Choosing an Independent Medicare Agent

How to check an agent

1. Look up the agent’s license on your state insurance department’s website or through the National Insurance Producer Registry.
2. Ask which insurance companies the agent is appointed with in your area.
3. Ask how they’re paid; agents are paid by insurers, not by you.
4. Ask whether they’ll review your plan each fall.
5. Confirm they’ll put plan details in writing before you enroll.

Rules that protect you

Federal rules shape how agents work. Third-party marketing organizations that represent more than one Medicare Advantage organization must give a disclaimer explaining that they don’t offer every plan in your area. Agents must agree with you on a Scope of Appointment, the products you want to discuss, before a sales appointment; a CMS rule effective June 1, 2026 removed the old 48-hour waiting period. And under a 2024 CMS rule, your personal information can be shared with another marketing organization only with your prior express written consent for each recipient.

A good first conversation

• The agent explains the disclaimer about which plans they offer.
• You agree on a Scope of Appointment before discussing specific plans.
• The agent asks about your doctors, prescriptions, and budget.
• The agent explains both Medicare Advantage and Original Medicare with Medigap, not just one.
• You get time to decide; there’s no pressure to enroll on the spot.

Red flags

Medicare.gov says Medicare will never call you to sell you anything or visit you at your home, and that it calls for personal information only in limited cases, such as returning your call. Don’t join a plan over the phone unless you called and asked for help, and don’t give your Medicare or Social Security number to anyone who contacts you unexpectedly. The FTC adds that Medicare sends new cards automatically and for free.

Report suspected fraud to 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or the HHS Office of Inspector General at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477). Medicare Advantage and Part D members can also call the I-MEDIC at 1-877-772-3379.

Free help alongside an agent

An independent agent appointed with several insurers can compare Medicare Advantage, Medigap, and Part D options available in your area, check your doctors and prescriptions against plan networks and drug lists, and help again each fall during Open Enrollment. Agents are paid by the insurers, so you don’t pay a fee for their help. Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, and your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) also give free, unbiased help; the national SHIP line is 877-839-2675.

Enrollment windows

Source: Medicare.gov, October 2026.

Avoiding penalties

Medicare charges late penalties if you delay without other qualifying coverage. Medicare.gov says the Part B penalty is 10% for each full 12-month period you could have had Part B but didn’t, usually for as long as you have Part B. The Part D penalty is 1% of the national base beneficiary premium for each month without creditable drug coverage after a 63-day gap; the base premium is $38.99 in 2026 and $41.33 in 2027. You can generally delay Part B without penalty if you have group coverage from current employment, and sign up within eight months after that coverage or employment ends.

Costs to review with an agent

Sources: CMS (Nov. 2025, Apr. 2025) and Medicare.gov. 2027 Part A and B amounts had not been announced as of Oct. 22, 2026; CMS usually publishes them in mid-November. Higher-income beneficiaries pay more for Parts B and D.

Medigap timing

Your best time to buy is the six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period, which starts the first month you have Part B and are 65 or older. During it, insurers can’t refuse to sell you any policy they offer or charge more for health problems. Outside it, insurers in most states can use medical underwriting unless you have a guaranteed issue right, such as when your Medicare Advantage plan leaves your area, employer coverage that pays after Medicare ends, or you leave a Medicare Advantage plan within your first year. You generally must apply within 63 days after the other coverage ends.

Checking a plan and insurer

• Networks. Confirm your doctors and hospitals are in the plan’s network.
• Drugs. Check each prescription on the plan’s formulary and its tier.
• Costs. Compare premiums, deductibles, copays, and the out-of-pocket maximum.
• Agent license. Confirm the agent is licensed in your state through your state insurance department.
• Star Ratings. Review the plan’s rating on Medicare.gov’s Plan Finder.

What an independent agency does

An independent insurance agency is licensed to sell policies from several insurance companies. Instead of quoting one company's products, an independent agent can compare options from the insurers the agency represents, explain the differences in coverage, and help you re-shop at renewal. The insurance company, not the agent, makes underwriting and claim decisions.

Blake Insurance Group is an independent agency. We work with clients by phone, email, and online in states where we are licensed, and we will tell you which insurers we can quote for your situation.

How we work

Blake Insurance Group serves clients by phone, email, and online in states where we are licensed. The insurers and plans we can offer depend on our appointments and your location; a company named on this page may not be available through us.

How to verify an insurer or agency

Before buying through any website or app, confirm who is selling you the policy and who will issue it:

1. Find the licensed agency or insurer named in the site's footer, terms, or license page.
2. Look up the agency or producer on your state insurance department's license search, or through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR).
3. Look up the insurer on your state insurance department's company search to confirm it is authorized in your state.
4. Save the insurer's name and policy number once issued, since that is who handles claims.

A legitimate service will make this information easy to find. Be cautious if you cannot identify the licensed entity.

Sources

We checked the facts on this page against the sources below in October 2026. Plans, prices, and rules change, so confirm current terms before you buy.

• 42 CFR 422.2267: Required materials and content (TPMO disclaimer)
• 42 CFR 423.2264: Beneficiary contact and Scope of Appointment
• 42 CFR 423.2274: Agent and broker requirements (data-sharing consent)
• CMS: Contract Year 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D final rule (Apr. 2026)
• ACL: State Health Insurance Assistance Program (Mar. 2026)
• Medicare.gov: Medicare fraud
• Medicare.gov: Reporting Medicare fraud and abuse
• FTC: Avoid scams during Medicare open enrollment (Nov. 2024)
• Medicare.gov: When does Medicare coverage start?
• Medicare.gov: Joining a health or drug plan
• Medicare.gov: Avoid late enrollment penalties
• CMS: 2026 Medicare Parts A & B premiums and deductibles (Nov. 2025)
• CMS: Final CY 2026 Part D redesign program instructions
• Medicare.gov: Insulin
• Medicare.gov: Ready to buy a Medigap policy
• Medicare.gov: Medigap guaranteed issue rights

What to have ready for a Medicare review

These details help an agent quote accurately.

1. Medicare card. Your Medicare number and Part A and B start dates.
2. Doctors. Names of doctors and hospitals you want to keep.
3. Prescriptions. Drug names, doses, and pharmacies.
4. Current coverage. Any plan, employer, or Medicaid coverage you have.
5. ZIP code. Plans differ by county.

Choosing a Medicare agent FAQs

Related guides

• Medicare Advantage agents
• Medicare Supplement insurance
• Medicare Open Enrollment
• Medicare Extra Help
• Medicare insurance agency

Partner quote options

Your next step

Request a quote, and a licensed agent will compare options available to us for your situation.