About one-third of Medicare-eligible people use a licensed agent to help choose their plan every year. If you’re one of these consumers, you want to be able to trust the person helping with your most precious commodity: your health.
Choosing a Medicare advisor is like picking a financial planner or tax specialist. This person should be an objective advisor who can help you choose a plan to fit your health, financial, prescription drug, and other benefit needs.
Here are the five Medicare broker questions you should be asking before choosing an agent.
1. Are you an independent broker or a captive agent?
The first thing to know about a Medicare advisor is whether they are an independent broker or a “captive” agent to a single carrier. Captive agents work for just one insurance company and can only sell you plans from that carrier. This dramatically limits the number of policies you can choose from. Captive agents may not disclose this information to you, but they may tell you those specific carriers are the only ones with plans that fit your needs … whether they are or not. During open enrollment, these agents may not tell you about changes to your plan or less-expensive options because they benefit if you stay on a more-expensive plan.
A licensed insurance agent from an independent broker can offer policies from many different insurance companies. When vetting an independent Medicare agent, ask how many insurers they work with; you’ll likely receive a much greater number of options. United Medicare Advisors, for instance, works for nearly a dozen insurance carriers across Medicare Supplement, final expense, dental, vision, hearing insurance, and more. A broad range of plan options gives you better odds of spending your healthcare dollars wisely.
2. Do you specialize in Medicare Advantage, Medigap, or both?
Medicare Supplement plans cover the gap of cost-sharing that Original Medicare doesn’t cover; Medicare Advantage plans include prescription drug coverage and Original Medicare benefits. These plans have different premiums, out-of-pocket costs, and types of provider networks. The type of plan you’ll want will vary based on a range of factors including your income, doctor preferences, and whether you want additional benefits with your plan.
United Medicare Advisors sells Medicare Supplement plans, and our sister agency SmartMatch sells Medicare Advantage plans. We also have separate agents that manage prescription drug coverage (Part D). Advisors from both companies are here to help you find the plan that best suits your healthcare and financial needs. If you have questions about Medicare Advantage plans, one of our agents will happily hand you over to a SmartMatch agent and vice versa. The two companies work together seamlessly.
3. How do you manage high-income adjustments like IRMAA?
You’ll pay monthly premiums for Part B (healthcare provider) and Part D (prescription drug) coverage. In 2026, the Part B premium is $202.90. Part D varies based on your plan; the national base premium in 2026 is $38.99.
High-income earners, however, are required to pay more premiums based on their modified adjusted gross income (MAGI). If your MAGI is greater than $109,001 for an individual or $218,001 for a couple, you’ll be charged an Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) for both Part D and Part B premiums. UMA advisors will explain how your income impacts your premiums and your overall insurance costs.
4. How are you compensated, and do I pay a fee?
You may be wondering if you can trust a Medicare broker, especially if they’re paid by insurance companies to obtain your business. You’re right to be curious, because some brokers’ fees are based on the cost of the plans they sell. This structure could incentivize them to sell you benefits you may not need.
UMA agents get a flat commission from insurance carriers. They don’t need to recommend expensive plans if they’re not in your best interest; instead, they provide unbiased information to help you find one that best fits your needs.
You’ll also pay no fees for this service – UMA’s guidance is free to you. You’ll pay the exact same amount when enrolling in Medicare through UMA as you would directly through a carrier.
5. Do you provide support after enrollment?
Enrollment isn’t the only time you should have some connection with your broker. You may have questions about your coverage or expenses during the year. At UMA, your broker takes you through the entire enrollment process. After that, our Customer Success agents call at least once a year to check in. During this Annual Policy Review, our agents review your policy, discuss rate or coverage changes, and make sure you are making the most of all your benefits. They’ll also reach out if your carrier is changing coverage or leaving your area to help prepare you for a new plan.
Our advisors can discuss all your coverage needs, including dental, vision, and hearing plans, critical illness policies that cover heart attacks and cancer, hospital indemnity plans, and final expense insurance. We also work with financial advisors who specialize in people aged 55 and older. We asked a Customer Success agent some common misunderstandings about annual enrollment, and Carrie Hanson answered:
“The most common misconception is you have to wait until AEP to make changes. A lot of people I talk to are surprised they can make changes anytime other than for [prescription drug coverage]. Also, they are worried underwriting is hard to pass, they are afraid they have to go to the doctor and get a physical. They don’t realize it is just a set of questions, and we are the ones asking.”
Choosing a Medicare plan is a big decision. You want to work with an advisor who is transparent and whom you trust with your health and financial resources. Agents should be transparent about their compensation and total plan offerings. If you are planning to enroll in Medicare for the first time or looking for a broker for open enrollment, reach out to a UMA advisor to see how they can help you through the process.
