InsurHelp

09/24/2025

02/10/2025

Clients, Friends, and followers,
Friendly reminder. Unless YOU have scheduled a call with Medicare, Medicare will not call you!

The latest reported phone scam is a marketing firm (most likely positioned outside the US) calling and claiming to be Medicare and the "purpose" of their call is to issue a new plastic Medicare card to replace your paper one. This is a scam. even if the phone number "appears" to be local!

As my clients know - Guard your Medicare card as you would your Social Security card!! Neither IRS nor Medicare proactive reach out for this information.

10/06/2024

Most sweeping changes to Medicare in all my years!
More than ever, it is going to be critical we review doctor networks, prescriptions, and other factors that go into selecting your 2025 plan!
The Inflation Reduction Act has eliminated the “donut hole” for prescription drug cost. If you don’t know what that is…feel blessed!

For the first time, there will be an annual max-out-of-pocket of $2000 for covered prescriptions—It may be easier to think of it as a yearly cap of $2,000. If you have spent over $2,000 this year at the pharmacy for your covered prescription drugs, this new cap protects from going over $2,000 in 2025.

If you take zero or maybe two or three generic prescriptions, then this may not impact you directly. On the other hand, if you are on name brand or specialized prescriptions, you have likely been forced to shell out hundreds of dollars meeting deductibles and covering your costs. This may be a welcoming change. Keep in mind, the plan premium does NOT count towards the $2,000 cap.

In addition to the new cap, there will be an option to enroll into Medicare Prescription Payment Plan (referred to as M3P). It is not feasible to go over the complicated details here, but in a nutshell, consumers who have a Medicare prescription drug plan can sign up with their plan provider to spread out deductibles and prescription costs over the course of the calendar year. For more information give me a call or go to www.cms.gov and search for Medicare Prescription Payment Plan.

The cap and M3P are Federal changes. In various states and counties there are several plans by several carriers being discontinued. In September, you should have received the Annual Notice of Changes (ANOC) from your provider. This annual notice illustrates your current plan benefits for 2024 side-by-side with 2025 benefits. The 2025 space should indicate if your plan was terminated. It is critical to know this information. If you are unsure, please reach out to me.

04/17/2024

Cortland Men's Soccer Team is conducting a fundraiser today. For those interested in Donating on behalf of my son Carson Hamann follow the link below. Please include his name in the donation comments. He will be attending Cortland this coming fall. we appreciate your support. Peace

The Athletics Challenge is back! During the Cortland Challenge, each team will compete to earn more than $2,000 in awards by unlocking various fundraising achievements.

12/07/2023

Final hours have arrived. I will continue to be amazed at the deceptive Medicare sales tactics. Typically I will received several calls in January with folks who get bamboozled during the enrollment season. These calls are already coming in now!

I understand every profession has great representatives and those whose narrow focus is the sale alone! Let me apologize on behalf of the Medicare industry for those who may have done any of you dis-service!

10/25/2022

Tid-bit to help you navigate the aggressive Medicare arena.

I recently was reading a clever marketing letter sent to my clients reminding Medicare recipients that the amount of money being deducted from their SS increased 14.5 % in 2022. The largest percentage increase in history. Of course the letter is baiting you to call them so they can help you "reduce" your monthly Part B.

I noticed two things about the letter:
1) From a non New York business address
2) The fine print " Not affiliated or connected with Medicare or ANY other government program or agency.

There are really only few ways Part B is reduced. If you receive Extra Help or have relatively low income and assets. OR you have signed up for a Medicare plan that provides a Part B "Giveback" "Refund" or "Reduction. Essentially the insurance plan contributes to your Part B premium. These plans are sometimes a great option and sometimes they are not.

Be cautious my friends and when in doubt call me.

10/10/2022

Medicare can be a confusing and time-consuming process. However, these Medicare facts can help you plan for retirement. Start by considering Medicare Easy Pay because it's a safe and secure way to pay your yearly Medicare premiums, and you'll be on your way!

Though you can budget and save money for healthcare during your career, some programs can help you pay for your Medicare premiums and other costs.

06/27/2022

Are you a senior involved in or considering Medicare coverage? Here's a complete guide on Medicare. Hint: Medicare's Part A, Part B, Part C, and Part D don't cover all the same services and products!

Medicare is the federal government's health insurance program for people aged 65 or older; younger people with disabilities; people with Lou Gehrig's disease, also called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis…

06/13/2022

Scams can take a toll on your finances and your health. And when both are connected, it makes matters even worse. Did you know that "in any given year, an estimated 5 to 10 percent of the entire budget for Medicare is lost to fraudulent billing?" And scamming has only increased during COVID-19.

Please remember to protect your Medicare number.

Scammers often use Medicare numbers to fraudulently bill the government for services or equipment, costing taxpayers millions and exposing the recipient to fraud.

04/11/2022

When you're a new retiree, having a smart budgeting plan in place is absolutely essential. Reviewing your spending every six months and allocating extra money for healthcare is the way to go. Read on for more advice:

It's important for retirees to stick to a budget. Here's what you need to know.