If you’ve been on Medicare for any length of time or have worked in the Medicare Insurance industry, you know that nearly every time Social Security has a Cost of Living Increase, your Medicare Part B premium goes up. Well, not this year! According to CMS.gov, the 2023 Medicare Part B premium will decrease from $170.10 in 2022 to $164.90. That’s $5.20 added to your Social Security check every month! Well, it's that time of year again.... Time to say goodbye to 2022 and hello to 2023! Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) ended on December 7th but OEP (Open enrollment period -which allows you a one-time change in your MA plan) opens January 1st through March 31st. If you're turning 65 in Jan, February or March 2023 or getting Medicare due to disability and/or Medicare & Medicaid, and you haven't already set up your Medicare Insurance plan(s) contact our Licensed Medicare Agent today. We will be closed on December 26th and January 2nd in observance of Christmas and New Year's but look forward to meeting your Auto, Recreational Vehicle and Medicare needs in 2023. Until next time.... Take care and enjoy a Happy & Blessed Holiday Season! Tommy Curtis and Staff Disclaimers: ALL material on this blog is available for informational purposes only. Life and Medicare Products marketed through Curtis & Associates Financial Services, Inc. {A Life and Health Agency} Medicare has neither endorsed nor reviewed this information. Not connected or affiliated with any United States Government or State agency. Calling this number will direct you to a licensed Agent/Broker. *By contacting us and providing information, you agree that an authorized representative or licensed insurance agent may contact you by phone, e-mail or mail to answer your questions and provide additional information about Medicare Advantage, Part D or Medicare Supplement Insurance plans. Every year our licensed, Medicare agent goes through extensive training, part of which is on Medicare Fraud, Waste & Abuse and it shocks and infuriates us to find that nearly $65 BILLION dollars annually is reported as such. Read that again….. $SIXTY-FIVE-BILLION-DOLLARS! The 3rd Quarter of 2022 is almost over, so we thought we'd do a quick check up to review with you some things you might want to be aware of.... Our children have been back to school for several weeks now, but it's always wise to drive with care and pay attention out there. We're still smack in the middle of hurricane season and although we've been blessed so far to not have anything come close to us, we're not out of the woods yet. Brush up on your preparation tips as well as binding restrictions for home, auto and recreational vehicle insurance. You might also want to review our posts on understanding your home or mobile home insurance and policy deductibles as well as the need for flood insurance. Football and Festivals are in full swing. We've got information that will help you be safe and have fun while you're out and about. Medicare AEP is right around the corner (Oct 15 - Dec 7) so now is a good time to review your Medicare policy. New to Medicare? Check out our FAQ and Understanding Medicare posts. If you don't already have a local agent, give us a call. We'd be happy to be yours! Have Medicare and Medicaid or a Veteran with Medicare? We can help you too! If travelling is in your plans for the holidays this year, check out our tips for travelling smart and other articles that can benefit you during the most wonderful time of the year. As we round out 2022, we here at Curtis Insurance sincerely hope we've provided blog posts that are educational and informative and pray you'll drop by monthly to see what we're sharing. Until next time take care and remember.... In a world where you can be anything, be kind. Tommy Curtis and Staff Disclaimers: ALL material on this blog is available for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal or accounting advice. You should consult your own personal advisors before making these types of decisions. Life and Medicare Products marketed through Curtis & Associates Financial Services, Inc. {A Life and Health Agency} Medicare has neither endorsed nor reviewed this information. Not connected or affiliated with any United States Government or State agency. Calling this number will direct you to a licensed Agent/Broker. *By contacting us and providing information, you agree that an authorized representative or licensed insurance agent may contact you by phone, e-mail or mail to answer your questions and provide additional information about Medicare Advantage, Part D or Medicare Supplement Insurance plans. It’s Medicare Open Enrollment time again and there is a new commercial on television where a “specialist” is giving a presentation on the basics of Medicare. He (the instructor) explains Medicare 101 