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Helping Seniors Make Better-Informed Medicare Decisions
Trying to pick a health insurance plan can be a chore for anyone. For many people, just mentioning the word "open enrollment" sends shivers down the spine. It seems like there's always a nagging feeling that you're wasting money, choosing a plan with poor in-network care, or both. One would think that health insurance gets easier as you approach retirement age, but the truth is that picking an initial Medicare coverage plan can be daunting.
Unfortunately, the confusing process of signing up for Medicare causes many seniors to forego healthcare coverage altogether. After all, Medicare enrollment can involve several federal agencies, including the Social Security Administration (or SSA) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (or CMS).
At Senior Medicare Insurance Services, our passion is guiding seniors through the confusion of Medicare. That way, they can enjoy retirement with peace of mind knowing they are protected and ready for life after 65. We work with dozens of insurance companies, giving our clients the chance to choose a plan that best fits their lifestyle.
We choose to design our senior insurance plans with a focus on optimal benefits structure, lower costs, and personalized service. Some independent insurance agencies see their aging customers as nothing more than a financial transaction waiting to happen. In contrast, we treat each of our clients with respect and dignity as we help them navigate the confusing waters of Medicare. Combined with individualized service, we help older Americans make well-informed decisions about insurance. Whether you're in need of senior Medicare Supplement Plan insurance in Goose Creek or simply have questions about signing up for Medicare, our team is here to help.
Service Areas
What is Medicare?
If you're approaching the golden years of your life, it's important you understand what Medicare is if you don't already.
Medicare is a federal health insurance program reserved for people older than 65 who have worked full-time for at least ten years. The Medicare program is paid for by a combination of worker payroll tax, premiums paid by Medicare enrollees, and the U.S. government.
There are four parts of Medicare:
This type of Medicare is free for most U.S. citizens. Medicare Part A helps older adults pay for care in a nursing facility, hospital visits, and some forms of in-home senior care.
This tier costs around $100 per month. It covers different outpatient services like lab tests, preventative care, doctor's visits, mental health care, clinical trials, and some forms of surgery.
This type of Medicare is most often called Medicare Advantage. This tier of Medicare allows seniors to choose health plans provided by insurance companies like Senior Medicare Insurance Services. Individuals who use Medicare Advantage commonly use Medicare supplement plan insurance to help pay for health care costs that Original Medicare won't cover, like coinsurance, deductibles, and copayments.
Sometimes called "PDPs," these plans add drug coverage to standard Medicare, some Medicare Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS), some Medicare Cost Plans, and Medicare Medical Savings Account Plans (MSA).
The amount of money you pay for your health care depends on several factors, including:
- What kind of care you need, and how often it is needed.
- The type of Medicare coverage you choose.
- Whether there are alternative insurance policies that will help fill gaps in your coverage
- Whether a doctor agrees to charge you the same amount that Medicare will cover for a medical service
At Senior Medicare Insurance Services, we offer a number of health insurance solutions for seniors. Two of our most used services include Medicare Advantage plan insurance and Medicare supplement plan insurance.
Senior Medicare Supplement Plan Insurance in Goose Creek
Sometimes called Medigap, the purpose of Medicare Supplement Insurance is to help fill in "gaps" that might not be covered by Original Medicare. You can think of a Medigap policy as a supplement for your Original Medicare benefits.
Private companies like Senior Medicare Insurance Services sell this type of insurance right here in South Carolina. While Original Medicare will pay for much of the cost associated with health care services you need, it may not cover all of your expenses. Generally, Medigap policies do not cover costs stemming from eyeglasses, private-duty nurses, dental care, hearing aids, or long-term care.
Depending on the Medicare Supplement Plan that you choose, it may cover out-of-the-country medical services when you travel abroad. Assuming you have Original Medicare coverage, your policy will cover its share of Medicare-approved health care costs. Once your Original Medicare coverage reaches its limit, your Medigap policy will pay its share of the fees.
Our Medigap policies are drafted to meet your specific needs, and can help cover remaining health care costs such as:
Deductibles
Copayments
Coinsurance
Important Information About Senior Supplement Plan Insurance
To dispel some confusion, you should know that a Medigap policy is not the same as a Medicare Advantage Plan. The latter helps you receive Medicare benefits, while the former supplements the benefits you obtain through your Original Medicare plan. As you begin to explore Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans, keep the following important information in mind:
As you begin to explore Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans, keep the following important information in mind:
- To qualify for a Medigap policy, you must first have Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B.
