

Retirement comes with so many choices and decisions regarding your Medicare coverage for the rest of

09/08/2026

The 2027 Medicare plan details are now rolling out, and as usual, there are changes to most current plans that will affect its members in some way.
And for some, probably not in the way they want.
That's the beauty of the Annual Enrollment Period (October 15-December 7) - it's your opportunity to find something that is a better fit for your health, financial and personal lifestyle situation.
And trust me, there actually are some new, great options out there this AEP, in a world where most everything we deal with now seems to consist of raising, cutting or eliminating.
Haven't worked with a licensed local agent before, or maybe haven't heard from yours in a while?
Give me a call at (417) 576-7779 and let's get you on the calendar in October for a no-cost consultation. Let's look at your current plan compared to the 2027 options.
And let's see if we can better your situation!

08/27/2026

It's that season, unfortunately.
Call it the season of confusion.
Or misinformation.
With the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) coming up (Oct. 15-December 7), the number of social media posts increase with advice from those who "work in healthcare" to "run away from Medicare Advantage ... go back to Original Medicare ..." etc.).
Just like the number of phone calls you'll be receiving from Call Centers trying to get you to switch plans, our best advice is to ignore them.
Mainly because no two people's Medicare situation is the same, from a financial, health and lifestyle point of view.
If you have Medicare questions, find a licensed, local agent who is trained to answer those questions.
Here's why:
When those people in healthcare make a social post, or say "run away from Medicare Advantage, go back to Original Medicare" ... here's what they don't realize they are also telling you: Be ready to take a big financial risk.
If you are on Original Medicare Parts A & B only, along with the required stand-alone Part D prescription plan, Medicare will pick up the tab for 80 percent of your healthcare costs that they cover ... you are on the hook for the other 20 percent.
With no cap. No max out of pocket. No safety net or protection.
Do the scary math.
If you have a $100,000 surgery, you'll owe $20,000 towards that out of your own pocket. If you have $500,000 worth of chemotherapy/radiation treatment, do you have $100,000 waiting around to cover your part of that?
Not to mention the Part A and B deductibles you also must take on with only Original Medicare coverage.
That's where Medicare Supplements and Medicare Advantage plans both provide a safety net for peace of mind.
Going back to Original Medicare and adding a Medicare Supplement (also known as a Medigap plan or Med Supp, most commonly now a Plan G) ... yes, that's a solution that takes away that financial ruin, 20 percent situation we mentioned.
But not everyone can afford the rising monthly MedSupp premiums (and the small Part B deductible), the rising premiums for stand-alone Part D drug plans, and the additional premium of a stand-alone dental/vision/hearing plan if they need that, too.
That's where Advantage plans, good or bad in your mind, serve a definite purpose and fill a need. Are they all perfect? No.
But what they do, and why they are a popular alternative these days, is provide those who can't afford the extra premiums of a Medicare Supplement/Part D plan, or risk of going with just Original Medicare A & B with D, with a financial safety net with a Max Out Of Pocket (MOOP) in case they have that major surgery or, say, face cancer treatment.
They may also want their coverage to be all inclusive in terms of health benefits/drug plan/dental/vision/hearing ... another plus for those looking for that situation.
Bottom line: Find a licensed local agent if you have questions. There are many good ones in the Ozarks. We offer both Medicare Supplements and Advantage plans so you can feel comfortable in your decision, whichever path you choose.
We are paid, and trained, to answer your questions, provide guidance and present your options, at no cost to you.

08/25/2026

Met with a couple today, with the wife approaching her 65th birthday and the husband a few months past it ... and their dilemma was very common and quite simple:
Whether or not to stay on the husband's group insurance after both have turned age 65.
In most cases, the answer is ... it's a numbers game.
If you have good group health insurance through work, but are having the premiums being deducted from your check weekly/bi-weekly/monthly, is that amount more than if you were paying the $202.90 monthly Part B premium with a Medicare plan?
And the bigger question ... what kind of deductibles do you face on your work/group health insurance in the event of a major health crisis.
Is it going to cost you $3,000 out of pocket before the insurance kicks in? Maybe $5,000? Perhaps $7,500 or more?
Many do not realize that several Medicare plans each year come with a safety net - the Max Out Of Pocket amount, or MOOP - to help you guard against a financial catastrophe in the event of such a serious health crisis.
And that MOOP may be a lot lower than what your deductible is for your work/group health insurance.
And just like with everything in life ... you don't know what you don't know. That's where a licensed local agent can become a trusted advisor.
Need to take a look at your options, like these, with a no-cost consultation?
Give me a call at (417) 576-7779 and we'll sit down and talk about it.
With the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP, Oct. 15-Dec. 7) and a bevy of new plans and changed benefits coming, no time is better than now to see what's out there for you and your spouse!

08/18/2026

I attended today the first of several "carrier rollouts" today regarding 2027 Medicare Advantage plans and their benefits/offerings as we move toward the AEP season (Annual Enrollment Period, Oct. 15-Dec. 7) to make changes to your Medicare healthcare coverage.

The tightening of the corporate belts will affect most every carrier and every plan, it appears, making it more important than ever that you find the plan that best fits your health needs, financial situation and lifestyle in retirement.

If you haven't taken a look at your options in a while, I'd strongly suggest you make an appointment with your local agent to review your benefits and how they will be affected by changes for 2027.

And if you haven't heard from your agent in years, or you signed up with one of those 1-800 numbers on TV, or met with someone in recent years who has left the industry ... give me a call and we'll sit down and take a look together.

Call (417) 576-7779!

06/17/2026

Turning 65 later this year or planning on retiring, and leaving your work health insurance plan?
Now's a great time to get ahead of the process of signing up for Medicare benefits. The wait time for Part B approval and activation isn't getting any shorter ... let's get the jump on it and be ready for your benefits to start when you need them!
And if you are still working ... your Medicare options may actually save you money versus the deductibles and premiums you pay to stay on your employer's plan.
Call me at (417) 576-7779 for your no-cost consultation and help signing up for Medicare if you need assistance!