Senior Medicare Advantage plan insurance in Aiken, SC

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Helping Seniors Make Better-Informed Medicare Decisions

Trying to pick a health insurance plan can be a chore for anyone. For many people, just mentioning the word "open enrollment" sends shivers down the spine. It seems like there's always a nagging feeling that you're wasting money, choosing a plan with poor in-network care, or both. One would think that health insurance gets easier as you approach retirement age, but the truth is that picking an initial Medicare coverage plan can be daunting.

Unfortunately, the confusing process of signing up for Medicare causes many seniors to forego healthcare coverage altogether. After all, Medicare enrollment can involve several federal agencies, including the Social Security Administration (or SSA) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (or CMS).

At Senior Medicare Insurance Services, our passion is guiding seniors through the confusion of Medicare. That way, they can enjoy retirement with peace of mind knowing they are protected and ready for life after 65. We work with dozens of insurance companies, giving our clients the chance to choose a plan that best fits their lifestyle.

We choose to design our senior insurance plans with a focus on optimal benefits structure, lower costs, and personalized service. Some independent insurance agencies see their aging customers as nothing more than a financial transaction waiting to happen. In contrast, we treat each of our clients with respect and dignity as we help them navigate the confusing waters of Medicare. Combined with individualized service, we help older Americans make well-informed decisions about insurance. Whether you're in need of senior Medicare Supplement Plan insurance in Aiken or simply have questions about signing up for Medicare, our team is here to help.

Helping Seniors Make Better-Informed Medicare Decisions
What is Medicare?
The amount of money you pay for your health care depends on several factors, including
Senior Medicare Supplement Plan Insurance in Aiken
Important Information About Senior Supplement Plan Insurance
Senior Medicare Advantage Plan Insurance in Aiken, SC
How Medicare Advantage Plans Work
Medicare Advantage Plan Insurance Rules
Paying for Your Senior Medicare Advantage Plan Insurance
The Senior Medicare Insurance Services Commitment

Senior Medicare Advantage Plan Insurance Aiken, SC

Guiding You Through The Confusion of Medicare!

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What is Medicare?

If you're approaching the golden years of your life, it's important you understand what Medicare is if you don't already.

Medicare is a federal health insurance program reserved for people older than 65 who have worked full-time for at least ten years. The Medicare program is paid for by a combination of worker payroll tax, premiums paid by Medicare enrollees, and the U.S. government.

There are four parts of Medicare:

This type of Medicare is free for most U.S. citizens. Medicare Part A helps older adults pay for care in a nursing facility, hospital visits, and some forms of in-home senior care.

This tier costs around $100 per month. It covers different outpatient services like lab tests, preventative care, doctor's visits, mental health care, clinical trials, and some forms of surgery.

This type of Medicare is most often called Medicare Advantage. This tier of Medicare allows seniors to choose health plans provided by insurance companies like Senior Medicare Insurance Services. Individuals who use Medicare Advantage commonly use Medicare supplement plan insurance to help pay for health care costs that Original Medicare won't cover, like coinsurance, deductibles, and copayments.

Sometimes called "PDPs," these plans add drug coverage to standard Medicare, some Medicare Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS), some Medicare Cost Plans, and Medicare Medical Savings Account Plans (MSA).

The amount of money you pay for your health care depends on several factors, including:

What kind of care you need, and how often it is needed.
The type of Medicare coverage you choose.
Whether there are alternative insurance policies that will help fill gaps in your coverage
Whether a doctor agrees to charge you the same amount that Medicare will cover for a medical service

At Senior Medicare Insurance Services, we offer a number of health insurance solutions for seniors. Two of our most used services include Medicare Advantage plan insurance and Medicare supplement plan insurance.

Senior Medicare Supplement Plan Insurance in Aiken

Sometimes called Medigap, the purpose of Medicare Supplement Insurance is to help fill in "gaps" that might not be covered by Original Medicare. You can think of a Medigap policy as a supplement for your Original Medicare benefits.