- Payments on your Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan will be made to the private insurance company that you choose, like Senior Medicare Insurance Services. These payments are made every month and are paid in addition to the monthly payment you make for Medicare Part B.
- If you are the holder of a Medicare Advantage Plan, it is illegal for an insurance company to sell you a senior Medicare Supplement Policy. If you plan on switching back to an Original Medicare plan, you may be able to purchase a Medigap policy.
- If you have health problems as you age, your standardized Medigap policy is guaranteed to be renewable. So long as you pay your monthly premium, your insurance provider cannot cancel your policy.
- Medigap policies only cover one person. If you have a spouse or family member that would like coverage, they must purchase a separate policy.
- You may only buy a Senior Medicare Supplement Plan from an insurance agent that is licensed to sell them in your state. Senior Medicare Insurance Services has been licensed to sell Medigap policies in South Carolina for years. We have helped countless seniors get the Medicare coverage they need and continue to do so to this day.
- In the past, Medigap policies were able to cover costs related to prescription drugs. As of January 1st, 2006, prescription drug coverage is not available on Medicare Supplement Plans. The best way to get coverage for your prescription drugs is to join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan, often called Part D. Contact our office today to learn more about paying premiums on Medigap and Medicare plans.
For many people, the best time to buy senior Medicare Supplement Plan Insurance in Goose Creek is during the 7 months Medigap Open Enrollment Period. This period starts the day you turn 65 years old, so long as you hold Medical Insurance (Medicare Part B). Generally, during the enrollment period, you get more policy choices and better pricing. Once the enrollment period is over, you may not be able to purchase a Medigap policy. Contact Senior Medicare Insurance Services today to determine if you qualify for a Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan.
Senior Medicare Advantage Plan Insurance in Goose Creek, SC
A Medicare Advantage Plan is a kind of Medicare health coverage designed to provide seniors with all their Part A and Part B Medicare benefits. Many Medicare Advantage Plans will often include coverage of the following:
- Preferred Provider Organizations
- Special Needs Plans
- Private Fee-for-Service
- Medicare Medical Savings Account Plans
- Health Maintenance Organizations
In addition, most Medicare Advantage Plans give seniors coverage for their prescription drug needs. When you enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan through Senior Medicare Insurance Services, your Medicare benefits are covered through your plan and will not be paid for by traditional Medicare.
How Medicare Advantage Plans Work
Sometimes called "MA Plans" or "Part C," Medicare Advantage Plans are considered an "all in one" solution to Original Medicare. Senior Medicare Advantage Plans are only offered by private companies that are approved, like Senior Medicare Insurance Services. Seniors who enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan are still on Medicare. However, these individuals enjoy bundled plans that give seniors the benefits of hospital insurance (Medicare Part A), medical insurance (Medicare Part B), and sometimes drug coverage (Part D).
Medicare Advantage Plans are very popular because they cover all Medicare services and make life a little easier for seniors who have trouble understanding the nuances of Medicare.
When you contact Senior Medicare Insurance Services to choose your Medicare Advantage Plan, ask your agent about Medicare prescription drug coverage. Unless you already have drug coverage (Part D), you should seriously consider Part D coverage to help reduce costs associated with prescription drugs. You may also want to consider a Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan to help fill gaps in coverage that Original Medicare will not cover.
Medicare Advantage Plan Insurance Rules
Medicare works by paying a set amount of money to the companies that offer senior Medicare Advantage Plan insurance in Goose Creek. That money is used to pay for the care services that you need. Because Medicare Advantage Plans are different, you should expect out-of-pocket costs to vary depending on the plan you choose.
Different plans have different rules for how you receive services, such as:
If you must go to facilities, suppliers, or doctors that belong to your Advantage Plan for non-urgent and non-emergency care.-
Whether you must get a referral to see a specialized doctor
Companies that offer Medicare Advantage Plans must follow strict rules, which are set by Medicare and can change every year.
Paying for Your Senior Medicare Advantage Plan Insurance
How much you pay for your Medicare Advantage Plan varies and depends on a few different factors. In most cases, if you need a kind of medical service, you will need to rely on the doctors and providers in your plan's service area and network to pay the lowest amounts. In some cases, if you choose to use a service outside of your plan's network of coverage, you may have to pay out-of-pocket.
We encourage you to contact our office today to learn more about Medicare Advantage Plans, how they work, what your options are, and how often you will have to pay out-of-pocket, if at all.
