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Questions? Call (918) 420-9999

Need Help? Call or Text: (800) 420-9767

Six ways to close the gaps

Explore Coverage That Works Alongside Medicare

Medicare covers a lot, but it was never designed to cover everything. These are the add-ons we help clients weigh, and each one links to a plain-English explanation below.

Add-on 1 of 6

Dental, Vision & Hearing

What it is

A standalone policy that pays toward routine cleanings and exams, fillings, crowns and dentures, eye exams and glasses, and hearing exams and hearing aids. Many plans let you see any provider; some use a network for better pricing.

The gap it closes

Original Medicare does not cover routine dental, vision, or hearing care. It pays for medically necessary care (an eye exam for diabetes, a hearing test your doctor orders) but not the cleaning, the glasses, or the hearing aids.

Who it tends to fit

People on Original Medicare with a Supplement who want dental and hearing coverage without switching to Medicare Advantage, and anyone whose Advantage plan's dental benefit is thinner than it looked.

Good to know

Most plans have an annual maximum and waiting periods for major services, so it pays to enroll before you need a crown or hearing aids rather than after.

Add-on 2 of 6

Long-Term Care

What it is

Coverage for help with daily living, like bathing, dressing, eating, and getting around, whether that help comes at home, in assisted living, or in a nursing facility. Traditional long-term care policies and newer hybrid life or annuity policies with a long-term care rider both exist.

The gap it closes

Medicare covers a limited stay in a skilled nursing facility after a qualifying hospital stay, and only skilled care. It does not pay for custodial care, the everyday help most people eventually need, which is the single largest expense Medicare leaves uncovered.

Who it tends to fit

People in their 50s and 60s who want to protect retirement savings and a spouse's standard of living, and families who have watched a parent spend down everything on care.

Good to know

These policies are medically underwritten, so it is far easier to qualify while you are healthy. The earlier you look, the more options you will have and the lower the premium.

Add-on 3 of 6

Short-Term Care

What it is

A policy that pays a daily benefit for recovery care for a limited period, commonly up to a year, at home or in a facility. Think of it as long-term care coverage sized for the most common situation: recovering from a hospital stay, surgery, or a fall.

The gap it closes

The stretch between leaving the hospital and being fully back on your feet is where Medicare's coverage runs out fastest, especially once the skilled care ends and you still need help at home.

Who it tends to fit

People who want a bridge for the recovery months without the cost of a full long-term care policy, and people who did not qualify for long-term care insurance.

Good to know

Underwriting is usually simpler than long-term care insurance and premiums are lower, because the benefit period is shorter. Elimination periods and daily benefit amounts vary, so we compare the fine print.

Add-on 4 of 6

Copay Protection Plans

What it is

Often called hospital indemnity plans. They pay you a fixed cash amount when something happens: a set dollar amount per day in the hospital, for an ambulance ride, an outpatient surgery, or a skilled nursing stay. You use the cash however you need to.

The gap it closes

Medicare Advantage plans keep premiums low by charging copays when you use care, and a hospital stay can mean a daily copay for several days plus other costs before you reach the plan's yearly maximum. A copay protection plan is designed to hand that money back to you.

Who it tends to fit

Medicare Advantage members who want their good-year premium and a cushion for a bad year, and anyone who has looked at their plan's hospital copays and winced.

Good to know

Benefits are paid directly to you, not the hospital, and they pay in addition to whatever your health plan pays. Cancer and heart-attack or stroke lump-sum policies work the same way for those specific diagnoses.

Add-on 5 of 6

Life Insurance

What it is

Final expense (a smaller whole life policy that covers funeral costs and last bills, with level premiums and simplified health questions), term life for a set number of years, and permanent policies that build cash value.

The gap it closes

Medicare pays nothing toward a funeral, a mortgage, or the income a spouse loses when one Social Security check stops. Life insurance is how families keep a hard month from becoming a hard decade.

Who it tends to fit

Anyone who wants to leave a clean slate for their family, spouses who rely on two Social Security checks, and grandparents who want to leave something behind.

Good to know

Premiums are based on age and health, so a policy started at 62 costs less than the same policy at 70. Many final expense plans require no medical exam.

Add-on 6 of 6

Under 65 Health Insurance

What it is

Individual and family coverage for people who are not yet eligible for Medicare: Affordable Care Act Marketplace plans (often with income-based premium help), off-exchange plans, and small group options for business owners.

The gap it closes

Early retirees, spouses who are younger than the Medicare-eligible partner, and adult children coming off a parent's plan all land in the same gap: no employer coverage yet, no Medicare yet.

Who it tends to fit

Retiring before 65, a spouse who is not yet 65, self-employed people and small business owners, and families who need coverage between jobs.

Good to know

Marketplace open enrollment runs each fall for coverage starting January 1, and losing employer coverage opens a special enrollment period. Income-based subsidies can make the premium far lower than people expect.

Seniors take notes during a complimentary Medicare workshop

Good to Know Before You Enroll

Most Medicare add-ons can be added at any time, but a few have their own enrollment windows. Medigap plans offer the best rates and no medical underwriting during your 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period, which starts the month your Part B begins. Life insurance and short and long-term care policies are medically underwritten, so it is easier to qualify while you are healthy.

Not sure where to start? Call or text us at (918) 420-9999 and we will walk you through your options at no cost.

FAQ

Common Questions About Medicare Add-Ons

Do I need any of these if I have a Medicare Advantage plan?

Maybe. Many Advantage plans include some dental, vision, and hearing, but the benefit is often capped, and none of them cover long-term care or pay you cash for hospital copays. A copay protection plan is the add-on we discuss most often with Advantage members.

Can I add dental coverage at any time?

Usually yes. Standalone dental, vision, and hearing plans are not tied to Medicare enrollment periods, though most have waiting periods for major services, so earlier is better.

Is long-term care insurance worth it?

It depends on your savings, your family, and your health. What we can say plainly is that Medicare will not pay for custodial care, and the cost of a year in a facility can erase decades of saving. We will show you traditional, hybrid, and short-term options side by side so you can decide with real numbers.

Is there a fee for your help with add-ons?

No. Like everything else we do, our guidance comes at no cost to you. We are paid by the carriers, and your premium is the same whether you enroll through us or on your own.

Let's find the right fit.

Reserve a complimentary, no-obligation consultation with a local licensed advisor and get clear answers about which add-ons make sense for you, and which ones do not.

What Makes Medicare Prepare Different

Locally based, licensed agents who know your area's plans, doctors, and pharmacies inside and out — not a distant call center.

There's never a fee for our guidance. We're paid by the carriers, so our help costs you nothing, no matter which plan you choose.

We work with multiple top-rated carriers, so our recommendations are based on what's right for you, not a sales quota.

That's the Medicare Prepare difference.