Agents who sell Medicare-related products like Medicare Advantage or Medicare Part D plans know that they need to be careful about creating their own marketing material. Medicare has very strict guidelines, and most information that agents put in front of clients needs to be pre-approved.
But what if agents just want to share some general information with clients to help educate them about Medicare. Perhaps an employee is nearing age 65 and trying to determine whether to remain on her group health plan or sign up for Medicare. Or maybe an under-65 client would like to learn more about his parents’ coverage options.
The good news is that there are several resources available on the Medicare.gov website that you can share with your clients. Even if you don’t pass them on, they also serve as great reference material for agents who want quick access to some of the most common client questions.
https://www.medicare.gov/Pubs/pdf/11579-medicare-costs.pdf
This four-page document is really handy. It lists the Medicare A cost-sharing amounts for hospital and skilled nursing facility stays as well as the Medicare Part B deductible and coinsurance amount. It also has charts showing the standard Part B premium as well as the Income-Related Adjustments for Medicare Parts B and D.
While all of this information is available on other pages of the Medicare.gov website, this concise document puts everything in one place and can be printed for easy access when visiting with clients.
https://www.medicare.gov/Pubs/pdf/12026-Understanding-Medicare-Advantage-Plans.pdf
This is a fantastic piece for people who want to learn what Medicare Advantage plans are and how they work. Here are a few of the topics addressed in this 32-page document:
The guide is well-written in plain language and includes pictures and graphs to make it easier to read.
https://www.medicare.gov/sites/default/files/2022-03/02110-medigap-guide-health-insurance.pdf
This 52-page resource provides a ton of information for Medicare beneficiaries who want to learn about their Medicare supplement options. It starts with Medicare Basics and then Medigap Basics. The guide also provides information about guaranteed-issue rights, purchasing a Medigap plan, and switching policies. It’s a very comprehensive document but still is easy to read.
These are just three resources available through Medicare.gov, but they’re pretty good ones. There are others that go into varying levels of detail. For example, “A Quick Look at Medicare” is a short four-page document that provides some basic information about the Medicare program, what it covers, and the differences between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage.
For much more detailed information, you’ll want to get a copy of the Medicare & You Handbook 2022 and have it nearby when visiting clients. It really is the ultimate resource when trying to find the answers to Medicare questions, so you’ll want to have a copy for yourself and maybe order some extras to distribute to clients.
We hope you find these resources beneficial. There’s so much information out there that it can seem overwhelming. It’s nice to have reference material that focuses on specific topics, like Medicare costs, Medicare Advantage Plans, or Medicare Supplements. If you have any other reference material that you’re willing to share with others, please let us know.