Is Go Medicare Benefits Legit

How Do I Receive The Medicare Giveback Benefit

You will not receive checks directly from your Medicare Advantage plan carrier. You can get your reduction in 2 ways:

Best For Member Satisfaction: Kaiser Permanente

Average Medicare star rating: 5 out of 5.

Service area: Available in eight states and Washington, D.C.

Standout feature: Kaiser stands head-and-shoulders above other providers in terms of the companys Medicare star ratings, and the company tops a list of nine providers for member satisfaction.

Kaiser Permanente is the fifth-largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans, with about 1.8 million members enrolled in 2022. Kaiser is also the largest not-for-profit health maintenance organization in the U.S., and the company uses an integrated care model, which means members can get all their care in one place and all their providers are connected. Kaiser plans are available in only eight states and Washington, D.C.

Pros:

• Kaiser Permanente earned 846 points out of 1,000 in J.D. Powers 2021 U.S. Medicare Advantage Study, netting it the top spot for customer satisfaction out of nine providers measured.

• Only seven Medicare health plans received a 5 out of 5 rating from the National Committee for Quality Assurance, and four of them are Kaiser Permanente plans.

Cons:

• Kaiser Permanente plans are available only in eight states and Washington, D.C., so the majority of U.S. adults cant access them.

• Kaiser offers only HMO plans, so members must work within Kaisers network of medical providers.

Is Your Medicare Plan Legitimate Or A Scam How You Can Tell

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If you are on Medicare, you only have three weeks left to pick out a plan for coverage in 2019.

But how do you know which plan is best, and how do you avoid the Medicare scams that are targeting seniors right now.

Commercials are in full swing selling Medicare Advantage coverage plans, but how do you know what’s legitimate or a scam? We turned to Raymond Hurd, a Regional Administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. He warned about any phone calls or personal visits.

“We’re never going to call you, so if somebody calls and says they represent Medicare, it’s probably a fraud. If they’re trying to tell you that you can get something for free, that Medicare’s going to pay for, it’s probably a fraud,” said Hurd.

About two-thirds of Medicare recipients get benefits through government-run original Medicare. The other third enrolls in Medicare Advantage plans. But with Advantage plans you must make sure your doctors are in-network for maximum reimbursement. And just like private health insurance companies, there are different Medicare Advantage plans.

“Some Medicare Advantage plans may cover hearing or vision and others may not. Their monthly premiums may vary too, so you need to sort of shop around and see what best fits your needs,” he said.

Hurd says it’s best to go to medicare.gov online to compare plans that are best for your needs or call 1-800-medicare, where a rep will explain each plan or refer you to a local counselor.

1-800-MEDICARE

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How To Apply Online For Just Medicare

Are you within three months of turning age 65 or older and not ready to start your monthly Social Security benefits yet? You can use our online retirement application to sign up just for Medicare and wait to apply for your retirement or spouses benefits later. It takes less than 10 minutes, and there are no forms to sign and usually no documentation is required.

To find out what documents and information you need to apply, go to the .

How To Stop Medicare Scam Calls

Medicare scam calls arenât the only means by which fraudsters try to take advantage of you over the phone. Hereâs how to reduce the number of spam and scam calls you receive:

• Familiarize yourself with common scammer tactics, so you are less likely to fall prey to a scam in the future.
• Donât answer calls from unknown numbers.
• Whenever someone calls you claiming to be from a company, hang up and call the company back using the official phone number on the companyâs website.

Take action:

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Great For Nationwide Coverage: Humana

• Ranked 2nd by J.D. Power for customer satisfaction

• Benefits for over-the-counter drugs

• Wide range of plan types available

• Few plans offer additional drug coverage in the gap

Humana is the second-largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans nationwide, with 18% of the market in 2022. It also stands out as the second-best company for customer satisfaction, according to J.D. Powerâs 2022 U.S. Medicare Advantage Study . HMO, PPO, and PFFS plans are available, depending on where you live, and Humana offers perks like an over-the-counter drug benefit.

The reason Humana doesnât score higher is that few of its Medicare Advantage plans with drug coverage offer any additional coverage in the coverage gap. Fewer than one third, in fact. If you rely on prescription drugs and they cost more than $4,660 in 2023, you could be on the hook for 25% of their cost in the coverage gap.

Plans are available in all states except for Alaska, Rhode Island, and Wyoming.

Read more in our Humana Medicare review.

What Is The Medicare Donut Hole Or Coverage Gap

The Medicare coverage gap or “donut hole” refers to a period when there is a limit on drug coverage. It begins once the Medicare Advantage plan and member spend $4,430 on covered drugs. During this time, members are responsible for up to 25% of the cost of brand name and generic drugs. Some plans offer additional coverage in the gap, such as $0 copays on preferred brand name drugs and generics. The gap ends once the member spends $7,050 on covered drugs.