Private companies like Senior Medicare Insurance Services sell this type of insurance right here in South Carolina. While Original Medicare will pay for much of the cost associated with health care services you need, it may not cover all of your expenses. Generally, Medigap policies do not cover costs stemming from eyeglasses, private-duty nurses, dental care, hearing aids, or long-term care.

Depending on the Medicare Supplement Plan that you choose, it may cover out-of-the-country medical services when you travel abroad. Assuming you have Original Medicare coverage, your policy will cover its share of Medicare-approved health care costs. Once your Original Medicare coverage reaches its limit, your Medigap policy will pay its share of the fees.

Our Medigap policies are drafted to meet your specific needs, and can help cover remaining health care costs such as:

Deductibles

Copayments

Coinsurance

Important Information About Senior Supplement Plan Insurance

To dispel some confusion, you should know that a Medigap policy is not the same as a Medicare Advantage Plan. The latter helps you receive Medicare benefits, while the former supplements the benefits you obtain through your Original Medicare plan. As you begin to explore Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans, keep the following important information in mind:

As you begin to explore Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans, keep the following important information in mind:

To qualify for a Medigap policy, you must first have Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B.
Payments on your Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan will be made to the private insurance company that you choose, like Senior Medicare Insurance Services. These payments are made every month and are paid in addition to the monthly payment you make for Medicare Part B.
If you are the holder of a Medicare Advantage Plan, it is illegal for an insurance company to sell you a senior Medicare Supplement Policy. If you plan on switching back to an Original Medicare plan, you may be able to purchase a Medigap policy.
If you have health problems as you age, your standardized Medigap policy is guaranteed to be renewable. So long as you pay your monthly premium, your insurance provider cannot cancel your policy.

Medigap policies only cover one person. If you have a spouse or family member that would like coverage, they must purchase a separate policy.
You may only buy a Senior Medicare Supplement Plan from an insurance agent that is licensed to sell them in your state. Senior Medicare Insurance Services has been licensed to sell Medigap policies in South Carolina for years. We have helped countless seniors get the Medicare coverage they need and continue to do so to this day.
In the past, Medigap policies were able to cover costs related to prescription drugs. As of January 1st, 2006, prescription drug coverage is not available on Medicare Supplement Plans. The best way to get coverage for your prescription drugs is to join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan, often called Part D. Contact our office today to learn more about paying premiums on Medigap and Medicare plans.

For many people, the best time to buy senior Medicare Supplement Plan Insurance in Aiken is during the 7 months Medigap Open Enrollment Period. This period starts the day you turn 65 years old, so long as you hold Medical Insurance (Medicare Part B). Generally, during the enrollment period, you get more policy choices and better pricing. Once the enrollment period is over, you may not be able to purchase a Medigap policy. Contact Senior Medicare Insurance Services today to determine if you qualify for a Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan.

Senior Medicare Advantage Plan Insurance in Aiken, SC

A Medicare Advantage Plan is a kind of Medicare health coverage designed to provide seniors with all their Part A and Part B Medicare benefits. Many Medicare Advantage Plans will often include coverage of the following:

Preferred Provider Organizations
Special Needs Plans
Private Fee-for-Service
Medicare Medical Savings Account Plans
Health Maintenance Organizations

In addition, most Medicare Advantage Plans give seniors coverage for their prescription drug needs. When you enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan through Senior Medicare Insurance Services, your Medicare benefits are covered through your plan and will not be paid for by traditional Medicare.

How Medicare Advantage Plans Work

Sometimes called "MA Plans" or "Part C," Medicare Advantage Plans are considered an "all in one" solution to Original Medicare. Senior Medicare Advantage Plans are only offered by private companies that are approved, like Senior Medicare Insurance Services. Seniors who enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan are still on Medicare. However, these individuals enjoy bundled plans that give seniors the benefits of hospital insurance (Medicare Part A), medical insurance (Medicare Part B), and sometimes drug coverage (Part D).

Medicare Advantage Plans are very popular because they cover all Medicare services and make life a little easier for seniors who have trouble understanding the nuances of Medicare.

