Is it free to meet with a Medicare agent?
Yes. Licensed Medicare agents do not charge you for a meeting or for help enrolling. They are paid a commission by the insurance company if you enroll in a plan, and your premium is the same whether you enroll through an agent or directly with the company.
How agents are paid
When you enroll in a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan through an agent, the insurance company pays the agent a commission. Medicare sets the maximum amounts each year, and they are the same across companies for the same type of plan. For Medicare Supplement plans, the insurer pays the agent from the premium you would pay anyway.
You never pay the agent directly, and plans do not cost more because an agent helped you. The insurer builds the cost of selling the plan into its pricing whether you use an agent, call the company, or enroll online.
What a free visit includes
- Checking which plans cover your doctors, hospital and pharmacy
- Comparing what your prescriptions would cost under different plans
- Explaining the differences between Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement and Part D
- Help with the enrollment paperwork if you decide to enroll
- Ongoing help after you enroll: claims questions, ID cards, annual reviews
What you should never be asked for
No agent should ask you for a fee, a bank account number, or a payment to meet with you or to enroll. Premiums are paid to the insurance company or deducted from Social Security, not to the agent. If anyone asks you to pay them, leave.
Agents represent some plans, not all
An agent can only show you plans from the companies they are contracted with. Many independent agents represent most of the major companies in their area, but no agent represents every plan. Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE and your state’s SHIP counseling program can show you every option, and a good agent will tell you that themselves.
Common questions
Do I pay more for a plan if I use an agent?
No. Premiums are set by the insurance company and approved by Medicare. The price is identical whether you enroll through an agent, by phone with the company, or online.
Is the agent paid more for certain plans?
For Medicare Advantage and Part D, Medicare caps commissions and they are the same for every company’s plan of the same type. An agent has no financial reason to steer you between Medicare Advantage plans.
What is a SHIP counselor, and are they free too?
The State Health Insurance Assistance Program offers free, unbiased counseling funded by the government. Counselors do not sell plans. Agents can also help you enroll; counselors generally cannot.
Talk it through in person
Every office in this directory has licensed agents who will sit down with you, at no cost, and go through your situation. Find a Medicare office near you →