THE CARDINAL GUIDE TO:

Medicare Strategizing

Receive a listing with monthly prices of 30-40 Medigap (Medicare Supplement) insurance companies in your zip code. The report is instant, free, and requires no personal information from you.

￭  To ask us questions or to get your personalized report emailed or mailed to you, fill out the contact form below. ↓

￭ Medicare Part A and Part B start (for most people) on the first of the month before their 65th birthday. Part A is free and Part B has a monthly cost. If you are still working at 65 and covered by group insurance, sign up for A at 65 and delay enrolling in B until you retire.

￭ Choose a Medicare Advantage plan (Parts C and D) if you want no or a low insurance premium, deductibles, and copayments, and don’t mind the insurance company choosing your doctors and hospitals for you. Choose a Medicare Supplement Plan G or F plus a separate Part D plan if you want low or no deductibles and no copayments, plus you want the freedom to go to any doctor or hospital that takes Medicare.

￭ Buy Part D after going into Medicare.gov and running a comparison of Part D plans.

￭ Buy your Medicare Supplement Plan G or F from an independent agent who does not have a vested interest in steering you to one company. Look at a premium comparison report before you buy.

￭ If you have been on a Medicare Supplement plan for a few years, you might be paying too much. Shop around.

￭ If you qualify for LIS (the low-income subsidy program) or Extra Help, the government will pay your Part B premium for you and reduce your Part D drug copayments.

￭ Prepare to pay higher-income surcharges for Medicare Parts B and D if your income is over $85,000 as a single person or $170,000 as a couple.

￭ Long-term care implication of Medicare: Don’t rely on Medicare to pay your long-term care bill. It doesn’t!