When you contact Senior Medicare Insurance Services to choose your Medicare Advantage Plan, ask your agent about Medicare prescription drug coverage. Unless you already have drug coverage (Part D), you should seriously consider Part D coverage to help reduce costs associated with prescription drugs. You may also want to consider a Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan to help fill gaps in coverage that Original Medicare will not cover.

Medicare Advantage Plan Insurance Rules

Medicare works by paying a set amount of money to the companies that offer senior Medicare Advantage Plan insurance in Aiken. That money is used to pay for the care services that you need. Because Medicare Advantage Plans are different, you should expect out-of-pocket costs to vary depending on the plan you choose.

Different plans have different rules for how you receive services, such as:

If you must go to facilities, suppliers, or doctors that belong to your Advantage Plan for non-urgent and non-emergency care.
Whether you must get a referral to see a specialized doctor

Companies that offer Medicare Advantage Plans must follow strict rules, which are set by Medicare and can change every year.

Paying for Your Senior Medicare Advantage Plan Insurance

How much you pay for your Medicare Advantage Plan varies and depends on a few different factors. In most cases, if you need a kind of medical service, you will need to rely on the doctors and providers in your plan's service area and network to pay the lowest amounts. In some cases, if you choose to use a service outside of your plan's network of coverage, you may have to pay out-of-pocket.

We encourage you to contact our office today to learn more about Medicare Advantage Plans, how they work, what your options are, and how often you will have to pay out-of-pocket, if at all.

The Senior Medicare Insurance Services Commitment

Since our company was founded, we have led the insurance industry by providing our clients with the most valuable, helpful insurance solutions available. We are fully committed to our current and prospective clients by:

Choosing to focus on personalized, one-on-one service. When you work with our team, know that we will always design your health insurance plan with your best interests in mind.
Listening to your specific needs.
Responding to all inquiries and questions promptly and with a friendly attitude.
Providing you with the best customer service in the senior health insurance industry, whether you have questions or are ready to move forward with a Medicare plan.

Our mission is to help give seniors the best Medicare assistance available so that they may understand the Medicare process and make an informed health coverage decision. We have the knowledge, skills, and experience to assist anyone interested in Medicare. Our personal goal is to become a lifetime resource for our clients and give them greater confidence in choosing their insurance plans.

We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 8 organizations which offer 82 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.

Why is post-Helene cleanup so slow? S.C. Sen. Tom Young has some answers

Tired of looking at downed trees and piles of debris?If your answer is yes, the latest news isn’t good.Based on what S.C. Sen. Tom Young, R-Aiken, told the Rotary Club of Aiken on Dec. 2, the reminders of Tropical Storm Helene are going to be around long past the holidays in some areas because the cleanup is “a slow process.”One reason is the large size of the trees Helene knocked down while passing to the west of Aiken County in late September....

Tired of looking at downed trees and piles of debris?

If your answer is yes, the latest news isn’t good.

Based on what S.C. Sen. Tom Young, R-Aiken, told the Rotary Club of Aiken on Dec. 2, the reminders of Tropical Storm Helene are going to be around long past the holidays in some areas because the cleanup is “a slow process.”

One reason is the large size of the trees Helene knocked down while passing to the west of Aiken County in late September.

Aiken Area News

They “can’t be removed without special equipment,” and “there is a limited pool of contractors who are out there who have this type of equipment,” Young said.

The contractors also need to “know what FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) requires,” according to Young.

In addition, this limited pool of contractors is spread among five states that suffered major damage from Helene, which made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane in Florida.

Then Milton made landfall in the Sunshine State as a Category 3 hurricane Oct. 9, providing contractors with even more work to do in the Southeast.

“All of those factors are influencing the rate that this debris is picked up,” Young said.

In a Nov. 21 letter to state legislators, S.C. Secretary of Transportation Justin Powell wrote that debris removal “will not be a problem that will be completely solved by the end of the year.”

According to an initial estimate by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, there was 2 million cubic feet of debris that had to be cleaned up in South Carolina following Helene.

Powell wrote that 1.1 million cubic feet had been removed as of Nov. 21.

“At present, we have 98 SCDOT (S.C. Department of Transportation) crews and 214 contractor units working on this issue,” Powell told legislators.

