5 Reasons Why You Should Work with an Independent Medicare Insurance Agent

Enrolling in the Federal Medicare Program can be time-consuming and confusing. Then, after you’ve gone through all of the paperwork for Medicare Parts A and B, you find out that your work has barely begun because now you need Medicare supplement insurance!

There are SO MANY options today. You’ve seen advertisements on TV, heard them on the radio, and seen them everywhere you look online. Chances are, you’ve even gotten telemarketers from many different companies calling to try to sell policies. How do you know who you should trust with your personal information?

It can be a nightmare, but it doesn’t have to be. All you need is a great insurance agent!

There are five reasons why Medicare beneficiaries should choose to utilize the services of an independent licensed Medicare agent, like the ones you’ll find at Sunflower Insurance Solutions.

We will educate you on all your supplemental Medicare choices.

The first thing you must know is that you have two initial options when it comes to Medicare coverage outside of Original Medicare (Parts A and B). You can choose to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan (Part C), or you can choose a Medigap policy, also known as a Medicare supplement plan. You’ll also need to enroll in the Part D prescription drug plan. (And yes, you’ve got options for the drug plans too!)

These are all important decisions as there are key differences with each type of coverage.

Your Medicare insurance broker will work directly with your needs to find out which Medicare option – Medigap or Medicare Advantage – is best for you. This includes discussions about your current doctors, service area, and medications, as these are important factors in choosing the best Medicare plan.

You will have a variety of carrier and plan options.

A sales agent for one specific insurance company will only inform you of their own plans. They will not tell you how their plans compare to different insurance companies – in price or in services. 

An independent Medicare agent has no loyalty to one specific insurance company. This means that they can evaluate and compare Medicare plans for you, give you unbiased information, and secure the plan with the best price and service that also fits your unique needs. At Sunflower Insurance Solutions, we look at all private insurance companies and have no obligation or incentive to work with one over another.

You’ll get outstanding customer service from an independent company.

After you enroll in a plan, you’ll need to stay in touch with the insurance agent or carrier. Changes are made each year and you will need to stay informed about your coverage. These annual notices are mailed directly to you, but a licensed agent – the one you worked with when you first enrolled in the policy – can review the changes pertinent to your insurance plan.

However, if you enroll with a carrier directly, you will likely never again talk to the person who initially helped you pick a plan. You will be lost in their sea of customers.

With an independent broker, you will continue to get one-on-one direct customer service. You can stay in touch with your agent via phone, email, or even drop by the office if it’s convenient for you.

They’ll do all the hard work for you.

Hate paperwork? Supplemental policy enrollment forms can be 10-15 pages long – and in tiny print! If you’re working with us at Sunflower Insurance Solutions, we will fill all that out for you. You’ll simply answer a few questions, and we’ll take care of the rest.

Each year when the Annual Election Period begins, your Medicare insurance broker will contact you to review your insurance plans. You won’t need to shop for different coverage or new Part D prescription drug plans. We take care to make sure the insurance plan you are enrolled in is still the best (and cheapest!) option.

 

Independent Medicare insurance agents have an incentive for you to like your plan.

There is no additional cost for you to work with independent Medicare insurance agents instead of directly with a carrier. You will pay the same premium in either situation.

So how are the independent Medicare agents at Sunflower Insurance Solutions paid?

Independent agents make a recurring commission from your policy. That means that if you drop your policy and switch to another agency, we no longer get paid. And that means that every independent agent is incentivized to find you a plan that is valuable to you. Your satisfaction is in our best interest. 

That’s not the case with insurance agents in larger insurance companies. They generally have a quota to meet every month. They’ll verify membership and insurance coverage and take your initial payment, but if you cancel your plan a month later, it doesn’t matter to that one little insurance agent.

It matters to us.

There are more than just these five reasons to work with an independent Medicare broker. It’s also nice to see the face of the person you are working with and give business to your local community. 

We know you’ve got lots of Medicare options. At Sunflower Insurance Solutions, we pride ourselves for being a one-stop-shop for ALL of your health insurance needs, not just your Medicare plans. There is no need to contact several different companies for multiple insurance products. We can discuss extra services and insurance products like long-term care options and individual health insurance plans for family members that may need other health coverage. Our one company offers many solutions.

And remember, our services are completely free. What do you have to lose?

Take the next step!

We hope you have found this article helpful in understanding the benefits of working with us and our licensed insurance agents. If you’d like to start by getting more information on how Medicare plans work, join as at an educational event! We host these so that you can get all the details about the Medicare process and begin thinking about the future of your health care.

Ready to schedule a consultation with one of our licensed agents? Call us at 785-301-2716. We look forward to meeting you!