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How The Scam Works

Medicare and Social Security beneficiaries across the country report receiving calls from scam operators , who claim to represent Medicare, Social Security, or an insurance company. These callers claim that new Medicare, Social Security, or supplemental insurance benefits cards are being issued or that the beneficiaryâs file must be updated. The scam artist asks the citizen to verify or provide their personal banking information, which is then used to commit theft.

The caller may be extremely aggressive, calling over and over, and at all times of the day, in an attempt to wear down the potential victim. These criminals will say anything to try to gain a personâs trust. In some cases, the criminals may have already obtained some limited personal information about the citizen, such as his or her name, address, or even Social Security number, which the criminal then uses to try to make the call seem legitimate. In other cases, the callers may claim that they can improve the benefits. Do not believe these claims, and do not carry on a conversation with the caller. Instead, if you receive a call asking you to disclose your bank account or other financial information, hang up immediately. These are criminals, and by speaking with the callers, even to ask them to stop calling, they may be encouraged to continue calling your telephone number.

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services7500 Security Boulevard

Beware Of Identity Theft When Looking At Your Medicare Coverage Choices

Remember to Guard your Cardkeeping your ID card and personal information secure at all times is very important:

• No one should call you or come to your home uninvited to sell Medicare products.
• Medicare plans cannot ask you for credit card or banking information over the telephone unless you are already a member of that plan.
• In most cases, Medicare can’t call you to enroll in a planyou must call them.
• Only give your information to doctors or other providers YOU KNOW, plans contracted by Medicare, and to people in the community who work with Medicare, such as your State Health Insurance Program or Social Security.

If you think you’ve been a victim of identity theft or fraud and do not want to report it directly to UnitedHealthcare, you can also call any of these numbers/agencies below:

For more information, request the guide titled “Protecting Medicare and You from Fraud” by calling toll-free 1-800-MEDICARE . TTY/TDD users should call toll-free 1-877-486-2048. A customer service representative can answer your questions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

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Medicare Open Enrollment Scams To Avoid

Con artists and scammers are constantly inventing new ways to take advantage of people. Unfortunately, older adults tend to be more trusting of strangers and less aware of the newest ploys these dishonest people use, making them a common target. The annual Medicare Open Enrollment period offers the perfect opportunity for duping unsuspecting elders into sharing their sensitive personal and financial information.

Below are some common tactics that scammers use on Medicare beneficiaries around the open enrollment period each year. This information will help you avoid falling victim to identity theft and/or Medicare fraud and allow you to warn others about these schemes.

You Need To Be Enrolled In A Medicare Advantage Plan To Receive The Benefit

According to the official U.S. government website for Medicare, some Medicare Advantage plans cover part or all of your Medicare Part B monthly premium. In order to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan, you’ll need to be enrolled in or eligible for both Medicare Part A and B.

To receive the Medicare give back benefit, you’ll need to enroll in a plan that offers to pay your Part B monthly premium.

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What To Do If You Receive A Medicare Scam Call

Medicare scam callers can be persuasive, threatening, and aggressive. But itâs important to keep calm and remember that they canât do anything to you without your information.

If you or a loved one gets a Medicare scam call, hereâs what to do:

Will Medicare ever call you?

According to the official Medicare website, there are only two reasons why you should ever receive a call from Medicare:

• A Medicare health or drug plan provider may call you if youâre already a member of the plan. The agent who helped you join might also call you.
• A customer service representative from 1-800-MEDICARE can call you if youâve called and left a message .

Best For Size Of Network: Unitedhealthcare

Average Medicare star rating: 4.2 out of 5.

Service area: Available in 50 states and Washington, D.C.

Standout feature: UnitedHealthcare offers the largest Medicare Advantage network of all companies, with more than 1 million network care providers.

UnitedHealthcare is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans and offers plans in nearly three-quarters of U.S. counties. UnitedHealthcare also partners with AARP, insuring the Medicare products that carry the AARP name. Many of UHCs members are in highly rated plans, although member satisfaction ratings are lower than those of several other providers.

Pros:

• Nearly all of UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage members who are in contracts with Medicare star ratings are in contracts rated 4 stars or higher.

• UnitedHealthcare offers $0-copay telehealth visits, as well as annual home health visits.

• UHC offers members the chance to work with expert advocates if they have care questions, as well as care coordinators for complex health issues.

