Seniors, Can We Talk?

Caroline Beauchamp is a local insurance agent for M & P Insurance & Investment Services. She offers personalized life and health insurance solutions and is known for her widelypublished informational column, ‘Caroline, Can We Talk?’.

Last month Linda (Ruth’s sisterin-law’s sister) was concerned about her upcoming dental work. She needs a crown.

Dental plans usually must be in effect 6 months before a crown is covered. Since Linda had a dental plan previously and she applied for a new plan within 30 days of cancelling her old dental plan, she was able to have the 6-month waiting period waived.

Linda talked with her dentist about her dental insurance and her concern about the crown not being covered. Luckily her dentist was able to wait until April to put her crown in. Now Linda will only have to pay 50% of the cost of the crown instead of paying the entire, 100% cost. Linda is thrilled.

When Ruth and I had lunch, I shared a customer’s experience. My customer, Nita, who is 68 lost her job March 31. Nita had Medicare Part A which was effective when she turned 65. She needed to enroll in Medicare Part B to be able to enroll in the Medicare Supplement plan she wanted.

Since Nita had Part A, she was able to enroll in a Medicare prescription plan.

Luckily Nita is healthy but accidents happen and medical conditions may arise at any time (Like my emergency gallbladder surgery; what a surprise because I had never had any gallbladder issues. You’re fine one day and the next day you’re in the ER then the hospital for surgery the next morning.)

Nita needed Medicare Part B to enroll in a Medicare Supplement plan. She completed the process on Medicare.gov to be effective April 1. Three (3) weeks later she did not have a new Medicare card showing Part B. Nita went to the Social Security office. She was told “yes, she was enrolled in Part B. She would be getting a new Medicare card soon.” Ten (10) days later no new Medicare card. Now it’s getting to be crunch time for her to enroll in a Medicare Supplement plan that will be effective April 1. She called the Social Security office. Oops! Yes, her enrollment in Part B was in their system but someone forgot to hit the button to complete the process.

“Wait 5 business days for your new Medicare card.” On March 31, the 5th day, Part B showed up in the Medicare. gov website and she got her new ID card.

Now to hustle to enroll in a Medicare Supplement plan to be effective April 1. She reviewed the plans and completed the paperwork – she did not want one day without a policy to pick up what Medicare does not pay.

Nita took a deep breathe. She enrolled in everything before her April 1 deadline.

The moral of Nita’s story is to start the enrollment process in Medicare Part A and B either 3 months before you turn 65 or as soon as you know you’re going to need them.

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Call 501-868-6650 and say “Caroline, can we talk?” N