We Know Medicare Spokane

09/30/2024

I was recently invited to participate in the podcast "Retirement FAQ's Answered", hosted by Taylor Demars. We discussed the Inflation Reduction Act and how it will impact Medicare. This is important information for Medicare beneficiaries to be aware of, and I appreciate Taylor giving me the opportunity to share this.

In this video, I sit down with licensed Medicare broker John Fox, who with his over 20 years of experience in finance and Medicare breaks down the critical c...

11/08/2023

https://apple.news/AY-HeWS6OT4KqVzuY19auOg

“Open Enrollment is prime time for Medicare beneficiaries to be targeted."

06/16/2023

https://apple.news/A29z67FWlTFaRl9B5IX3umg

In less than three months, the federal government is set to announce the initial 10 drugs subject to first-ever price negotiations in Medicare. Pharmaceutical companies and their supporters want to stop that from happening.

01/30/2023

We are changing names! Although we have been doing business as We Speak Medicare since 2016, we have been informed that another company out of Texas uses the same name with a different logo. They have asked us to stop using We Speak Medicare to market our business. After assessing the expense of defending our name, we have decided to change our name to We Know Medicare.
Our service to our clients will continue to be our priority as we make a few cosmetic changes to our promotional materials.
Thanks, John

02/26/2022

Local advice when you need it.

02/26/2022

Many thanks to Ty and Mark Strahl at Lifestage for making this important planning tool available to We Speak Medicare clients. This is a valuable resource for helping all of us think ahead and prepare for any changes the future brings.

As a professional you know the importance of planning ahead in the event of an emergency. That’s why we are offering local professionals a free estate planning workbook that can be shared with your clients or anyone else you think may benefit.

Planning for Legal, Medical, Financial and Social factors can make all the difference for a person’s peace of mind. You can download your FREE Legacy Review workbook from our website www.lifestageusa.com. Simply enter coupon code Lifestage2021 at checkout to download a copy today. This workbook normally sells for $19.99 but we are making it available for free to all of our professional community partners!

If you have any questions on completing your workbook, please don’t hesitate to give me a call!

Ty Strahl
Certified Senior Advisor (CSA)
509-473-9956
[email protected]
www.Lifestageusa.com

04/10/2021

Register for the Summer Estate Planning Series to learn valuable information from these local resources. You are welcome to attend one or all of the sessions at no cost to you. Join us for refreshments and meet your community professionals.

11/11/2020

CMS unveiled a final rule Oct. 29 that requires health plans to disclose the rates they negotiate with hospitals and other healthcare providers.

Five things to know:

1. The final rule requires health insurers to offer an online tool that provides members with personalized out-of-pocket cost information and the negotiated rates for all covered services and items, including prescription drugs. Health plans must also provide this information in paper form if it is requested.

2. CMS said insurers will be required to provide a list of 500 shoppable services via the online tool for plan years that begin on or after Jan. 1, 2023. Insurers will be required to provide cost information for additional items and services for plan years that begin on or after Jan. 1, 2024.

3. The final rule requires health insurers and group health plans to provide the public with three separate machine-readable files that include detailed pricing information.

4. The first file will show negotiated rates for all covered items and services between the plan and in-network providers. The second file will show both the historical payments to and billed charges from out-of-network providers. The third file will detail in-network negotiated rates and historical net prices for all covered prescription drugs. These data files will be made public for plan years that begin on or after Jan. 1, 2022, and will be updated monthly.

5. Insurers that offer plans that encourage the use of lower-cost, higher-value providers can take credit for "shared savings" payments in their medical loss ratio calculations. HHS said it believes this change will encourage insurers "to offer new or different value-based plan designs that support competition and consumer engagement in the healthcare market."

11/09/2019

Check out this article from USA TODAY:

Medicare Part B premium 2020: Rates and deductibles rising 7% for outpatient care

Medicare Part B premiums and deductibles are increasing 7% in 2020, which is a $9.10 monthly increase for 70% of Medicare beneficiaries.