Senior Health Insurance Solutions Can Help with Difficult Choices
By Lois Thompson
You've likely seen the ads on TV where well-known celebrities tell you about how much you can save on your senior health insurance by calling a certain number. Theresa Lancaster has seen them and she said, "I get calls from my clients asking, 'Why aren't I getting $400 back a month?'"
Lancaster, an advisor who founded Senior Health Insurance Solutions, said the ads are misleading. "They don't explain that health plans vary by premium, benefits, and an individual's zip code and income. I have to explain that to my clients. I receive a lot of complaints from people who were not aware what they were signing up for when calling into these centers and felt very pressured."
Lancaster got into the profession of advising people on Medicare plans when her husband reached the point where he had to make such decisions, and she said, "I wanted to make sure he was getting the best healthcare. As I delved into it, I saw it was very intense, very difficult to figure out what his best options were."
“First, if you do have a plan, make sure you understand what you have. For example, do you have a supplement or an advantage plan? Second, deal with a local, independent broker when looking for insurance like this for your health. It doesn’t have to be me, but it’s an extremely important decision. You want to work with somebody you trust, somebody who’s familiar with everything in your area locally.”
She said when coworkers learned what she was doing they began to ask, what do you do, how do you do this? "That's when I got my license. I remember my very first client was so excited about the fact that he was getting an excellent health plan and was going to save a lot of money. So I thought this is great, I can really help people by doing this."
The help Lancaster provides begins with finding everybody's comfort zone and pointing them in the right direction. "You have a bunch of options when you turn 65 and you need to know what they are. Your direction is going to be determined by your health, your finances, what you're comfortable with – do you want a pay-as-you-go situation or do you want to be completely covered."
Add to that Medicare Part A, Part B, what's covered, what's not, co-pays, plans for prescription drugs, vision, and hearing, and the differences between advantage plans and supplements, and it's no wonder that the choices can be overwhelming.
Lancaster works as an independent broker, and she said by being independent, "You really can help somebody by being totally unbiased. I have a lot of choices and recommendations because I represent almost all of the available carriers in Western Pennsylvania. There are many determining factors and I like to consider them all." There is no charge for her service because the insurance companies pay commissions.
For more information, call (412) 558-9315 or visit seniorhealthinsurancesolutions.net