If you watch TV, you’ve probably seen the likes of Joe Namath, William Shatner, and Jimmie Walker pitching Medicare supplement plans. The companies who hire them know they’ll hit home for the age group who watched them win football championships, conquer space, and make you laugh in the 1970’s.
Trying to sort through the avalanche of commercials, direct mail and social media advertisements for Medicare can be more complicated than driving through Atlanta during rush hour traffic. It’s enough to make you pull out your gray hair.
That is why Russell Turner founded Navigating My Medicare.
“I hear it every single day from callers who say they need help to navigate the system for doctors, medications and to find the right plan based on their health and financial needs,” Turner said.
There is a need for sorting out the best Medicare options when you approach 65 years old: The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicates that in 2020, 10.6 million people 65 and older were in the workforce. The number is expected to increase in the next five years, in part because so many tapped into their retirement during the pandemic.
The best plan for a 65+ business owner will depend on the size of their company.
“For example, if an owner in that age bracket has 20 or fewer employees and goes with a Medicare plan, or has employees who are approaching that age, he may suggest they go with a similar plan even if the company offers health insurance,” explained Russell Turner, owner of Navigate My Medicare.
Why? Because a Medicare plan could be cheaper than paying premiums, deductibles, or out-of-pocket expenses for health care offered through a small business.
Turner started out selling life insurance, but in 2017 switched to medical insurance supplements because he felt the need was great. Turner has an office in Simpsonville, S.C., but when he and his wife moved to Aiken last year, he opened an office here.
Turner offers consultations and advice at no charge for anyone who needs help understanding the A, B, C, and D plans of Medicare. As a broker, he represents nine different companies. He gets paid by one of those companies in the event you choose their plan.
“Part of the problem for small business owners, their employees, or anyone else in that demographic is that the rules change every year,” he said. “I’m on top of those changes and I really just want to help people by giving them the best recommendation for their health needs and financial capability.”
And about those commercials that pop up everywhere? Sorry Joe, William, and Jimmie, the volume of calls those advertisements generated to call centers didn’t end well. The staff taking those calls were more interested in sales than helping people make wise choices. The federal government has made changes to the Medicare plan enrollment because of that experience.
Turner is licensed in Georgia and South Carolina. If you need more information on enrollment or help with which plan is right for you and your business or family, visit https://medicareagentsc.com/or give him a call at 803-640-4039.
Editor’s Note:
Mitzi Oxford is a veteran broadcaster and features writer who also worked at the same television station in Columbus, Georgia as Augusta’s Brad Means!
If you have a South Carolina story idea for Mitzi, please email her at mitzioxfordcreative@gmail.com.
