Medicare resources & guides
Plain-language help with your Medicare options — free, and written for real people, not insiders. This is general information, not personalized advice.
Turning 65
New to Medicare and choosing coverage for the first time.
A plain-language guide to the four parts of Medicare — what Parts A, B, C, and D cover, what they cost, and how they fit together.
When to sign up for Medicare, how the 7-month Initial Enrollment Period works, what to do if you're still working, and the deadlines that prevent penalties.
A plain-language guide to the main Medicare enrollment periods — your Initial Enrollment Period (IEP), the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), and the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (OEP).
Already on Medicare
Reviewing or switching plans at renewal time.
A Scope of Appointment (SOA) is a short agreement you complete before a Medicare sales meeting. Learn what it covers, why it's required, and what it does not commit you to.
Medicare Extra Help (the Part D Low-Income Subsidy) lowers what you pay for prescription drugs. Learn what it covers, who qualifies, and how to apply for free.
The real differences between Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement (Medigap): networks, costs, drug coverage, travel, and the questions that decide the fit.
How Medicare Part D works in plain language: formularies, tiers, pharmacy networks, the out-of-pocket cap, late penalties, and how to compare plans by your actual drug list.
Helping a parent
Supporting a family member through their options.
What it means to be dual eligible, how D-SNP plans coordinate Medicare and Medicaid, and how Extra Help (LIS) lowers prescription costs — in plain language.
A plain-language explanation of Dual Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs) — Medicare Advantage plans for people who have both Medicare and Medicaid.
Medicare terms explained
Plain-language definitions of common Medicare terms.
A plain-language explanation of Medicare Supplement (Medigap) insurance — what it does, how it works with Original Medicare, and what to know before you buy.
A plain-language explanation of Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage — how it works, what a formulary is, and the late-enrollment penalty.
A plain-language explanation of the difference between a Medicare broker and a Medicare agent, and what “independent” and “captive” mean.
A plain-language explanation of what it means when a Medicare website says it is non-government, and why that disclosure matters.
Medicare research
Original data analysis on access to Medicare help.
Where older Americans most need bilingual Medicare help — a state-by-state analysis of U.S. Census data on the millions of adults 65+ who speak English less than “very well.”