Frequently Asked Questions

There are several benefits to consulting with an independent insurance agent, and many more on top of that when you choose an Axxess agent as your benefit advisor. At Axxess, we operate with full integrity and with your best interest at heart.

We represent multiple insurance companies and will help you find the right plan or policy that fits your unique needs. You will receive one-on-one personal service, even throughout the year whenever you have questions or concerns about your coverage. At Axxess, we treat our clients like family.

This is the type of question that Axxess agents take the time to explain to our clients every day, especially those who are newly eligible for Medicare. We call it Medicare 101, and we’d be happy to do the same for you. In the meantime, the short answer is this:

Since Medicare covers 80% of a beneficiary’s medical costs, most people need help to cover the other 20%. They can choose either a Medicare Advantage plan OR a Medicare Supplement policy.

In addition to the usual medical benefits like doctor visits and hospital stays, Medicare Advantage Plans may also include coverage for Dental, Vision, Transportation, and other benefits that Medicare does not cover. These plans usually have copays but very low or no premiums.

On the other hand, Medicare Supplements, also known as Medigap, cover all or a portion of the 20% that Medicare does not cover. These policies have low or no copays but much higher premiums. At Axxess, we can help you decide which option is right for you.

We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact medicare.gov or 1-800-Medicare to get information on all your plan options.

Medicare and Medicaid are both government health care programs, but they are very different. Medicare is for people who are 65 or older, or who are younger but have a qualified disability. Medicaid is a state-governed program for people with limited income.

Some people are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. These people are considered “dual eligible” and are often qualified for special Medicare plans. At Axxess, we have helped countless beneficiaries determine if they qualify for these plans that significantly lower their medical and prescription costs.

If you get these two terms confused, you’re not alone. A deductible is the dollar amount you’d have to pay before your plan starts covering your costs. If someone chooses a high deductible plan that’s outside of their budget just because the premium is lower, they will often avoid seeking medical care because of the cost. So it’s sometimes better to choose a bit higher premium with a deductible they can afford so they’ll actually use the insurance when necessary.

Now, a maximum out-of-pocket is like a cap that protects you in the event of a catastrophic medical event. If the medical copays and coinsurances that you pay through the calendar year add up to the maximum out-of-pocket amount, then any amount over that is covered at 100% by the insurance company. At Axxess, we’d be happy to help you crunch these numbers so you can make sure you’re choosing the right plan for you.

A copay is a set amount that you’ll pay for doctor visits or prescriptions. It’s always a set amount, so it’s easier to plan and budget for copays. On the other hand, a coinsurance is always a percentage. But percentage of what?

For Medicare Advantage plans, coinsurances are a percentage of the Medicare-approved amount for whichever service or procedure you’re receiving. For Marketplace plans, coinsurances are a percentage of whatever amount the provider charges for the service. Let an Axxess agent help you find a plan that is right for your budget, as well as your specific health situation.

Even young and healthy people should visit the doctor for annual checkups to make sure they stay healthy as the years fly by. Younger people also tend to be more active, they drive more, and they’re usually out later at night. Accidents happen, unfortunately, and one emergency room visit or unexpected surgery can cost tens of thousands of dollars.

Everyone should have a health insurance policy with a deductible and maximum out-of-pocket that they can budget for, just in case. An Axxess agents would be happy to guide you through the process of choosing the right health insurance for you.

All plans offered in the Marketplace cover these 10 essential health benefits:

• Ambulatory patient services (outpatient care you get without being admitted to a hospital).
• Emergency services.
• Hospitalization (like surgery and overnight stays).
• Pregnancy, maternity, and newborn care (both before and after birth).
• Mental health and substance use disorder services including behavioral health treatment (this includes counseling and psychotherapy).
• Prescription drugs.
• Rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices (services and devices to help people with injuries, disabilities, or chronic conditions gain or recover mental and physical skills).
• Laboratory services.
• Preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management.
• Pediatric services, including oral and vision care (but adult dental and vision coverage aren’t essential health benefits).

Everybody who is alive. We all should have some form of life insurance to protect our loved ones from the sudden urgent need to raise thousands of dollars in the midst of their grief when the life of their beloved comes to an end. It’s a delicate subject that no one likes to think about, but it’s a 100% certainty that everyone will face someday. Axxess agents are ready whenever you are to discuss your life insurance options.

Definitely reach out to us because there’s no simple answer to this question. You’re probably also asking yourself: “How much life insurance should I buy?” The amount of life insurance that you need may be so large that you may decide to purchase term insurance because it has a lower premium.

If your ability to pay life insurance premiums is such that you can afford the desired amount of cash value life insurance, important factors affecting this decision will include your income tax bracket, whether the need for life insurance is short-term or long-term (e.g., 20 years or longer), and the rate of return on alternative investments possessing similar risk. Axxess has expert agents that can explain all of this to you in greater detail.