Allsup Medicare Advisor(SM) Expands Service; Helps Seniors and People with Disabilities Make Best Medicare Choices

Allsup Medicare Advisor(SM) Expands Service; Helps Seniors and People with Disabilities Make Best Medicare Choices

Belleville, Ill. (Vocus) June 17, 2009

Allsup today announced it has expanded the Allsup Medicare Advisor(SM) service to help people best evaluate their Medicare options. The service now includes new online features offering added convenience. Allsup is the nation’s premier provider of financial and related services for those with disabilities, including Social Security Disability Insurance and Medicare services.

“Choosing the wrong plan can be costly,” said Paul Gada, Allsup’s personal financial planning director. “Now it’s easier for even more people to benefit from working with Allsup’s Medicare experts who take the time to understand each individual’s specific needs, and can guide them through the Medicare maze.”

Allsup Medicare Advisor is not a Medicare plan provider. The service provides customers with one-to-one access to Medicare experts who provide the knowledge and objective guidance they need to understand and choose the most affordable Medicare plan for their individual healthcare needs and preferences. To provide customers with the widest range of alternatives, the service now compares traditional Medicare and any other combination of additional coverage options, including Medicare Advantage, Medigap and Part D (prescription drug) plans.

An analysis by Kaiser Family Foundation researchers found that Medicare households paid three times more for out-of-pocket healthcare expenditures than non-Medicare households.

“We are expanding Allsup Medicare Advisor because we know it can help millions of people on Medicare make decisions that can improve their healthcare coverage and save them money,” said Gada. He added that since introducing the service nearly a year ago to people with disabilities, overall customer service ratings have exceeded 98 percent.

Special Healthcare Coverage Considerations for Medicare Recipients

More than 45 million people rely on Medicare and most default to traditional Medicare plans. While this usually is not costly, coverage can be limited. Therefore, many people also seek supplemental and prescription drug coverage, generally at an extra cost.

However, people under age 65 who qualify for Medicare based on a permanent Social Security disability may be unable to obtain supplemental insurance or have limitations to coverage due to pre-existing health conditions. As a result, Medicare Advantage plans, which are required to cover pre-existing conditions, can be a better option for ensuring needed coverage.

Additionally, many Medicare Advantage plans offer dental care, hearing and vision screening, and prescription drug coverage under a single umbrella. This can make these plans also appealing to seniors looking for expanded coverage and simplified statements.

Allsup Medicare Advisor collects all the personal information on each customer, such as prescription drugs and attending physicians. Allsup Medicare experts then analyze the often dozens of options available in the individual’s area. A comprehensive, customized Allsup Medicare Advisor report is created that includes a detailed comparison of traditional Medicare with the three local area plans most likely to meet the individual’s needs. An Allsup representative personally reviews the report with the customer over the phone and helps them enroll in the plan of their choice.

“Without a service like Allsup Medicare Advisor, many people don’t have a reliable way of accessing or understanding the information needed to make sound decisions about healthcare coverage,” said Gada. “They have questions, but no one to give them a straight answer, especially when they are comparing multiple plans. As a result, they may make choices that ultimately cost them hundreds or thousands of dollars in added costs.”

Access to Medicare Help and Expertise Online

In addition to live, one-to-one guidance from an Allsup Medicare Advisor expert, customers now can access many of the service features through a secured Web site when it’s most convenient for them. Customers can go online to:

    Complete pre-screening questions to determine eligibility for Medicare and the service and to purchase Allsup Medicare Advisor.
    Begin, save and submit answers to survey questions used to assess the best types of plans and coverage for their individual needs.
    Create a personalized online account to check the status of their service, view and print their Allsup Medicare Advisor report, submit an inquiry and other activities.

“Offering the enhanced Allsup Medicare Advisor with online features provides an added level of convenience and accessibility,” said Gada. “Now customers have different options of how to work with us, with the same assured end result–namely, that Allsup Medicare Advisor will provide them with the customized information they need to choose the plan that is best for them.”

Allsup also offers a wealth of additional information on Medicare on its Web site including Medicare FAQs to help people make informed healthcare decisions, as well as personal stories about individuals who have used the Allsup Medicare Advisor service.

These include stories about a former medical specialist who was able to minimize her exposure to the costly gap in prescription drug coverage (also known as the donut hole); a former investment advisor who secured the level of healthcare he needed at a fraction of what he’d been paying previously; and a father of four young children who was able to ensure coordinated benefits between Medicare and Medicaid.

Service Availability

To learn more about Allsup Medicare Advisor or to begin the enrollment process, seniors can go to http://www.ama.allsup.com and people with a permanent Social Security disability can go to http://www.medicare.allsup.com. Information also is available by calling (888) 271-1173.

About Allsup

Allsup, Belleville, Ill., is nation’s premier provider of financial and related services for those with disabilities, including Social Security disability and Medicare claim services. Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2009, Allsup has helped more than 120,000 people receive their entitled Social Security Disability Insurance and Medicare benefits. Allsup employs more than 580 professionals who deliver services directly to consumers and their families, or through their employers and long-term disability insurance carriers.

For more information, visit http://www.Allsup.com.

The information provided is not intended as a substitute for legal or other professional services. Legal or other expert assistance should be sought before making any decision that may affect your situation.

Contact:

Mary Jung

(773) 429-0940

Dan Allsup

(800) 854-1418 ext 5760

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