Cons:

• Despite being a big player in the industry, UnitedHealthcares scores in J.D. Power’s 2021 Medicare Advantage Study, which measured member satisfaction, were lower than the industry average. UHC tied for sixth out of nine providers measured.

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Gomedicare Medicare Advantage Insurance Review

At ConsumersAdvocate.org, we take transparency seriously.

To that end, you should know that many advertisers pay us a fee if you purchase products after clicking links or calling phone numbers on our website.

The following companies are our partners in Medicare Supplement Insurance: Humana.

We sometimes offer premium or additional placements on our website and in our marketing materials to our advertising partners. Partners may influence their position on our website, including the order in which they appear on a Top 10 list.

For example, when company ranking is subjective our advertising partners may be ranked higher. If you have any specific questions while considering which product or service you may buy, feel free to reach out to us anytime.

If you choose to click on the links on our site, we may receive compensation. If you don’t click the links on our site or use the phone numbers listed on our site we will not be compensated. Ultimately the choice is yours.

The analyses and opinions on our site are our own and our editors and staff writers are instructed to maintain editorial integrity. Our brand, ConsumersAdvocate.org, stands for accuracy and helpful information. We know we can only be successful if we take your trust in us seriously!

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The State Health Insurance Assistance Program

The State Health Insurance Assistance Program is a free health benefits counseling service for Medicare beneficiaries. Our mission is to empower, educate, and assist Medicare-eligible individuals, their families, and caregivers through objective outreach, counseling and training, to help individuals make informed health insurance decisions that optimize access to care and benefits. SHIP is an independent program federally funded by the Administration for Community Living and is not affiliated with the insurance industry.

If you have Medicare and have limited income and resources, you may be able to get help paying for your Medicare monthly payment. You may also qualify for assistance with Medicare prescription drug costs, doctor and hospital visits.

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Unitedhealthcare Has Nationwide Coverage Satisfied Customers And $0 Copays

We recommend the best products through an independent review process, and advertisers do not influence our picks. We may receive compensation if you visit partners we recommend. Read our advertiser disclosure for more info.

Medicare Advantage plans are an attractive alternative to Original Medicare, and often include prescription drug benefits. In fact, nearly half of all people eligible for Medicare enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan in 2022. This is because MA plans offer benefits that Original Medicare does not, such as an annual limit on out-of-pocket expenses, plus coverage for dental, vision, and hearing care. In exchange , you generally need to use in-network providers and services. But since MA plans are administered by commercial insurance companies, costs and benefits differ, making it essential to shop around.

You can sign up or change plans during Medicare open enrollment once a year or during your initial enrollment period, so itâs important to choose wisely. We compared key factors, including quality of care, customer satisfaction, available benefits, cost, coverage in the Medicare donut hole, and plan service areas to determine the best Medicare Advantage companies and plans for 2023. All of the following providers offer plans with vision, dental, and hearing care plus coverage for fitness programs, worldwide emergencies, and telehealth services.

We Find Medicare Supplement Plans That Are Right For You

We DO NOT go for the quick sale because we are too busy educating and servicing our participants regarding their Medicare supplement plans. As a result, most of our participants have been referred to us by our existing clients. Therefore, our participants remain in their Medicare Supplement plans, or Medicare Advantage coverage with us far longer than average. Our participants trust our guidance because we take the time to explain ALL of your options and whether your physicians participate with your plan.

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Err On The Side Of Skepticism

Offers of free medical care or equipment or health plans that can save you thousands may sound good but are often fishy. Remember, there’s no such thing as a free lunch, so say no to anything that sounds too good to be true.

If a sales representative is aggressively pushing a plan on you, disengage and hang up. If you are potentially interested in whatever coverage they were offering, you should be able to find it using Medicare’s plan finder. Do that instead of signing up with the representative or sharing any of your info with them. Then, take the time to read all the details carefully before you act.

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GoMedicare wants to know if you’re getting the most out of your Medicare coverage. The company says there are extra benefits available, like dental, vision, hearing and prescription drug coverage but Medicare can be confusing. Patients can call to ask about getting benefits included on their plans. As elderly folks enjoy time with their families, GoMedicare says it wants to help people get the Medicare plans they deserve while maximizing health and minimizing out-of-pocket expenses.

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See If You Are Eligible Timestamp: 0: 12

Same Disclaimer Fine Print

The fine print in the red circles on this screenshot says Not affiliated or endorsed by any government agency. Plans vary by region and state.

Benefits amounts based on median amounts available, not all benefits are available in all plans and regions.

So, there is no guarantee that you are going to get this insurance. In addition to not meeting the low-income criteria , you most likely will be dealing with a call center and only represent One company. That isnt necessarily the best option.