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Travis, you would be incorrect in that assessment. I have clients that I enrolled 6 months out. They go down to Social Security and enroll in person. I get quite a few calls from people asking about this plan or that plan. Now I am not at the office with them so it could be a plant or a janitor but they have come back and had questions about the MA plans and costs. It is not as bad as when they go to the Senior Centers but it does happen regularly.
Yeah, with all due respect, I take third hand accounts with a grain of salt. I actually tested this with local SSA staff locally. As I actually interact with them daily and directly.
I asked a few of them, “What’s Medicare Advantage?” The answer was, “I don’t know, is that a T16 program?” T16 is disability, fyi.
When I explained that it’s an alternative to Traditional Medicare and an insurance product, the response was universally “We sign people up for Medicare, but don’t really advise on specifics. That’s more of a Medicare thing.”
I definitely think that CMS brings up Medicare advantage as an option (because they should.) However SSA isn’t in some massive conspiracy to get people off Traditional Medicare by hocking Medicare Advantage.
CMS and SSA are two different entities under DHHS.
Again, my full time job works intimately with SSA and regulations. I’m calling shenanigans on it.
On the larger point, personally, CMS can pitch Part C all they want. I don’t worry about things that are outside of my control.