The Senior Medicare Insurance Services Commitment
Since our company was founded, we have led the insurance industry by providing our clients with the most valuable, helpful insurance solutions available. We are fully committed to our current and prospective clients by:
Choosing to focus on personalized, one-on-one service. When you work with our team, know that we will always design your health insurance plan with your best interests in mind.-
Listening to your specific needs. -
Responding to all inquiries and questions promptly and with a friendly attitude. -
Providing you with the best customer service in the senior health insurance industry, whether you have questions or are ready to move forward with a Medicare plan.
Our mission is to help give seniors the best Medicare assistance available so that they may understand the Medicare process and make an informed health coverage decision. We have the knowledge, skills, and experience to assist anyone interested in Medicare. Our personal goal is to become a lifetime resource for our clients and give them greater confidence in choosing their insurance plans.
Latest News in Goose Creek, SC
Goose Creek to name city’s new amphitheater after state lawmaker
Patrick Phillipshttps://www.live5news.com/2022/08/16/goose-creek-name-citys-new-amphitheater-after-state-lawmaker/
GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCSC) - The city of Goose Creek unveiled an amphitheater in honor of S.C. Rep. Joe Daning in a surprise presentation Tuesday during his retirement celebration in Goose Creek.Joseph Daning is a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives, representing District 92. He also was a Goose Creek City Council member for over 20 years and previous Goose Creek Mayor Pro Tempore.Daning will retire from the S.C. House of Representatives in January 2023. Multiple former S.C. representatives, Mayor Gregory Habib,...
GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCSC) - The city of Goose Creek unveiled an amphitheater in honor of S.C. Rep. Joe Daning in a surprise presentation Tuesday during his retirement celebration in Goose Creek.
Joseph Daning is a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives, representing District 92. He also was a Goose Creek City Council member for over 20 years and previous Goose Creek Mayor Pro Tempore.
Daning will retire from the S.C. House of Representatives in January 2023. Multiple former S.C. representatives, Mayor Gregory Habib, U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace and Daning’s family and friends attended the celebration.
All the speakers who gathered at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church spoke about Daning’s long-lasting legacy in the city, Statehouse and House of Representatives.
“He was such a great friend and a mentor and very loyal to the Lowcountry,” Nancy Mace, U.S. House of Representative, said. “It was an honor to see that the Joseph Daning amphitheater was unveiled today in Goose Creek and that’s exciting for the residents of Goose Creek too and I want to thank Mayor Habib for that effort.”
The Joseph S. Daning Amphitheater will be located at the Municipal Center Campus near the Recreation Complex and the lake behind City Hall. It plans to include an outside basketball court, a food truck area, restrooms and additional parking.
Crystal Reed, the recreation director for the City of Goose Creek, says some examples of events that will be held at the amphitheater are slam poetry, improv, concerts and movie nights.
“I think the goal of the amphitheater and the projects that we’re doing in the city of Goose Creek is to bring entertainment into our city so that residents don’t have to travel and create more traffic,” Reed said. “They can get good dining options and good entertainment here in the city of Goose Creek.”
Reed says this project will break ground in April 2023 and it should take about 18 months to complete.
When Mayor Habib introduced the new amphitheater, Daning began to cry in shock.
“I didn’t expect any of this and then the new that,” Daning said, pointing to the picture of the proposed amphitheater. “You know, my father came from the Philippines. I am first generation. I mean this is just unbelievable. You know, I never expected any of this.”
The total cost of the amphitheater will be about $4 million. Daning secured $1.5 million in state funding and the remainder will be paid by ARPA funds.
Copyright 2022 WCSC. All rights reserved.
Goose Creek working to fill staff shortages at fire department
Tara Jabourhttps://abcnews4.com/news/local/goose-creek-working-to-fill-staff-shortage-at-fire-department-city
GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCIV) — The Goose Creek Fire Department currently has 12 openings. They filled six positions this week."Like virtually every department in the country, we are short. We are significa...
GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCIV) — The Goose Creek Fire Department currently has 12 openings. They filled six positions this week.
"Like virtually every department in the country, we are short. We are significantly short," said Greg Habib, Mayor of Goose Creek.
Mayor Habib said the city has taken steps to create more opportunities for people to work for the fire department.
"Historically we have only taken transfers, which means they were already certified, firefighters. Now we are hiring folks and essentially sending them through fire school," said Mayor Habib.
Recently, the city made a change to ensure every fire department shift is covered.
"It was about a week ago that we made that policy change. Essentially what that did was enabled 24-hour force, but it also changed pay structure so volunteers would get paid time and a half or forced," said Mayor Habib.
But the mayor and fire officials said they haven't had to force a lot of overtime because firefighters in Goose Creek have stepped up.