“We have been encouraged by more subcontractors with larger equipment becoming available in the last couple of weeks,” he also wrote.

During the upcoming session of the South Carolina legislature, which is scheduled to begin next year on Jan. 14, “there will probably be some type of financial package that will have to be passed to assist local governments with hurricane recovery,” said Young during his Dec. 2 speech to the Rotary Club.

Aiken County burn ban still in effect due to debris-related fires

AIKEN, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - Aiken County continues to go back and forth on a burn ban.Late last month, Belvedere firefighters called on the Aiken County Council to enact an emergency burn ban after a weeks-long drought and debris piles stacked high.The council agreed, and last week, they implemented a county-wide burn ban that was supposed to be in effect until November 19.But over the weekend, emails and Facebook posts saying otherwise caused some confusion.It’s now still in effect, but we explain why some fi...

AIKEN, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - Aiken County continues to go back and forth on a burn ban.

Late last month, Belvedere firefighters called on the Aiken County Council to enact an emergency burn ban after a weeks-long drought and debris piles stacked high.

The council agreed, and last week, they implemented a county-wide burn ban that was supposed to be in effect until November 19.

But over the weekend, emails and Facebook posts saying otherwise caused some confusion.

It’s now still in effect, but we explain why some firefighters say it’s still needed.

Belvedere firefighters received nearly 60 calls in October — all from debris-related fires.

Local group helps clean up biking trails after Helene

If you mountain bike around the CSRA, you know about SORBA — the Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association.

That’s why Chief Chad Hyler asked the Aiken County Council for the emergency burn ban.

“We have neighbors who don’t want to go to sleep at night because they’re worried about people burning 24 hours a day,” said Hyler.

Aiken County Department of Emergency Management and the Aiken County government shared a Facebook post over the weekend saying the ban was lifted even though the council had not voted on it.

Gary Bunker is the Aiken County council chairman, and he says there was confusion among senior management.

Hyler and the Forestry Commission say bans are implemented based on rain, wind and other weather conditions.

“Now, we’ve got all this rain, people are wanting to burn. Some are still scared of it because stuff does dry out,” said Hyler.

But Hyler says rain, or lack of rain, isn’t necessarily their main problem.

Nonprofits work to regroup after Helene

Local non-profit organizations are left figuring out what’s next after having to cancel large fundraisers because of Hurricane Helene.

Their main issue is not being able to access resources.

He also says for many of them, this isn’t their only job.

“Most folks are working eight to five shift jobs. Without having those volunteers, we wouldn’t be able to do it,” said Hyler.

Bunker says he wasn’t aware of the Facebook posts saying the ban was lifted.

After we spoke with him and the EMS director, the post on Facebook was deleted.

Belvedere isn’t the only fire station battling this issue.

Wagener Fire Chief Tillman Rushton said: “Was riding down the road and just saw a bunch of smoke behind the house, and then when speaking to the homeowner, he let us know that he was cleaning up storm debris and burning it, and when he came back home today his whole backyard was back on fire.”

Hyler says some streets are still hard for them to get to because of the debris.

They’ve also seen nearly $50,000 worth of property damage since October, which is why he wants to make sure you know the ban is still in place.

Prime Steakhouse's founder has stepped away from ownership of popular Aiken restaurant

The founder of Prime Steakhouse is no longer at the helm of the downtown Aiken businessRandy Stamm recently sold the popular restaurant, which has been serving local diners and visitors to the city for 15 years and is still going strong at 316 Richland Ave. West.“It really boils down to something pretty simple,” said Stamm in a telephone interview. “I’m 65 years old, and there comes a time when you have to walk away. At my age, how many hours a day can I [continue to] work? I would go to work at 5 o&rsqu...

The founder of Prime Steakhouse is no longer at the helm of the downtown Aiken business

Randy Stamm recently sold the popular restaurant, which has been serving local diners and visitors to the city for 15 years and is still going strong at 316 Richland Ave. West.

“It really boils down to something pretty simple,” said Stamm in a telephone interview. “I’m 65 years old, and there comes a time when you have to walk away. At my age, how many hours a day can I [continue to] work? I would go to work at 5 o’clock in the morning, and I would get done at 8 o’clock at night. There’s a limit to what one person can do.”

