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Senior Medicare Advantage plan insurance in Hanahan, SC
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 Hanahan, SC 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 Hanahan, SC
- Important Information About Senior Supplement Plan Insurance
- Senior Medicare Advantage Plan Insurance in Hanahan, 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
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 Hanahan, SC
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 Hanahan, SC 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 Hanahan, 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 Hanahan, SC. 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.
Latest News in Hanahan, SC
New Charleston-area restaurant’s Italian food has personality, nuance and plenty of intrigue
Parker Milnerhttps://www.postandcourier.com/food/restaurant_reviews/hanahan-restaurants-italian-food-cane-pazzo/article_8e731c5a-a819-45f1-872c-6856e09dba9f.html
HANAHAN — “Fire bread, meatballs, peppers. Hold linguine, beans, ribeye medium rare,” hollers the expeditor inside a new Italian restaurant 10 miles from downtown Charleston.He stands between glowing heat lamps and a six-seat bar, where patrons listen as pans collide with cast-iron grates and begin to sizzle with oil and aromatic garlic. Next to the burners, warmth emanates from a wood-fired oven waiting to toast sourdough at 850 degrees.Less than a foot from the chef's counter at Cane Pazzo, meatballs are dou...
HANAHAN — “Fire bread, meatballs, peppers. Hold linguine, beans, ribeye medium rare,” hollers the expeditor inside a new Italian restaurant 10 miles from downtown Charleston.
He stands between glowing heat lamps and a six-seat bar, where patrons listen as pans collide with cast-iron grates and begin to sizzle with oil and aromatic garlic. Next to the burners, warmth emanates from a wood-fired oven waiting to toast sourdough at 850 degrees.
Less than a foot from the chef's counter at Cane Pazzo, meatballs are doused in tomato sauce and sprinkled with Parmesan — the finishing touch to a recipe owner Mark Bolchoz has honed for years.
Next to the Charleston native, another chef transforms a tray of vivid orange, red and green peppers sourced from a Johns Island farm. Within minutes, using the oven’s high heat, they’re charred and glisten with a smooth sheen.
The Nardello peppers have the texture of shishitos but with a sweeter finish, the slender bulbs giving salty, acidic notes from crispy prosciutto, feta and a splash of sherry. The meatballs, for their part, are rolled with hardly any binder, the pork blending with beef to produce tender orbs that shine in their red coat.
That this is the best meatball I’ve cut into in the last year is more impressive if you’ve heard about the latest dining trend in town: Italian restaurants are opening in droves, each bringing their version of fresh pastas, Tuscan street snacks and American-inspired red sauce selections to the dinner table.
Cane Pazzo, located in a strip center between North Charleston and Goose Creek, might not be on diners’ radar as much as downtown newcomers Pelato, Volpe and Legami. But it should be, for the food Bolchoz is cooking in his first independent venture has personality, nuance and plenty of intrigue, with vegetables and heritage meats shining just as bright as the hand-rolled pastas.
Lowcountry ingredients, Italian techniques
My dining companions admitted they were skeptical when they pulled up to Cane Pazzo’s Yeamans Hall Road address.
The restaurant shares a parking lot with a Piggly Wiggly, a Mexican café and a garlic crab restaurant. The off-the-beaten-path location evokes thoughts of an old-school Italian joint, one where tables cloaked in white cloth might be filled with free bread and surrounded by large groups yelling over one another.
Cane Pazzo, they soon realized, is not that. It’s a restaurant for a date night, dinner with friends or early supper with the kids. Snag a reservation a week or two in advance, or slide into one of six seats at the chef’s counter for views of the culinary pros preparing food for the entire restaurant, which Bolchoz and his wife Ariana opened in June.
The debut came about a decade after Bolchoz cooked at The Grocery, a role that led to a fast ascent within Indigo Road Hospitality Group, owners of Indaco on Upper King Street in Charleston. He became the culinary director of Italian concepts for the company before leaving last year to pursue Cane Pazzo.
The restaurant marks a return to Hanahan for the family. Bolchoz’s grandfather operated a business in the area for more than 30 years and gave him his childhood nickname of "Mad Dog" — the English translation of Cane Pazzo. The chef, who met his wife at the Culinary Institute of America, describes the food he’s serving as Lowcountry ingredients by way of Italian techniques.
Open the door, stamped with Cane Pazzo’s bulldog logo, to find a bar pouring drinks with bourbon, lemon and a splash of Italian red wine — that’s A Horse with No Name ($14), a refreshing nod to a New York sour. Other cocktails blend tequila with blood orange; gin with amaro, lemon and honey.
