The questions we get asked most.

No. There is never a fee for our help. Licensed agents are paid by the insurance carriers, so our time, plan comparisons, enrollment help and year-round support are always free to you. What we are paid does not change based on which plan you choose.

Your Initial Enrollment Period runs for seven months: the three months before your 65th birthday month, your birthday month, and the three months after. Enrolling on time helps you avoid late penalties that can last a lifetime. If you are still working and covered by an employer plan the rules are different, so call before you do anything.

A Medicare Advantage (Part C) plan bundles your coverage into one plan — usually with a low or $0 premium and extras like dental, vision and drug coverage, in exchange for using a network. A Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan pairs with Original Medicare to cover out-of-pocket costs and lets you see any doctor who accepts Medicare. Which fits depends on your health, your doctors and your budget, and that is exactly the comparison we walk you through.

Yes, and this is a lot of what we do. Plans and health needs change every year. We offer a free annual review each fall during the Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7) to make sure your plan still covers your doctors and medications at the best price. Plenty of those reviews end with us saying keep what you have.

Not necessarily. Before recommending anything we check whether your current doctors and prescriptions are covered, so you can keep the care you trust wherever possible.

You may qualify for help. Hawai‘i’s Med-QUEST (Medicaid) programme and the federal Medicare Savings Programs can help pay your premiums and out-of-pocket costs, and you may be eligible for a $0-premium plan with extra benefits. We can help you check your eligibility and apply.

We use it to prepare your comparison and to follow up with you. We do not sell or share your information. We deliberately keep sensitive details — Medicare numbers, diagnoses, medication lists — out of our general systems and in secure storage, and we only ask for what a quote or an application actually requires.

No. Plan Benefits Hawai‘i is an independent agency and our advisors are licensed insurance agents. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by the government or the federal Medicare program.