Stamm began helping out at his family’s New York City steakhouses when he was a teenager. In the early 1980s, he went out on his own.

Aiken Area Business

During his long career, Stamm has operated nearly 40 eateries.

“When I came to Aiken, I had no intention of opening another restaurant,” Stamm said. “I was here to take care of my mother. But I figured if I’m going to be in a small town, what’s one more? And I have had two since I’ve been here.”

In July 2009, Stamm launched Prime Steakhouse in the former home of the Sugar Magnolia Cafe.

Back then, when the business was known as Prime Steak & Lobster, Stamm described the restaurant as a “classic big-city steakhouse.”

The beef “is prime grade and has been aged at least 28 days,” he told the Aiken Standard. “All the lobster is flown in fresh daily from New England.”

Other items on the menu included creamed spinach, homemade onion rings and family-style salads.

In 2016, Stamm opened Nonna’s in Edgefield. The focus there was on Northern Italian cuisine, and baked lasagna, grilled sausage giambotta and three types of parmigiana — eggplant, chicken and veal — were among the entrees.

Aiken Area Business

Nonna’s no longer is in business.

“I went out on top,” said Stamm of his decision to sell Prime Steakhouse. “Somebody made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.”

Stamm told the Aiken Standard that the buyer was an “Aiken restaurant group.”

According to multiple sources, however, the new owners are entrepreneur Norman Dunagan and undisclosed partners.

Dunagan did not respond to requests for comment prior to the deadline for this story’s publication.

Aiken County land records show that Heritage Aiken Properties LLC purchased Prime Steakhouse’s real estate from Stamm for $850,000 on Oct. 15.

The registered agent for Heritage Aiken Properties is Aiken attorney Christopher Austin, who is Austin and Pethick law firm’s CEO and principal shareholder.

“We did this thing with a handshake back in June and we negotiated all summer long because I wanted to make sure my employees were taken care of,” Stamm said. “It was important to me that they would still have jobs in this economy.”

Stamm has been enjoying himself since he sold Prime Steakhouse.

“All the wonderful people who supported me in Aiken for 15 years, them I miss,” he said. “But to be honest with you, in the last week or so, I don’t miss it (Prime Steakhouse) at all. I don’t miss getting up at 5 o’clock every morning to go and meet trucks, you know. It’s the toughest business out there. You’ve got to be married to it.”

Stamm told the Aiken Standard that he has plans to “do something else in the restaurant business, but not owning a restaurant for right now. “It will be on my own terms and my own time,” he added.

Stamm, who has a beach house in the Beaufort area, didn’t rule out someday opening an eatery on the South Carolina coast.

For more information about Prime Steakhouse, call 803-642-4488 or visit primesteakhouseaiken.com.

Dream come true: Blackville-Hilda's Holman signs to play football for Gamecocks

It was about 12:45 p.m. Wednesday when a message came over the intercom at Blackville-Hilda High School.Students were told that, if they wanted, they could leave class and walk - quietly - down to the school's gym to help celebrate a first in the storied history of the Fighting Hawks' football program.Seated at a table in the middle of the gym, surrounded by family, friends, teammates and coaches, senior Jaquel Holman became the program's first early signee - and to his dream school, at that. Holman put pen to paper Wednesday m...

It was about 12:45 p.m. Wednesday when a message came over the intercom at Blackville-Hilda High School.

Students were told that, if they wanted, they could leave class and walk - quietly - down to the school's gym to help celebrate a first in the storied history of the Fighting Hawks' football program.

Seated at a table in the middle of the gym, surrounded by family, friends, teammates and coaches, senior Jaquel Holman became the program's first early signee - and to his dream school, at that. Holman put pen to paper Wednesday morning, then was honored in front of the school and community for signing to play football at the University of South Carolina.

"First, I want to thank God and my family and Blackville as a community staying behind me for a wonderful two years of being here playing football," he said. "I'm just blessed, at the end of the day. I put in the hard work, and I'm going to my dream school."