"There have been 29 extra shifts since that day 23 have been voluntary, only six forced," said Steven Gillepsie, battalion chief with the Goose Creek Fire Department.
Roger Odachowski, the president of the Professional Firefighters Association of South Carolina, brought the shortage to light last week. He contends that forced overtime is too much.
"These firefighters are humans too. They are the most devoted that I have seen in a long time. Now they are going to be away from their families more to try and do minimum staffing that is still not solving the problem," said Roger Odachowski, president of the Professional Firefighters Association of South Carolina.
Odachowski feels Goose Creek is relying too much on mutual aid.
"You are basically asking surrounding cities to double up your staff because your staff is not adequate," said Odachowski.
The association said they are worried about public safety because of the shortage.
We asked the battalion chief if residents should be concerned.
"Absolutely not. The response times have not changed. The numbers on the apparatus have not changed. There is no reason for them to be concerned," said Gillespie.
Stoplight being designed for busy Goose Creek intersection
Melissa Rademakerhttps://www.live5news.com/2022/04/12/stoplight-being-designed-busy-goose-creek-intersection/
GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCSC) - The city of Goose Creek and the South Carolina Department of Transportation are working together to put up a stoplight at St. James Avenue at Myers Road where residents have reported multiple accidents.There are a few neighborhoods off of that road, and people in the area were excited to hear about the project. The actual project likely won’t be completed until the end of 2023, but the plans are in motion.Thomas Garter lives nearby and says the sooner a light is put up the better.“I...
GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCSC) - The city of Goose Creek and the South Carolina Department of Transportation are working together to put up a stoplight at St. James Avenue at Myers Road where residents have reported multiple accidents.
There are a few neighborhoods off of that road, and people in the area were excited to hear about the project. The actual project likely won’t be completed until the end of 2023, but the plans are in motion.
Thomas Garter lives nearby and says the sooner a light is put up the better.
“It’s hectic in the morning and the late afternoon coming from work. I have seen several accidents,” Garter said.
SCDOT officials said a traffic analysis found the volume in that area is too high, so a signal has been approved and is in the design phase.
Construction will likely begin in October and could take up to 15 months.
Caleb and Allen are friends who like to play basketball at a nearby church after school, and they say they have seen accidents happen at the intersection, and people often cut through the church parking lot to avoid the line of cars.
“There’s traffic, and every time we play they cut through [the parking lot] instead of waiting. I’ve seen a lot of accidents,” Caleb said.
“The bus will be super late to school due to the accidents,” Allen said.
The department of transportation will build a mast arm style light which will cost between $250,000 and $350,000. SCDOT and Goose Creek have agreed to share the cost with the department of transportation building the standard steel poles for the traffic signals.
The city is interested in having mast arms extend over the intersection to which the signals would be mounted. Goose Creek has agreed to pay for the mast arms.
“I’ve been waiting to see our light here since I was 6, because I’ve lived here for a while with the traffic and accidents. I just hope they get better,” said Caleb.
The project is on Tuesday night’s Goose Creek City Council meeting agenda with the administration department expected to speak on the issue.
Copyright 2022 WCSC. All rights reserved.
Goose Creek mayor defends development after resident concerns
Emilie Zuhowskihttps://www.live5news.com/2022/06/22/goose-creek-mayor-defends-development-after-resident-concerns/
GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCSC) - Goose Creek resident Lisa Berry has lived in the West Greenview Acres neighborhood since 2004. She describes her neighborhood as “pretty quiet,” besides occasional traffic.She found out about a planned development that could be built right next to her home and was taken aback. To her understanding, a road was going to run adjacent to her home and go to Red Bank Road, and a playground with a parking lot was going to be built on the other side of her property. She said those plans were concerning....
GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCSC) - Goose Creek resident Lisa Berry has lived in the West Greenview Acres neighborhood since 2004. She describes her neighborhood as “pretty quiet,” besides occasional traffic.
She found out about a planned development that could be built right next to her home and was taken aback. To her understanding, a road was going to run adjacent to her home and go to Red Bank Road, and a playground with a parking lot was going to be built on the other side of her property. She said those plans were concerning.
She posted in a Facebook group for Goose Creek residents, trying to inform her neighbors about what was going on. She said she was inspired to speak up; and said there should be no more construction.
“I was driving down Red Bank Road, and by the rural fire department, they have a marquee; it’s a flashing sign that changes,” Berry said. “It said, ‘if not you, then who?”
Berry’s post got the attention of Mayor Greg Habib, who responded in his own post in the group. He said he felt the need to give an explanation about what their processes are, what they are trying to accomplish, and how growth is important.
