Find Local Medicare Advisors for Information, Policy Costs
How To Find One Terrific Medicare Advisor who will work for you is as simple as know where to look and what to ask. The best independent source is the online directory hosted by the American Association for Medicare Supplement Insurance. And, their suggested questions will help you find a Medicare advisor who is working for your benefit.
The online FIND A LOCAL MEDICARE AGENT directory lists agents by Zip Code. It is free to access. And no personal information is entered. Your information won’t be used or sold. Contact the agents you like directly. Or don’t contact any.
It is important to understand that anybody you speak to about Medicare insurance plans is almost always an insurance agent. That’s the law. But there are important differences. And that’s why we provide the following tips for finding someone who is working for your benefit.
Tips: How To Find One Terrific Medicare Advisor
MEDICARE IS NATIONAL; BUT MEDICARE PLANS ARE LOCAL. It’s true. Plans available to you are generally based on the County you live in. Television ads urging you to call a toll-free number generally will direct your call to a Call Center. The agent you’ll speak with may not be familiar with everything available in your immediate area.
AGENTS HAVE INCENTIVE TO SELL YOU CERTAIN PLANS. Heavens no you say. Unfortunately it’s true. No one will ever admit it. But it’s true. An agent selling you a Medicare Advantage plan can earn much more than they can selling you a Medicare Supplement plan. Is the agent being urged to sell certain plans? Are there incentives (free trips or other rewards)? Could be. You need to know that.
SOME AGENTS ONLY OFFER ONE PLAN. It may be the best plan for you. Or, it may be the only one they are able to discuss. If that’s the case, guess which one they’ll try to convince you is the best.
NO AGENT EVER OFFERS ALL AVAILABLE OPTIONS. Well, someone, somewhere might. But, in many areas a senior will have between 20 and 40 different Medicare Advantage (MA) plans available. And, another 20 different Medigap insurers offering Medicare Supplement. The better independent Medicare brokers will be appointed with multiple companies. But, probably not all of them.
Click to access the free directory listing Medicare agents in your Zip Code
How To Find One Independent Medicare Advisor
We’ve told you where to start the process of looking. Enter your Zip Code in the banner on this webpage.
Next, pick 1, 2 or even 3 different agents. Here’s why we recommend more than one.
ONE SOLUTION OR MULTIPLE OPTIONS: Selling Medicare is complex. And, the government adds a whole host of requirements designed to protect you. That’s good. But, as a result, some insurance agents will only sell Medicare Supplement (Medigap). Others will only sell Medicare Advantage (MA plans). Today many will sell both. It’s important for you to know this information. Hint; many agents listed on the Association’s directory will specify in their description.
WHICH COMPANIES ARE THEY APPOINTED WITH? There are many companies offering Medicare plans. Some are big, like UnitedHealthcare and CVS (Aetna). Others may only be available in one state, like Blue Shield of California. And, then there are new companies who have just started offering plans. For example, Aflac and Allstate started offering Medigap recently. It’s really rare that any agent will be selling all plans. So, a good quuestion to ask is which ones they are appointed with. And, which one(s) they sold the most of last year.
AND EXPERIENCE MATTERS: Picking the best Medicare plan is complex. Incredibly complicated. And making the wrong decision can be fixed; but not always. Besides you don’t want the wrong plan. So picking someone with experience can be a benefit. We love new agents. Many of thjem will work incredibly hard for you. That’s good. But again, it’s something to ask.
Who Are The Biggest Medicare Advantage Companies?
We recently posted the largest Medicare Advantage plans in our Medicare Information Center. As of 2022, here are the top-10.
- UnitedHealthcare
- Humana
- CVS (Aetna)
- Elevance Health (formerly Anthem)
- Kaiser
- Centene
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
- Cigna Health
- Highmark Health
- Guidewell (holding company for Florida Blue)
But, keep in mind that there are literally hundreds of different plans available. One of the big ones may be your best option. Or, it might not be your best choice.
Who Are The Biggest Medicare Supplement (Medigap) Companies?
First of all, which Medigap plan is the most popular? Among men and women turning age 65, it’s Plan G.
In terms of the biggest Medigap companies, the following are names you will recognize;
- Aetna Health Insurance Company
- Aflac
- Allstate Health Solutions (AHL)
- Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Cigna
- Humana
- Medico Ins Company
- Mutual Of Omaha Ins Company
- UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company (AARP)
Is AARP Medicare Plan The Best Choice?
AARP does not directly offer Medicare insurance. They have a reciprocal arrangement with UnitedHealthcare. The various plans are offered by UnitedHealthcare (UHC). They pay AARP.
According to a story in the Sun Sentinel Jul 14, 2020 — AARP receives a 4.95% fee for each plan sold and has received over $4 billion to date. The partnership will continue through at least 2025.
AARP Medicare Advantage plans are insured by UnitedHealthcare — the largest Medicare Advantage provider in the country. The plans definitely offer several benefits that aren’t available in Original Medicare. This includes some coverage for preventive dental care, vision care and hearing exams.
ARP Medicare Advantage plans are available in 48 states and Washington, D.C. As of Fall 2022, more than 4 million people are enrolled in AARP plans. UnitedHealthcare is the largest health insurer in the country by market share. It is the largest among for-profit health plans. More than 8.2 million Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in a UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plan.
Click to find local Medicare insurance brokers who can compare AARP Medicare
Additional Medicare Information Resources
Click on any of the following links to obtain more information.
Medicare Supplement Agents Brokers Find Local Medigap
Find Directory of Independent Medicare Agents Near Me
Latest Medicare Insurance Information Statistics, Data and More
Find the best Medicare insurance plan information from the American Association for Medicare Supplement Insurance.
Do you have questions that aren’t answered here? Call the Association at 818-597-3227. Our goal is providing valuable information that will help seniors make better decisions. We look forward to hearing from you.