Tag: Medicare Advantage

Medicare Advantage vs Medigap: A Decision That Shapes Your Retirement (Ep. 41)

Medicare Advantage vs Medigap: A Decision That Shapes Your Retirement (Ep. 41)

Healthcare choices in retirement often feel routine at first, yet they can quietly shape finances, stress levels, and quality of life for decades.

How do you weigh lower monthly costs against long-term predictability? What happens when a decision made at 65 becomes harder to reverse later?

In this episode, Adam Scott and co-host Patrice Sikora break down the real differences between Medicare Advantage and traditional Medicare with Medigap coverage. They explain how these options work, why many retirees choose Advantage plans, and where hidden costs and administrative hurdles can emerge. The conversation highlights timing, underwriting risk, managed care realities, and why planning for future health matters as much as present health.

Key takeaways:

  • Why Medicare decisions made at 65 can have lasting effects later in retirement
  • How Medicare Advantage plans trade lower premiums for higher cost variability
  • The role Medigap plays in creating predictable healthcare expenses
  • What underwriting rules mean if you try switching plans later in life
  • How time, stress, and care coordination factor into healthcare planning
  • And more!

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Turning 65: The Vital Action Steps (Ep. 36)

Turning 65: The Vital Action Steps (Ep. 36)

Turning 65 is more than a milestone. It’s a financial and healthcare turning point that demands action.

In this episode, Adam Scott, CFP®, shares the essential decisions you must make around Medicare as you turn 65, from enrollment timelines to cost-saving strategies. 

With personal anecdotes and professional insights, Adam demystifies Parts A, B, C, and D, discusses common missteps, and explains how Medicare ties into employer and retiree health plans. Whether you’re still working, semi-retired, or fully retired, this episode breaks down what really matters at 65.

Adam discusses:

  • Medicare enrollment timelines, how to apply, and why timing is critical to avoid penalties
  • The differences between Medicare Parts A, B, C (Advantage), D (prescription), and Medigap
  • How existing retiree or employer health plans interact with Medicare
  • Mistakes to avoid, like enrolling in the wrong plan, or skipping enrollment when required
  • The cost implications of Medicare based on income and the potential loss of HSA eligibility

Resources:

Connect with Adam Scott, CFP®