Your Key to Stress Free Medicare: Enrollment Made Easy
50plus Magazine
If you were to conduct a Family Feud-style survey and ask a group of people to describe Medicare, you’d see words like “complicated,” “stressful” and “confusing” at the top of the board.
Vancouver-based agent and founder/owner of Your Insurance Gal Agency Stacey Johnson has dedicated 15 years to helping folks change their perception of Medicare through education, guidance and reducing the program to simple, understandable options.
Talking with Stacey reveals her love of senior services and deep commitment to helping people live their healthiest lives through a Medicare plan that meets their unique needs. She seeks to cut through the extraneous information and reduce the Medicare program to its simplest terms.
“Medicare can be so confusing,” she says. “So many recipients don’t understand it and often their kids don’t either. That’s an agent’s job.” Stacey aims to illuminate people’s options so they can choose the best path for themselves.
Best of all, Stacey serves her clients year-round. Unlike agents who only handle Medicare during Open Enrollment Periods, Stacey and her team are always available to answer your questions and advocate for you. Offices are conveniently located on Mill Plain across from the hospital and agents are available at one Fred Meyer and two Walmart stores.
In addition to year-round training and continuing education to help herself and her agents stay on the cutting-edge of any program changes, Stacey is also a volunteer lobbyist in Olympia and Washington DC. Using feedback from her own clients, she works to educate Congress on their constituents’ needs and advocates for practical solutions. One of her proudest moments was advocating for policies that became the Insulin Savings Act, which substantially reduced insulin costs.
Stacey prides herself on doing things “the old-fashioned way.” This approach starts with a thorough intake form followed by an interview to identify your needs and concerns. Stacey says the knowledge of your needs, combined with her years of experience, enables her to present you with plan options that leave no stone unturned.
“I know the plans, the network, and I have the sites of all the carriers” Stacey explains. For example, if you were to say hearing aids or medication coverage are important issues for you, Stacey can quickly filter through all the options to find one with the copays, physician options and best deductibles for you.
Stacey says among the most important aspects of finding someone a great plan is understanding what’s important to you. “All the things you want in a plan — list it.”
Among things to consider listing:
- Hearing, dental, vision
- Alternative care such as acupuncture, naturopathic or chiropractic care and even massage
- Specific medications
- Preferred doctors or health systems
Another important point Stacey always checks is your medication. Whether you currently need them or not, she ensures you’re getting your needs sufficiently met. For those not currently on prescription medications she says, “There are two important things to be aware of. One: medication coverage can be included for zero-premium cost, and two: If you don’t get prescription coverage when you’re first eligible for Medicare, there is a penalty for not obtaining that coverage at the time of enrollment. “It’s small, but cumulative.”
Although there are many important pieces to her approach to Medicare, the most important message Stacey hopes to impart is the value of help from an agent. “Some may look at agents like used car salesman,” she says, “but those specializing in Medicare are highly educated, dedicated to strict standards of ethics and competence, and they really care about you. We’re a really good value!” she says with a smile.
Stacey’s favorite impression to leave with people is the feeling that they have someone in their corner. “You don’t have to go this alone,” she assures. “When you have a great agent helping you, the value will follow.”