Annual election period Archives

Bee Careful About Medicare Marketers

Medicare Advertising Under Scrutiny: Bee Careful

An article in the Wall Street Journal recently caught my attention with this headline:

Celebrity Medicare Sales Pitches Are Toned Down After Scrutiny

Although Medicare advertising is under scrutiny, we are finally beginning to see a clamp down on some of the hyper-annoying and misleading advertising. BUT – Medicare beneficiaries will continue to receive unsolicited and relentless phone calls, especially as we approach the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP for short).

The antidote? SKIP the calls and MUTE the commercials.

I’ve created a new celebrity and his name is Big Head Ted (from Q’s garden). This is what Big Head Ted says about some of the celebrity Medicare advertising going on now:

“The Medicare ads from my fellow celebrities are designed to scare you into believing that you are missing out (FOMO) on all kinds of benefits. But here’s the rub: most of the huge benefits that are advertised are only available to people in the absolute lowest income levels. Where I come from, they call it the old BAIT and SWITCH.”

Now we see why Medicare marketing is under scrutiny.

Of course, it’s important to review your coverage! And starting in October, AFTER you receive your Annual Notice of Changes from your carrier, we will dig in and make sure you have what you need. “And that’s a promise” says Big Head Ted.

Life Can Be Beautiful, Wherever You Are

Q took this picture while visiting her parents in South Carolina. Yes, Colorado is beautiful, but the sunrises and marshes of the Low Country are beautiful.

Colorado may lack water, but let’s not forget Red Rocks, one of America’s greatest outdoor amphitheaters, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression. The Red Rocks amphitheater has incredible acoustics surrounded by jaw dropping beauty.

I never saw Led Zeppelin as a youth, but while Q was away, I did go see Robert Plant and Alison Krauss perform under the stars at Red Rocks. It was one of the best concerts of my life.

Hey, that’s what Quantz gets for abandoning me, right ….?

Yes, Medicare advertising is under scrutiny. But there is much beauty in the world, too.

Well, that’s all for this week.

Please remember to send your friends and family my way if they need help with Medicare. Referrals and happy clients are the lifeblood of our business!

Karl Bruns-Kyler
(877) 850-0211
Book a time on my calendar here

The Big 65 and Karl Bruns-Kyler are based in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. Karl provides Medicare insurance services to the Front Range region of Colorado, including Denver, Highlands Ranch, Littleton, Boulder, Centennial, Colorado Springs, Lone Tree, Greenwood Village and throughout Colorado.

Karl is also licensed in seventeen additional states to help with Medicare insurance. Those additional states include Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin.

Karl Bruns-Kyler is a Private Insurance Broker, a Certified Senior Advisor, CSA, with no affiliation to Medicare, CMS or any governmental organization.

www.TheBig65.com

How To Stop Medicare Robocalls!

I hope you are having a great week and some beautiful fall weather.

The Annual Election Period is in full swing and the robocalls are obscene.

Nothing is more annoying than unsolicited calls and as I reconnect with clients all over to review their coverage for 2022, I’m hearing it’s worse than ever.

Ignoring the calls only goes so far. Read this comprehensive list of steps you can take to reduce Robocalls do from the Federal Trade Commissionsteps you can take to reduce Robocalls do from the Federal Trade Commission.

It’s not a perfect list, but it has reduced the calls we receive considerably.

Remember to keep ignoring the Medicare noise and keep working with an individual, hopefully me 😊.

I received a call from a client’s daughter. Her mother let a call center enroll her in a new plan without really thinking it through.

Because of underwriting and her health situation, we can’t switch her back to her original coverage.

There is nothing wrong with switching plans, as long as we due our due diligence.

There seem to be more moving parts than ever so…take your time and be deliberate.

Most plans roll over automatically, but if you have questions, book a time here.

What About My Medicare Meds?

Greetings Medicare Insurance Seeker!

It’s that time of year when everyone is being bombarded with false promises of Medicare gold!

If you are taking prescriptions, it’s a good idea to review your options.

1. Look at your Annual Notice of Changes. If the drugs have switched tiers, beware of higher costs.

2. Before filling your prescription, make sure the pharmacy you are going to is a preferred pharmacy in the Part D network.

3. Before filling your prescription, ask the pharmacist the “cash price” for the medication. Sometimes the price your pharmacy can offer is LESS than the discount you receive through your Part D drug plan.

4. Finally, before filling your prescription, check the price using a discounting online app like Goodrx.com. Sometimes this app can really save you money.

Finally, the Annual Election Period is from October 15th through December 7th.

If you have questions about your Medicare Supplement, your Medicare Advantage Plan or your Part D drug coverage…

Book a time on my calendar here and we’ll see if we can reduce your costs and improve your benefits.

Have a great week and call me if you need me!

Do I Need To Review My Medicare Insurance Coverage?

I hope you are having a great week as the weather starts to turn cooler :).

The Medicare Annual Election Period begins in October.

In September, your current carrier should be sending you a copy of the Annual Notice of Changes.

Here, you will be able to read how your plan will be changing for 2022.

