Medicare help in Woodstock, IL
Monica Roman compares Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement and Part D prescription drug plans from multiple carriers to find coverage that fits your doctors, prescriptions and budget. Her help costs you nothing, and it’s available in English or Spanish.
Medicare plans we can help with
Medicare has several parts, and choosing between them is where most people get stuck. We shop plans from multiple carriers and walk you through the trade-offs.
Medicare Advantage (Part C)
All-in-one plans from private insurers that take the place of Original Medicare Parts A and B. Most include drug coverage and extras such as dental, vision or hearing, and most use a provider network.
Medicare Supplement (Medigap)
Works alongside Original Medicare to help pay costs it leaves behind, such as deductibles, copays and coinsurance. You can see any doctor in the U.S. who accepts Medicare.
Part D prescription drug plans
Stand-alone drug coverage for people on Original Medicare, with or without a Supplement. We check your prescriptions against each plan’s list of covered drugs.
Yearly plan reviews
Plans change their costs, networks and drug lists every year. We review your coverage each fall so you aren’t caught off guard in January.
When can you enroll in Medicare?
You can only join or change Medicare plans during certain windows. These are the ones that matter most:
- Around your 65th birthday
Initial Enrollment Period
A seven-month window: the three months before the month you turn 65, your birthday month, and the three months after.
- October 15 – December 7
Annual Enrollment Period
Anyone with Medicare can switch, join or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan. Changes take effect January 1.
- January 1 – March 31
Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment
If you’re in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can switch to a different one or return to Original Medicare, once.
- After a life change
Special Enrollment Periods
Moving, losing employer coverage and other qualifying events can open a window to change plans outside the usual dates.
- Your first 6 months on Part B
Medigap Open Enrollment
Starts the month you’re 65 or older and enrolled in Part B. During these six months you can buy any Medicare Supplement plan sold in Illinois without health questions.
Why work with a local Medicare agent?
- It costs you nothing. Your premium is the same whether you enroll through an agent or on your own.
- Side-by-side comparisons of plans from multiple carriers, not just one company’s options.
- Your doctors and prescriptions checked against each plan’s network and drug list before you enroll.
- Help after you enroll with ID cards, billing questions and next year’s review.
- Service in Spanish, including help reading the letters Medicare and your plan send you.
What to bring to your Medicare appointment
- Your red, white and blue Medicare card (or Social Security information if you’re new to Medicare)
- A list of your doctors and the hospitals you prefer
- Your prescriptions, with the dose and how often you take each one
- Your current plan’s card and any letters from your plan
Medicare carriers Monica represents
Medicare questions we hear often
Does it cost anything to work with a Medicare agent?
No. Agents are paid by the insurance companies, and your plan premium is the same whether you enroll through an agent or on your own.
What’s the difference between Medicare Advantage and a Medicare Supplement?
Medicare Advantage replaces Original Medicare with an all-in-one private plan that usually has a provider network and often includes drug coverage. A Medicare Supplement keeps you on Original Medicare and helps pay the costs it doesn’t cover, and you add a separate Part D plan for prescriptions.
When should I sign up for Medicare?
Most people sign up during their Initial Enrollment Period, the seven months around their 65th birthday. If you’re still working with employer coverage, the rules can be different, so call us before you decide to wait.
Can I change my Medicare plan?
Yes, during the Annual Enrollment Period from October 15 to December 7. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, you also get one change between January 1 and March 31.
I’m under 65. Can you still help with health insurance?
Yes. Monica helps individuals and families compare plans through Get Covered Illinois, plus dental and vision coverage. See health insurance.
Ready to review your Medicare options?
Call Monica for a free side-by-side comparison, in English or Spanish.