Medicare Education
Medicare Education & Insights
Plain-English guides to help beneficiaries compare Medicare Advantage plans, understand tradeoffs, and know when to ask a licensed agent for help.
Original Medicare update · 7 min read
CMS ACCESS Model in 2026: What Original Medicare Beneficiaries Should Know
CMS has launched a voluntary chronic-care model for qualifying people with Original Medicare. Learn who may be eligible, what services may involve, and what to verify before enrolling.
Read guide →Hospital and SNF coverage · 7 min read
Medicare Observation Status and the 3-Day SNF Rule: What Counts?
Learn how inpatient admission, observation status, and the 3-day hospital rule can affect Original Medicare coverage for skilled nursing facility care after a hospital stay.
Read guide →Medicare device update · 7 min read
CMS RAPID Medicare Device Coverage Pathway: What Beneficiaries Should Know
CMS has proposed a faster national coverage pathway for certain FDA-designated Breakthrough Devices. Learn what RAPID could change—and what it does not guarantee.
Read guide →Original Medicare costs · 7 min read
Medicare Assignment and Part B Excess Charges: What You Could Owe
Learn what accepting Medicare assignment means, when a provider may charge above the Medicare-approved amount, and what to verify before receiving care.
Read guide →2026 hospice update · 7 min read
Medicare Hospice Election Statement Addendum: New 2026 Rule Explained
CMS will require hospices to give every new Medicare hospice patient a written addendum explaining which conditions, services, items, and drugs the hospice says are unrelated and will not cover.
Read guide →2027 Part D update · 7 min read
2027 Medicare Part D Base Premium: What the New CMS Numbers Mean
CMS released preliminary 2027 Medicare Part D bid information. Learn what the $41.33 base beneficiary premium means, what it does not predict, and what to compare this fall.
Read guide →Preventive visits · 7 min read
Does Medicare Cover an Annual Physical? Wellness Visits Explained
A plain-English guide to Medicare coverage for routine physicals, the Welcome to Medicare preventive visit, yearly Wellness visits, and possible costs for additional services.
Read guide →2027 Medicare proposal · 7 min read
2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule: What Beneficiaries Should Know
A beneficiary-first guide to the proposed 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, including rural care, telehealth, advance care planning, shared medical appointments, and what is not final yet.
Read guide →Enrollment timing · 7 min read
Medicare Special Enrollment Periods: What Qualifies and What to Check Before You Switch
A plain-English guide to Medicare Special Enrollment Periods, common qualifying events, timing questions, and what beneficiaries should verify before changing Medicare Advantage or Part D coverage.
Read guide →Cost protection · 7 min read
Medicare Advantage Maximum Out-of-Pocket Limits: What Counts and What Does Not
A plain-English guide to Medicare Advantage maximum out-of-pocket limits, what costs usually count toward the limit, what does not, and why beneficiaries should compare the number before choosing a plan.
Read guide →Star Ratings update · 6 min read
2026 Medicare Advantage Star Ratings Were Recalculated: What Beneficiaries Should Check
A timely guide to CMS recalculated 2026 Medicare Advantage and Part D Star Ratings data, what the update may mean, and why beneficiaries should still compare local costs, drugs, and networks.
Read guide →Extra benefits · 7 min read
Medicare Advantage Dental, Vision, and Hearing Benefits: What to Compare
A plain-English guide to comparing Medicare Advantage dental, vision, and hearing benefits, including limits, networks, allowances, prior authorization, and out-of-pocket tradeoffs.
Read guide →Part D update · 6 min read
Medicare GLP-1 Bridge in 2026: What Part D Beneficiaries Should Know
A cautious, beneficiary-first explainer on CMS’s Medicare GLP-1 Bridge demonstration, what it may mean for eligible Part D members, and what to verify before relying on GLP-1 coverage.
Read guide →Medicare plan IDs · 6 min read
What Does a Medicare Plan ID Like H7617-111 Mean?
A plain-English guide to Medicare plan IDs, contract numbers, plan numbers, and why the code can help you verify the exact Medicare Advantage or Part D plan before comparing benefits.
Read guide →Medicare Advantage rules · 7 min read
Medicare Advantage Prior Authorization in 2026: What to Ask Before You Get Care
A beneficiary-first explainer on Medicare Advantage prior authorization, including 2026 decision-timeframe rules, denial reasons, networks, appeals, and what to verify before a service.
Read guide →Prescription drug coverage · 7 min read
How to Compare Medicare Part D Drug Plans: Formularies, Tiers, and Pharmacy Costs
A plain-English guide to comparing Medicare Part D drug coverage by formulary, drug tier, pharmacy network, plan rules, deductibles, and the 2026 out-of-pocket limit.
Read guide →New to Medicare · 7 min read
Turning 65? A Plain-English Medicare Checklist to Avoid Late Enrollment Penalties
A practical guide for people aging into Medicare: enrollment windows, Part A and Part B timing, Part D drug coverage, employer coverage, HSAs, and late enrollment penalties.
Read guide →Medicare Advantage basics · 5 min read
How to Compare Medicare Advantage Plans in 2026
A plain-English checklist for comparing 2026 Medicare Advantage plans by county, prescriptions, doctors, benefits, Star Ratings, and out-of-pocket exposure.
Read guide →Plan types · 4 min read
Medicare Advantage HMO vs PPO: What Beneficiaries Should Compare
Understand the practical differences between Medicare Advantage HMO and PPO plans, including networks, referrals, flexibility, and out-of-network costs.
Read guide →Quality signals · 4 min read
What Medicare Star Ratings Mean When Comparing Plans
Learn what Medicare Star Ratings can and cannot tell you when comparing Medicare Advantage and prescription drug plans.
Read guide →Coverage choices · 6 min read
Medicare Advantage vs Medicare Supplement: Key Differences to Compare
Compare Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement (Medigap) coverage paths, including networks, premiums, prescriptions, referrals, travel flexibility, and out-of-pocket predictability.
Read guide →Ready to compare plans now?
Start with the “Should I Switch?” questionnaire to review your county, prescriptions, priorities, and whether it may be worth comparing alternatives this AEP.
Start the Questionnaire