Wine, selected by Ariana, is served by the glass, bottle or quartino — a small carafe — in the bar area and through a large archway in the adjacent dining room, decorated in rustic light browns and dark greens.
Tunes ranging from jazz to Billy Joel sound from the speakers as groups slide into a long copper-colored banquette that runs the length of the room beneath a wall of family photos. Pairs peruse stock paper menus split into four sections: appetizers, pastas, proteins and sides.
Tantalizing aromas and an intense heat drift from Cane Pazzo’s open kitchen to the dining room, whose elegance might catch you by surprise. The food more than matches the energetic enclave, whose noise level rises significantly during peak dinner hours.
It’s hard to blame diners for speaking loudly, for the menu, which at times strays from standard Italian or Italian-American fare, leaves room for plenty of discussion.
Bolchoz isn’t afraid to experiment, within reason, utilizing cuts like fish collar and vegetables not typically found in Italian cuisine. There are also plenty of classic appetizers and entrees for those weary of stepping too far outside of the box.
Servers well-versed in the selections will likely recommend starting with the sourdough bread ($8). Toasted until its crust crackles and center steams, the circular slice is topped with butter infused with Calabrian chilis and honey. Smoky, sweet and spicy flavors emerge, the texture reminiscent of pizza dough. If you can, save a piece for the sauces that await.
Guests can keep small and large plates to themselves or share with the group. I suggest the latter, for you’ll likely want to sample each of the handmade pastas.
canepazzorestaurant.comDINING ROOM HOURS: 5-10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday
PRICE: $$
COSTS: $8-$29
PARKING: Parking lot
Lumache ($24) noodles resemble scrunched-up rigatoni, the ridged pasta trapping a sausage ragu steeped in hot chili peppers. The snail-shaped shells have the al dente chew you read about in an Italian cookbook, and the spicy sauce is supplemented by sweet green peas.
The bowl might share the table with local shrimp linguine ($25), laced in a lemony sauce that's light but layered in green garlic and just the right amount of butter. Tarvin Seafood shrimp taste clean and sweet, each tangled in long, tender noodles. Parsley finishes the riff on a scampi, refreshing and decadent at once.
My memory of Cane Pazzo’s local shrimp pasta might be different than yours. In Bolchoz and chef de cuisine Alex Fagan’s latest interaction, the shellfish and jet black bucatini are tossed in spicy, citrusy butter and topped with herby breadcrumbs.
The shrimp set was among the selections to subtly shift before and after two recent visits. Fingers crossed that some version of the agnolotti ($25), a recipe Bolchoz has honed for years, sticks around for the long haul.
His take on the stuffed Piedmont pasta soaks up its rosy surroundings, the tomato sauce supporting sturdy dough erupting with the flavor of fresh corn bolstered by ricotta. The filling’s sweet center gets its creaminess from milking the cob by hand with a box grater, a trick Bolchoz picked up from his great-grandmother.
Take a bite, then a sip of Italian wine and sit back in your stylish chair or cushioned booth. This, you might say to yourself, is what Italian food is supposed to taste like.
Pork and beans like you've never had before
Cane Pazzo is exactly the type of Italian restaurant I seek out: comforting and innovative, with options that stretch well beyond just pasta and red sauce.
Check out the long beans ($8), their charred exterior tinted green or purple. Coated in fontina fondue and scattered with fried garlic for crunch, the Lowland Farms snappy beans cling to the sauce like fettuccine to alfredo. They’re tender enough to twirl on a fork, too.
Order the side dish alongside the pork chop ($29), which has been among the most popular dishes during Cane Pazzo’s first few months, Bolchoz said. The restaurant is sourcing six to seven heritage hog loins per week and selling 15 to 20 chops per night.
The Keegan-Filion Farm meat is sliced relatively thin, revealing a juicy center cooked just right, a spicy-sweet jelly made in-house using local peppers seeps into the meat. Allow the silence that comes after a satisfying bite of food to settle in as you taste the fried sage that floats on top for a crispy rush of warmth.
As I finished the last few pieces and waited for a nostalgic dish of Italian mint chocolate chip ice cream with Oreo crumbles to arrive, I began to consider how Cane Pazzo fits into the local dining scene.
The Italian food here is among the best in the area, with Bolchoz putting a modern spin on familiar flavors. Returning guests have demonstrated an appreciation for what Cane Pazzo has brought to the community, with Bolchoz saying people have stopped him at church or the grocery store to thank him for opening the restaurant. But this is only the beginning of the eatery's story.
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