Decoding Retirement The $14,000 mistake retirees make during open enrollment
Oct 21, 2025
Marsha Mantel is an insightful Medicare educator and author, while Fred Riccardi leads the Medicare Rights Center. They dive into Medicare's hidden costs and reveal the risks of 'free' Medicare Advantage plans. Discover why switching plans could cost retirees thousands and the importance of carefully comparing Medigap options. The conversation highlights critical enrollment strategies and warns about unnoticed provider network changes. They also stress the need for reliable Medicare resources and proactive consumer behavior.
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Commission Structures Shape Plan Sales
- Brokers often receive much higher first-year commissions for Medicare Advantage than for Medigap, creating incentives in plan recommendations.
- Consumers rarely know to ask about or see those commission differences when enrolling.
Verify Agent Credentials And Compare Plans
- Ask an agent for their NPN and compare their recommended plans against Medicare.gov Plan Finder before enrolling.
- Request an unfiltered list of all available plans in your county to avoid biased steering.
Initial Choice Can Have Long-Term Consequences
- Enrolling in Medicare Advantage first can limit your ability to buy Medigap later without underwriting in most states.
- State-by-state rules (trial rights, birthday rules, guaranteed-issue events) create long-term consequences for initial choices.