and then discusses Medicare Advantage Plans. During the course of this 60 second interval one woman asks the question: “How do I know I’m getting the best plan?” Of course, the goal of this infomercial is to get you to call the number on your screen, but I’m here to tell you that just like celebrity endorsed sites, these actors know little if anything about Medicare! The best way to know you’re getting the right plan for your individual needs and budget is to contact a local Medicare agent. As with the cost of everything, Medicare deductibles and premiums have increased. Here is your breakdown for 2022…. Medicare AEP officially began Oct. 15th and will continue through Dec. 7th. Whether you're new to Medicare or have been in the program for years, NOW is the time to review your coverage with your local agent. PLEASE beware of Medicare Scams and folks calling to "check or review your coverage." Unless the person calling is someone you know and trust, Do NOT give your information over the phone! Most of the time these callers are telemarketers or agents out of state or out of your region and will change your coverage simply by your answers to the questions they ask. In many instances, these people have no idea, nor do they care, if your doctor or prescription medicines are in their particular network nor do they know if they are actually giving you the best benefits for your situation and budget! Be even more wary of celebrities or sports legends touting Medicare benefits on television or radio ads of which they are PAID endorsers who have no clue what they are talking about! Like the telemarketers mentioned above, the people on the other end of those "Medicare hotline" numbers have no clue nor do they care about your personal situation. Why don't they care? Because they don't know you. Here at Curtis Insurance/Curtis & Associates, we pride ourselves on excellent customer service and working with our clients to advise them on the best possible solution to their individual Medicare needs. We understand changes to Medicare can be puzzling and we're here to help clear up the confusion and aid you in fitting the pieces of your Medicare plan together in the program that benefits YOU best. So, give our Licensed and Trained Medicare agent a call today at: 337-439-7730 Until next time take care and remember ... we are here to serve you. Tommy Curtis and Staff Disclaimers:
Life and Medicare Products marketed through Curtis & Associates Financial Services, Inc. {A Life and Health Agency} Friendly, personable service is a rarity these days, even in service-related businesses. This is sad when you consider how important customer service is in the overall scheme of failure or success for businesses. In this article, we’ll look at a few ways to improve people skills and increase your level of customer service. #1: SMILE! Your expression is the first thing a client will notice even on the telephone so turn that frown upside down and put a cheerful note in your voice. Act like you’re happy to be where you are and you want to help them. We’re a quarter through 2021 – how are yo doing with your health, wealth and finance goals? Medicare Open Enrollment ended March 31st, but if you need to review your Medicare Insurance, please give us a call. As the government moves forward in loosening Covid restrictions, don’t get ahead of them and keep your perspective. We’re all ready to get back to normal (whatever that means) but there is no sense in taking unnecessary risks with your, or your loved ones’ health. Winter is losing its grip, Spring is upon us and people will be getting outside more and more. Be sure and practice fun in the sun and safety measures, especially while travelling. Review your auto insurance policy before you hit the road for that vacation and above all, enjoy yourself! Know what else comes along with Spring? Rain! And with waterways and drainage blocked from the recent hurricanes, it is always a good idea to think about adding FLOOD INSURANCE to further protect your home. Rates have changed since our post in 2017, but are still very reasonable for Zone X residents. Besides, you can’t put a price on peace of mind.
Until next time, take care and remember…. Life is too short to stress over petty stuff. Tommy Curtis and Staff Disclaimers: Medicare has neither endorsed nor reviewed this information. Not connected or affiliated with any United States Government or State agency Life and Medicare Products marketed through Curtis & Associates Financial Services, Inc. {A Life and Health Agency} |
Tommy Curtis
Is an insurance agent with integrity and your best interest in mind. Call to speak directly to him. Contact us Phone: 337-433-1683 Address: 509 7th Street Lake Charles, LA 70601 Office Hours: M-F 9a - 5p (CST) Follow Us
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