What is a Medicare Special Needs Plan?
You're probably familiar with Medicare, but you may not know much about Medicare Special Needs Plans (SNPs), a type of Medicare plan designed for individuals with specific healthcare needs. These ...
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Traveling Internationally with Medicare
It's important to be prepared when you are getting ready for an international trip so that you can relax and enjoy your vacation. Besides remembering to grab your passport and pack extra socks, it's ...
What to Look For When Choosing a Medicare Plan
Are you looking for a Medicare Plan to fit your specific needs but don’t know what important factors you need to consider? Whether you are just starting to consider enrolling into Medicare, or you've ...
Navigating Medicare While Caring for Aging Parents and Your Own Family
As part of the sandwich generation, you may find yourself helping to care for your aging parents while managing your own family's responsibilities. This can be a challenge on it's own, but it only ...
Recognizing Medicare Gaps in Home Health Care and How to Fill Them
If you or a loved one is in need of home health care, it's important to understand what Medicare covers for these types of services and what is excluded. In this blog, you'll learn what home health ...
Does My Medicare Cover the Shingles Vaccine?
Shingles can cause intense pain and discomfort, but the good news is that it can be preventable with the Shingrix vaccine. If you’re wondering whether your Medicare plan covers this vaccine, you’re ...
Medicare Star Ratings and Why They Are Important
When choosing a Medicare plan, one important attribute to consider is a "Star Rating." The overall Star Rating gives a ranking of the Medicare plan's quality and performance for the types of services ...
Understanding Medicare Vaccine Coverage: What’s Included, from Flu to RSV
Have you mastered your Medicare coverage, or are you still trying to figure out the specifics of what's covered and what's not? If you're wondering how various vaccines are covered by your Medicare, ...
Does Medicare Cover Nursing Homes?
Planning for nursing home care can feel overwhelming, especially when you're trying to understand how Medicare fits into the picture. Whether you're planning for the future for yourself or navigating ...
Does My Medicare Plan Cover a Fitness Membership?
Staying active as we age is essential for a long and healthy life. If you’ve been looking to maintain your health and energy levels as you get older, you may be wondering if Medicare can help. The ...
Medicare Advantage Plan Updates for 2025
What do Medicare Advantage plans, also known as Part C, have in store for 2025?
Why Medicare Education Matters for Making Informed Choices
As you near the highly anticipated age of 65 years old, the excitement of joining Medicare can be overwhelming. Understanding Medicare coverage and the various plan options can be time-consuming and ...
5 Tips to Prevent Caregiver Burnout
Caregiver burnout is real. Just like workers lose energy at their jobs or parents lose energy around their kids or spouses, caregivers can easily feel burnt out constantly being “on” and focusing all ...
Alternative Health Care Coverage with Medicare
Alternative health care options like acupuncture, supplements, and therapeutic massage are becoming increasingly popular. With this growing interest, many find themselves wondering if Medicare covers ...
Does Medicare Cover Eyeglasses and Vision Care?
Do you foresee a new pair of glasses in your future? Maybe your current ones are barely staying together or perhaps you’re finally ready to admit that squinting at the TV isn’t as effective as it ...
What Preventive Services Are Covered By Medicare?
Staying on top of your health is easier when you know what’s covered by Medicare. From essential screenings to vaccinations, preventive services are an important part of maintaining your health. Keep ...
Are Medicare Premiums Tax Deductible?
Navigating the complexities of Medicare can be challenging, especially when it comes to understanding the financial aspects. One common question that our team receives from the Medicare beneficiaries ...
Get the Right Coverage with Twin City Underwriter’s SurePlan® Medicare System
Choosing a Medicare plan can be hard – there are so many to choose from. How do you know you have the right one? Twin City Underwriters uses their very own SurePlan® Medicare System to ensure you ...
Common Medicare Scams to Avoid
Unfortunately, Medicare scams are on the rise. As technology continues to become more advanced, these scams are increasingly common and sophisticated. Scammers will try just about anything to ...
How To Have Fun with Medicare!
Fun and Medicare are two words you don’t typically expect to be in the same sentence. We get it; Medicare can be an overwhelming topic, especially when you are just starting out. But at Twin City ...
Do Medicare Advantage Plans Require Prior Authorization?
Prior Authorization—whether you’re on Medicare or not, you’ve likely heard this term and may have some questions about it. This process, which is often necessary for certain medical services and ...
How Seniors Can Reduce Joint Pain
Are you dealing with joint pain? Does it leave you feeling incapable of doing the things you once enjoyed? Unfortunately, joint pain is a common occurrence for adults, especially as we age. According ...
Medicare Part D Changes for 2025
If you are enrolled in Medicare, you likely know that changes are a common occurrence. Because of this, staying informed is critical to understanding how you may be affected and being confident that ...
Does Medicare Cover Chiropractic Care?
Are you curious about chiropractic care and if it’s covered by Medicare? You are not alone. Whether you’re seeking relief from back pain or considering alternative therapies for another condition, ...
What is an ANOC and What Do I Need to Know About It?
If you are enrolled in a Medicare plan, you may have heard the term or even received an “Annual Notice of Change (ANOC).” If you are not quite sure what this is, its significance, or the details you ...
