PolicyGuru

02/22/2025

📢 Op-Ed Spotlight: Big Insurers Have Declared War on Agents – Medicare Beneficiaries Could Be the Casualties

NABIP CEO Jessica Brooks-Woods has penned a powerful Op-Ed in Real Clear Health highlighting a troubling trend—major insurers cutting agent commissions, leaving millions of seniors at risk of losing expert guidance when selecting Medicare plans.

🔹 Why This Matters:
✔️ Agents are essential—more than 75% of seniors prefer working with an independent agent.
✔️ Without fair compensation, agents can’t provide critical enrollment support, leaving seniors to navigate a complex system alone.
✔️ Cutting commissions is a direct attack on consumer choice—pushing seniors toward plans that may not fit their needs.

Seniors deserve fair, independent guidance when selecting healthcare plans. Our leaders must not allow big insurance companies to undermine their access to trusted agents.

🔗 Read the full Op-Ed: https://ow.ly/7owX50V4G1E

02/10/2025

Medicare vs. Medicaid – A Simple Way to Remember the Difference!

Healthcare terminology can get confusing, but understanding the basics can make a big difference.

🩺 Medicare → We care for the elderly.
🛡️ Medicaid → We aid those in need.

Medicare primarily supports individuals 65+ and those with certain disabilities, while Medicaid provides coverage for low-income individuals and families.

02/01/2025

You have cancer. Those are words no human wants to hear. Discover how adding cancer supplement insurance from Wellabe is beneficial for you to be well prepared and protected down the road.

Let Dana help you get the coverage you may need! Call 336-733-6697 ext 101.

01/18/2025

Are you turning 65 in 2025 and want to have your Medicare options in place?
Give me a call @ 336-733-6697 x 101

01/09/2025

🚨 Heads Up! If you have your Medicare Advantage or Prescription Drug Plan premiums automatically taken out of your Social Security check, here’s something you need to know:

💡 There’s been a delay this year!
Social Security is still pulling premium amounts based on 2024 plans instead of the 2025 updates. That means some people are seeing the wrong amounts taken out of their checks.

💰 The Good News?
Social Security knows about the issue and is already working to fix it. They’ve said it could take up to 90 days to sort everything out and refund any extra payments that were taken.

📞 What Should You Do?
For now, there’s no action needed on your end—just keep an eye on your statements and reach out if you have any questions.

💬 Need Help?
336-733-6697 ext 101

👉 Share this post to spread the word and make sure your friends and family know what’s going on!

12/12/2024

Open Enrollment for Affordable Care Act (ACA) commonly referred to as "ObamaCare" is nearing an end! There are 3 days left to enroll or make any changes to coverage for 2025. If you or anyone you know needs health insurance, message me and I’ll do what I can. Here to help anyone who might need my help! ☺️
336-733-6697 ext 101

11/26/2024

Q: What is the Medicare Prescription
Payment Plan?

The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan is a new program required under the Inflation Reduction Act under which Part D sponsors must provide enrollees the
option to pay out-of-pocket prescription drug costs in the form of monthly payments over the course of the plan
year, instead of all at once at the pharmacy, beginning in 2025. The Part D sponsor would then bill these program
participants monthly for any cost-sharing they incur while in the program. The draft part one guidance, along with the technical memorandum and forthcoming draft part two guidance, outline the requirements and
procedures of the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan.

See pictures for full details!

11/12/2024

CMS just announced the 2025 Medicare Part B premium and deductible updates. The standard monthly premium is set at $185, with a $257 deductible. See more here:
https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/2025-medicare-parts-b-premiums-and-deductibles #:~:text=Medicare%20Part%20B%20Premium%20and%20Deductible&text=The%20standard%20monthly%20premium%20for,deductible%20of%20%24240%20in%202024

08/31/2024

To My Fellow Insurance Agents and Concerned Individuals:

The future of Medicare plans is at a critical juncture, and this impacts not only us as agents but, more importantly, the clients we serve. There is a push to reduce or eliminate agents’ contracts and commissions, effectively forcing clients to self-enroll in Medicare plans without the guidance and personal assistance we’ve always provided.

This is not merely about our livelihoods as agents; it is about ensuring that clients continue to receive the dedicated, one-on-one support they need when navigating their healthcare options. Without our intervention, clients will be left without the personalized help they have relied on during the enrollment process and throughout the year when issues arise.

I urge you to sign this petition to make our voices heard.

We must stand together—not just as agents, but also as advocates for our clients. This is our opportunity to protect the integrity of the services we provide and ensure that clients retain access to the personal assistance they deserve.

Stop Wellcare's Unfair Practice: Demand Payment of Earned Commissions to Medicare Part D

08/29/2024

The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) this year will be disheartening, confusing, frustrating, and stressful for all Medicare recipients. While the Inflation Reduction Act is being hailed as something that will lower the cost of prescription drugs, it is having the opposite effect on Medicare plans itself.

Medicare recipients have to be ready for higher Prescription Drug Plan (PDP) premiums, fewer plans choices, stricter formularies, and the loss of being able to have your agent help you enroll. In many cases you will be required to either self enroll on Medicare.gov or call the carrier directly to enroll if you need to make a standalone drug plan change.

For those on Medicare Advantage plans, you must be prepared for changes yourself. It is likely drug deductibles will be added to many plans along with higher copays and fewer extra benefits. It is possible that we will have fewer plan options as well with less robust offerings in the plan choices we do have.

I am limited as to what I can say publicly until October 1, 2024 due to Medicare requirements. I can talk about the law itself and the shift in plans this law may cause, but cannot discuss plan specifics.

Please pay attention to my posts going forward. I will utilize my page to offer consumer education around all things Medicare Part D.

Credits go to: Norma Johnson