Berry met with the mayor Wednesday morning, and she discovered that there was an updated plan. She said that now instead of a road next to her house, it is proposed to be a walking trail, and the playground plans have changed as well. Habib said it is going to be a mix of townhomes and single-family homes with a commercial element on Red Bank Road.
One of the concerns that Berry had was that the property floods. Habib said the only way the flooding problems are going to go away is if someone develops the property properly.
“I knew it had a flooding problem,” Habib said. “We told the developer when he first came to us, you have to address flooding in this area if you’re gonna do anything here, and what the developer has proposed is a stormwater plan that actually takes water from off the property onto his own property to mitigate the flooding problems that are there now.”
Now Berry said she is not opposed to development but wants it to be done in a smart way.
“We have to change,” Berry said. “We can’t just stay the same. I just want it to be an informed decision where all citizens understand what’s going on and can voice their concerns, and if we don’t share that information then people are left out.”
It is not the first time that development concerns have been expressed in rapidly growing Goose Creek, or in the Lowcountry. Goose Creek is now the 8th largest city in South Carolina.
“We’re 47,000 people,” Habib said. “We are not a small town in small-town America anymore.”
Habib said he often hears concerns about traffic issues. He said the greatest tool to reduce traffic is economic development and putting people and businesses closer together.
“We got traffic here,” Habib said. “How do you mitigate that? Well, understanding that not building anymore is not an option, so how do you then mitigate it there is your plan for it, you do it right, and you do it in a way that makes sense.”
Habib said there are over 5,000 homes entitled to go up in the city. Habib said some of those are going to create more traffic than others because they are on the outskirts of the city. Until there is commercial development there, those people will have to drive into the main commercial section of the city to get what they need. He said they need to get commercial development out to those areas as fast as they can to mitigate the traffic.
“If we’re gonna build houses, which we know we have to, we’re going to insist developers to build communities,” Habib said.
Habib said they cannot sit by as development happens. Instead, they need to participate in it and make it look like what they want it to be.
There will be a public hearing regarding the aforementioned planned development on July 5 at 6 p.m. at City Hall.
Copyright 2022 WCSC. All rights reserved.
Goose Creek considering largest commercial development in its history with hotel
Rey Llerenahttps://www.live5news.com/2022/03/10/goose-creek-considering-largest-commercial-development-its-history-with-hotel/
GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCSC) - The City of Goose Creek is considering its largest commercial development in its history, a hotel in the fast-growing Carnes Crossroads area, and the mayor says it has been a project two years in the making.Goose Creek Mayor Greg Habib says the Springhill Suites hotel will address several needs within the city, and it will lead to more commercial development, such as retail stores and restaurants, down the line.“This hotel is going to be a driver of other economic development,” he said....
GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCSC) - The City of Goose Creek is considering its largest commercial development in its history, a hotel in the fast-growing Carnes Crossroads area, and the mayor says it has been a project two years in the making.
Goose Creek Mayor Greg Habib says the Springhill Suites hotel will address several needs within the city, and it will lead to more commercial development, such as retail stores and restaurants, down the line.
“This hotel is going to be a driver of other economic development,” he said.
The city is considering adding the 55,000 square foot, 110-room Springhill Suites hotel to a plot of land just off Highway 17A.
Habib said the hotel, which will cost the developer between $15 million and $16 million to build, would add desperately needed meeting space in the city and allow for more business to pop up.
“What comes up around hotels? Other restaurants, other stores, other opportunities for people to meet and come together in an area where there is that,” he said.
Bridget Lundberg has lived in the Carnes Crossroads area for a couple of years.
She says she’s all for the businesses and development the hotel could bring.
“I feel like this area could use that – restaurants,” Lundberg said. “We have a few right now supporting the Carnes area, but I feel like that would be good that you could go shopping and have a place that’s closer to go.”
The mayor expects construction on the hotel to begin by the end of the year and be completed by the end of 2023.
Once finished, the city said the hotel would bring around $100,000 in annual revenue.
Habib said people can expect to see more commercial development in the Carnes Crossroads area in the future.
“I really can’t speak specifically about other projects, except that there are other projects,” he said. “There are some significant retail projects that are in the works right now, that we are working with developers on. The ink has not dried on those as it were, but we believe very strongly that they are going to happen, and they’re going to happen sooner rather than later.”
The planned hotel project passed first reading during the Goose Creek City Council’s meeting on Tuesday.
It needs be passed for a second time in city council before construction can begin. Their next meeting is on April 12.
Copyright 2022 WCSC. All rights reserved.
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