Do Medicare Plans Automatically Renew?
If you have a Medicare plan, you may wonder if it automatically renews each year or if you need to take action to keep or change your plan. It’s important to be aware of how your Medicare plan ...
Review Your Medicare Coverage To Prepare for Changes
Whether you just started Medicare this year or have been on Medicare for several years, it’s probably no surprise that things can change often. In fact, premiums, plan benefits and more can change ...
Benefits of Working with a Medicare Broker
Navigating Medicare can be overwhelming. Understanding the enrollment periods, the difference between a Medicare Supplement and a Medicare Advantage plan and the varying coverage options can be a ...
Does Medicare Cover Long-Term Care?
Recent studies estimate that at least 70% of older adults aged 65 years and older will require long-term care at some point. Long-term care costs vary throughout the country, but according to the ...
Medicare Advantage vs Medicare Supplements: Which One Is Right For Me?
As you approach your 65th birthday, you’re likely to be bombarded with information, emails, and mailers from various Medicare insurance companies. It can be overwhelming to decipher the medicare ...
What’s the Difference: Insurance Agent vs Insurance Broker
Understanding the roles of insurance agents and brokers is significant when it comes to insurance. These terms are often used interchangeably, which can be confusing. You might be wondering if they ...
How Does Medicare Cover Hearing Aids?
As we age, it’s common for our senses to be less sharp than they once were. You may have a more challenging time reading the text in your novel, or you might find yourself asking the grandkids to ...
How to Compare Medicare Plans
When it’s time to sign up for Medicare, there is a lot of information to take in. Signing up for Original Medicare Parts A and B is typically a rather straightforward process, but when it comes to ...
Are Medicare Plans Free?
When you hear something is free, you may say that it’s too good to be true! In some cases, it is; in others, it’s not. So, when it comes to Medicare plans, the question arises: Are there really free ...
Understanding Medicare Advantage Plans in Minnesota
Medicare Advantage plans have become a popular choice for seniors seeking comprehensive coverage beyond Original Medicare. Also known as MA or MAPD plans, they offer supplemental benefits and often ...
How Does Medicare Part D Work?
Medicare consists of several different parts of coverage. Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B make up Original Medicare, which provides hospital coverage and doctor care, among other services. Find ...
Are Medicare Premiums Income Based?
When it comes to Medicare, there’s a lot to consider beyond just the basic coverage options. One crucial aspect that often catches new enrollees off guard is the fact that Medicare premiums are ...
Can I Laminate My Medicare Card?
Shortly before your 65th birthday or when you sign up for Medicare, you’ll receive a red, white and blue paper card – this is your official Medicare card. Your Medicare card will be used for many ...
How to Help a Senior Parent Transition into Assisted Living
Moving often comes with stress and a long to-do list, and this can be especially true for an adult child and senior parent who has decided to move into assisted living. This transition may have been ...
Does Medicare Have a Deductible?
Medicare is not always the most straightforward to understand, and associated costs are often a key factor when starting or re-enrolling in a Medicare plan. When you begin researching your Medicare ...
Do Doctors Not Like Medicare Advantage Plans?
Medicare Advantage plans (MA / MAPD’s) are one of the most common Medicare plan enrollments among seniors. As of 2023, Medicare Advantage plans have 30.8 million individuals enrolled, constituting ...
Does Medicare Cover Hospice Care?
Original Medicare covers many medically necessary medical services that one would need; however, at the same time, Medicare doesn’t cover everything, and seniors may find themselves paying out of ...
5 Travel Tips for Older Adults
Taking a trip can be a fun and exciting time, however the preparations before leaving for a small or grand adventure can be a bit stressful. From travel and lodging plans, to-do-lists, checklists and ...
What’s the Difference: Medicare Advantage Plans vs. Medicare Supplements
When you are starting Medicare or reviewing your plan options during the Annual Election Period there is a lot to consider. One of the biggest decisions you will make is what type of Medicare ...
What is the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (OEP)?
The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (MA OEP), which occurs annually from January 1 to March 31, is a time for Medicare Advantage plan members to adjust their existing plan or switch back to ...
Where to Find Medicare Information Meetings in Minnesota
For most people, the earliest you start your Medicare is the first day of the month you turn 65. But the information gathering process starts long before that. Some individuals seek out information ...
What You Need to Know About Medicare Supplements in Minnesota
When you turn 65 and start Medicare, there are several different ways to receive coverage. One of the coverage options is to supplement your original Medicare (Parts A/B) with a Medicare Supplement ...
Are You Satisfied With Your Medicare Advantage Plan?
Are you satisfied with your Medicare Advantage plan? This is a question to ask yourself regularly. Although Medicare plans have many similarities, the benefits and coverage they provide can vary ...
Medicare Benefits You May Not Know About
Medicare is a federal health insurance program designed for seniors and individuals with qualifying disabilities, that offers a wide array of coverage benefits. In the complex landscape of medical ...
When Should I Sign Up For Medicare?
If you are nearing Medicare eligibility, you are likely wondering when exactly you should sign up for your Medicare benefits. The answer to this question is sometimes more complex than one would ...