If you are not happy with the changes, or you are just unsure if your Medicare Insurance plan is still appropriate for you…

Book a time on my calendar here

Here is a link to the Medicare & You 2022 Handbook

Will You Be Remembered?

May this note find you well despite the floods, the fires and COVID.

I’m getting a lot of calls from Medicare Clients asking if they need to change their coverage.

Most people won’t need to change their coverage, but many will!

Here are the some of the reasons you might need to review your Medicare Coverage in October:

1. Your drugs have changed or gotten expensive.
2. Your doctors have changed or they have stopped taking your current plan.
3. The premiums on your current Medicare Insurance plan seem really expensive.
4. You receive the annual notice of changes in your plan and your copays have gone up.
5. You are getting bombarded by call centers and you want peace of mind 😊.

The good news is the Annual Election Period is still over a month away so let me know if you have question or book a time on my calendar here.

But in the meantime…

Recording the story of your life can make a huge difference in the lives of your children and grandchildren.

Some my most precious memories are the stories my mother shared…

Living through World War II as child in Amsterdam.
Walking past Anne Frank’s house on the way to school.
Coming to the US on the Queen Mary as a teenager.

Now I’m doing my best to record those stories for my kids.

Here’s an article on how you can do the same.

That’s it for this week and please reach out if you need me.

Are you taking too many drugs?

Hey Neighbor,

I hope you are having a great week. It’s been quiet here in our house.

My wife Q is back east visiting her parents in South Carolina, and even though I’m super busy, I miss her company. That’s what happens after 30 years of marriage, right?

If you’ve seen the 500 Medicare commercials already with super happy seniors, you know it’s the Annual Election Period.

It’s been great catching up with clients I haven’t spoken to in a while and making sure their Medicare coverage is up to date.

Today I spoke with Nancy, a long time client in Georgia. Her comments really got me thinking about a problem I see more often than I should.

Click on the picture below and learn something that might save your life and even save you money.

Of course medications have improved the quality and the length of the lives of many Americans. Sadly, the medical industrial complex has made it way too easy to be over medicated. Many Americans continue to take medications long after the need for them is over.

One doctor will prescribe a medication and another doctor will be hesitant to end it because of miscommunication. Even worse, the more meds you take, the greater the risk of negative side effects. Talk to your doctor, talk to pharmacist.

Review your medications and understand why you are taking each medicine you take. Check out this article and, as they said in the movie Blaze, “never trust a man who says trust me.”

That’s it for this week. If you’re unsure of your coverage and you need a Medicare Insurance review, or your friends need help, book a time on my calendar and I’ll do my best to help.

Be well, be kind, be safe, one nation under God.

Do you know the difference between a Medicare Insurance Broker and a Captive Agent?

I hope your week is going well despite these crazy times.

It’s beginning to feel like fall here. Can you believe we’re already having snow in the mountains? Hopefully it’ll put out some of the fires.

Not knowing the difference between a Broker and an Captive Agent during this Annual Election Period can cause consumers to seriously limit their Medicare options. Click on the picture below to learn more and to see my family 😊.

When I first began working in insurance many years ago, I was a Captive Agent. But after two months, it became clear that I couldn’t truly help people shop for coverage unless I became independent and I’ve been a Broker ever since.

What I love about being a Medicare Insurance Broker is the freedom to provide clients with the unvarnished truth, the good, the bad and the ugly about all the plans. I’m not always able to help everyone, but I do try to do my best and to learn from every interaction and continue to grow. That’s all we can do, right?

The Annual Election Period is now in full swing and all of the plans for 2021 are out. Medicare Supplement Plans really don’t change much from year to year. Many of the Medicare Advantage Plans have raised their Maximum out of Pocket levels but they’ve also increased some of their offerings, $0 copay telehealth visits and over the counter spending benefits. Every person’s needs are different.

The important thing? Book a time on my calendar if you are not sure if your current coverage fits the bill. Also remember to look at your drug costs and make certain your drug coverage is still working, especially if your taking expensive brand name drugs.

Have a great week and let your friends know I’m here if they have questions about Medicare.

The Big 65 Medicare Insurance Services does not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all your options.

Who needs a flu shot?

Greetings Neighbor.

I hope this note finds you in great health and excellent spirits despite the crazy times.

Elections, COVID, and crazy weather, believe me, everyone is ready for 2020 to finish 😊.

We’ve been getting a ton of questions about the new flu, and from what I am reading, this year’s strain could be extra dangerous. Click on picture and learn how to protect yourself.

Of course you know you need a flu shot, but did you get one yet? If you have a Medicare Supplement, getting the shot in your local pharmacy for most plans will keep the cost to $0.

If you have an Advantage Plan, confirm with your doctor’s office there is no copay.

In talking with my pharmacist, there are different versions of the vaccine, but they were recommending the High Dose Flu vaccine. It has four times as many antigens (whatever those are). Talk to your doctor, but do the right thing, please, because I actually like having Medicare clients 😊.

Here’s more information about the flu and vaccination options.

Remember, the Annual Election Period is upon us and the new plans for 2021 are finally out. Let me know if your friends and family need help, that’s why I’m here.

Stay safe and please book a time on my calendar if you need me (my calendar only runs 7 days in advance, so be patient).

Tag: Annual election period