Do I actually need help enrolling in Medicare?

If you are turning 65, not working, and have no other coverage, the process is fairly simple and you may be fine on your own. If you are working past 65, retiring, on COBRA, on a spouse's plan, or you have already missed something, the rules get complicated fast and the mistakes tend to be permanent. Those are the situations worth a phone call.

Can you sign me up for Part A and Part B?

No. That goes through Social Security, online at ssa.gov, by phone, or at their office on Clematis Street. What we do is help you work out when to file, handle the employer verification paperwork if you need it, and then compare the coverage you add on top.

What does it cost to work with you?

We are compensated at the time of enrollment by the insurance company. There is never any obligation to enroll.

What if I already missed my enrollment window?

Call us before you assume the worst. Depending on the circumstances there may be a window still open to you, and some penalties can be avoided or reduced. It is worth twenty minutes to find out where you actually stand.

Do I have to buy a plan from you?

No. Some of the people we talk to end up not needing anything at all, and some decide to go a different direction. We would rather you get the timing right than feel obligated to buy something.

How long does this usually take?

It depends on your situation. Some people have it sorted in a single conversation. Others have questions over a few weeks, particularly if they are coordinating a retirement date with a coverage end date. Both are normal.

Medicare Enrollment Help in West Palm Beach

Many people feel Medicare enrollment is complicated. They worry about making a mistake that results in a lifetime penalty. Kevin Gallagher has been helping people in Palm Beach County get it right since 2014. When you call, you speak to him.

Since 2000

Licensed and working in insurance since 2000

Since 2014

Specializing in Medicare since 2014

Over 95%

of our clients come from referrals

We Cannot Sign You Up for Part A and Part B. We provide guidance.

Social Security handles this

Enrolling in Medicare Part A and Part B goes through the Social Security Administration, not through a broker. You apply at ssa.gov, by phone, or in person at their office on Clematis Street.

Applying for your Medicare card
Enrolling in Part A and Part B
Deciding your premium amount
Processing income-related adjustments

This is where we come in

Everything around that application, and everything after it.

Working out when you should enroll, and when you should wait
Handling the employer coverage verification if you worked past 65
Comparing the plans you add on top of Original Medicare
Checking your medications and doctors before you commit
Being the person you call when something does not look right

Most enrollment mistakes are not paperwork errors. They are timing decisions made without knowing the consequences, and they tend to be permanent.

That is the part worth a conversation before you file anything.

The Three Medigap Plans Most People Should Be Choosing Between

Medigap plans are standardized by letter, which means a Plan G is the same coverage no matter which company sells it. Plans C and F closed to anyone who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020, which leaves these three as the realistic choices for most people today.

I am turning 65

Your first enrollment window opens before your birthday and closes after it, and when you apply inside it changes when your coverage starts.

I need to sign up for Part A and Part B

The application goes through Social Security. We can walk you through what you need before you start.

I am still working and have employer coverage

You may not need Part B yet. Whether that is true depends on your employer's plan, and getting it wrong is expensive.

I want to change my plan

There are specific windows each year for switching, and which one applies depends on what you have now.

I am retiring or losing my coverage

Losing group coverage opens a window, and it does not stay open long. This is the situation we get called about most.

I missed a deadline

It may not be as bad as you think, and there are situations where a penalty can be avoided or reduced. Worth a call before you assume the worst.

Not Sure Which One You Are?

Plenty of situations do not fit neatly into a category. Disability coverage, COBRA, a spouse's plan, moving here from another state, or something else entirely.

Tell us what your situation looks like and we will tell you where you stand. It usually takes a few minutes.

Or call (561) 446-2821 and speak to Kevin directly.

This Usually Takes More Than One Conversation

Health insurance is complicated and expensive, and the decisions are hard to reverse. We would rather ask more questions up front than fix something later.

We start with your situation

When you turned or will turn 65, whether you have employer coverage, what you have now, and what is changing. This is where the timing questions get answered.

We look at your actual details

Your medications, your doctors, whether you travel, and how you want to use your coverage. Not a generic comparison. Your list, your providers, your ZIP code.

We talk it through, more than once

Some people decide in a day. Others have questions over a few weeks. Either is fine, and we would rather you take the time than rush a decision you are stuck with.

Over 95% of our business comes from referrals, which is usually a sign that the conversation went the way it should have.

There Is Also Free Medicare Counseling in West Palm Beach

SHINE, which stands for Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders, is a program of the Florida Department of Elder Affairs run locally by the Area Agency on Aging of Palm Beach/Treasure Coast. Their trained volunteers provide free, unbiased and confidential Medicare counseling.

SHINE Helpline: 1-866-684-5885

Most of Our Work Happens After You Are Enrolled

Choosing a plan takes a few conversations. Using it takes years. We tell every client to call when something does not make sense, and that is where most of our time actually goes.

A bill that was not what it looked like

A client called about a doctor's bill for more than $400. We went through it together and then called the practice to ask how the charge was calculated. They had the wrong insurance on file. The $40.00 copayment charged at the time of the visit was sufficient.

Finding a specialist she could trust

A client who is not comfortable on a computer calls us when she needs a specialist. We pull the provider list, and we can also tell her which doctors in her area other clients are seeing and are happy with & therefore may suit her needs.

Ongoing support includes:

Reviewing bills and statements that do not look right
Confirming a doctor is still in network before an appointment
Reviewing your plan each fall, because plans change every January

Where to Find Us

Choosing a plan takes a few conversations. Using it takes years. We tell every client to call when something does not make sense, and that is where most of our time actually goes.

Heskev Insurance 840

840 US Highway 1 North Palm Beach, FL

Phone: (561) 446-2821

Serving West Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter and the surrounding Palm Beach County area. We are licensed in 19 states. In person meetings by appointment only.

Social Security Administration

801 Clematis Street West Palm Beach, FL 33401 Phone: 1-866-783-7339 Open weekdays, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. In person meetings by appointment only.

You can apply online at ssa.gov.

Questions We Hear From People New to Medicare

Start With a Conversation, Not an Application

Nothing gets filed and nothing gets signed on a first call. Tell us where you are, what is changing, and when, and we will tell you what your options look like and what the deadlines are.

If it turns out you do not need us, we will tell you that too.