How to choose a local Medicare agent

7 questions to ask before you meet

1. 1

   Are you licensed in my state? What is your NPN?

   Every agent has a National Producer Number. You can use it to look the license up yourself.

2. 2

   How many insurance companies do you work with?

   Some work with one company, others with many. Agents who sell for more than one must tell you how many companies and plans they represent in your area.

3. 3

   Which kinds of plans do you help with?

   Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement (Medigap), Part D drug plans, or all of them. Not every agent offers every kind.

4. 4

   Can you check my doctors and prescriptions before I enroll?

   A good agent will look up whether your doctors are in network and how your drugs are covered, plan by plan.

5. 5

   How are you paid?

   Agents are usually paid by the insurance company. You shouldn't be charged a fee for their help choosing a plan.

6. 6

   Will you help me after I enroll?

   Ask whether they'll answer questions during the year and review your coverage at the next enrollment period.

7. 7

   Can we meet in person, or by phone or video?

   Pick the way that's easiest for you. A local agent can usually do all three.

Check the license yourself

It takes about two minutes, and it's the best way to know you're talking to a real, licensed agent.

1. Ask the agent for their full name and National Producer Number (NPN).
2. Open your state insurance department's license lookup. Find your state's lookup, with step-by-step help.
3. Look for an active license with a health line of authority. That's the one needed to sell Medicare plans.

Warning signs

Hang up, or walk away, if someone:

• Calls or visits you didn't ask for. Agents aren't allowed to make unsolicited calls or knock on your door to sell Medicare Advantage or drug plans.
• Says they are from Medicare, Social Security or the government, or that a plan is “endorsed by Medicare.”
• Pushes you to decide today, or won't leave you time to think.
• Asks for your Medicare number, Social Security number or bank details on a call you didn't start.
• Won't say how many insurance companies they represent.

If you think you've been contacted by someone pretending to be from Medicare, call 1-800-MEDICARE. If a listing on this site looks wrong, report it.

Dates to know

Turning 65

Your Initial Enrollment Period lasts 7 months: the 3 months before your 65th birthday month, that month, and the 3 months after.

October 15 to December 7

Annual Enrollment Period. Anyone with Medicare can change Medicare Advantage or Part D plans. Changes start January 1.

January 1 to March 31

Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment. If you're in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can switch to another one, or go back to Original Medicare, once.

Your first 6 months with Part B (at 65 or older)

Medigap Open Enrollment. You can buy any Medicare Supplement policy sold in your state, and companies can't turn you down for health reasons.

Other times may apply if you move, lose other coverage, or qualify for extra help. An agent, or Medicare, can tell you which apply to you.

Common questions

Keep reading

• How to check an insurance agent's licenseLook up any agent with your state's insurance department, in about two minutes.
• How to find a good Medicare agent near youWhere to look for a local Medicare agent, how to narrow the list to one or two, and the five-minute checks to do before you share anything.
• What to bring to your first meeting with a Medicare agentA one-page checklist: the cards, doctor list and prescriptions an agent needs to compare plans for you, plus what you should never hand over.
• Medicare agent vs. broker: what's the difference?Agent, broker, producer: what the words mean, the one difference that really matters (how many companies they work with), and how to tell before you meet.