Holman, who returned home to Blackville-Hilda - his grandfather was a three-term mayor of Blackville - after his sophomore season at South Aiken, wasted little time earning statewide attention at both running back and linebacker. He was a two-time Region Player of the Year and as a senior was selected to both the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas and the Border Bowl.

In two years, he rushed for 3,138 yards and 42 touchdowns on just 306 carries, an average of 10.3 yards per attempt. He also caught two touchdowns and made 177 total tackles in three seasons with 24 tackles for loss, three sacks, two interceptions with a return for a touchdown, six forced fumbles and one recovery.

He was a Class A All-State selection last year, and head coach Kevin Jones expects Holman to make it back-to-back once this year's teams are released. As a senior, he ran the ball 153 times for 1,610 yards with 26 touchdowns, helping the Fighting Hawks to a 9-3 record and second-place finish in Region 3-A.

"I can't say enough good things about not only Jaquel but his family, Jones said. "Coming back over here, we had just come off a season where we didn't have a very good win-loss record (2-8 in 2022), trying to kind of change some things and get the program headed in the right direction. He stepped in. From the first time that he was on campus until now, he's a kid that's never missed a practice. He never misses workouts. He just does things the right way. On top of being uber-talented when it comes to having size and speed and being a great football player, he's just a really, really good kid. We're incredibly proud of him."

Holman will graduate and enroll early at South Carolina, which he chose over offers from schools like North Carolina State, Pitt and The Citadel. Already a Gamecock fan, Holman didn't need Shane Beamer and his staff to push him too hard toward Columbia.

"Even way before the offer when they were talking to me, it always felt like home," said Holman, who committed June 8 and intends to study sports management. "I love Coach Beamer and his staff, and I can't wait to get there and work."

Holman joins a South Carolina program is currently one of the hottest in the country, winners of six straight to reach No. 14 in the College Football Playoff rankings. He said he likes that the Gamecocks have a true quarterback in LaNorris Sellers who's a captain of the team, and with so many other young contributors he feels the future is bright.

Jones advised Holman to take everything in during the recruiting process in order to figure out what was going to be the best fit for him, then lay out the game plan for going through the process of how he as a player can get himself in the best position as early as possible to be successful.

So far, so good.

"He's just a kid that's going to go in there and work hard," Jones said. "His teammates are going to love him. The coaches already love him. That's one thing I can say since he was recruited - I've talked more to Shane Beamer and Clayton White and Torrian Gray than I have in my whole career. They're high on him, and I think he's going to prove to be a worthwhile investment for the program."

Jones praised Holman for his humility, which he attributed in large part to Holman's family. Jones said it would be easy to just list all of Holman's flashy numbers and accomplishments, yet what he likes to bring up first is Holman's perfect attendance at practice and workouts and the way he tossed the ball to the referee after each of those 45 total touchdowns - no showboating or dancing, unless it was to join in on the cheerleaders' choreography while rooting on his teammates in the second half with a comfortable lead.

Or how Holman, who has a closet's worth of cleats, gloves, sweatbands and whatever else given to him by schools recruiting him, chose to stick with the program's principles and match his teammates' jerseys and cleats.

He'll head to Columbia with fresh legs - he had more games with single-digit carries (five) than games with 20 or more (two) the last two seasons. The Gamecocks officially listed him as an athlete on their list of signees, though Jones recalls hearing more than one friendly argument between their coaches about whether he'd play on defense or offense.

"Right now, they like me at nickel back," Holman said. "But, then again, they don't have a lot of running backs coming up. One of them just hit the portal, and then they're losing Raheim (Sanders) and (Juju McDowell). They're losing running backs, so I'm not sure. I could be used some on the offensive side of the ball, but I'm not really sure yet."

As such, he'll just stay ready and willing to contribute in any way. That's the mindset he carried back home to Blackville-Hilda, and it's one that's carried him to the Southeastern Conference.

"It's great. It's great. Like I said, I'm blessed," he said. "People said when I came down here, 'You're not going to get enough exposure down there. The school is too small.' But it's like my mama always told me, 'You go out there and shock the world.' That's what I did, and it's not over yet."

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