What we do
Insurance plan comparison
Not a brochure and not a ranking. A side-by-side comparison of the plans you actually qualify for, with the numbers that decide the answer pulled to the front.
What you get
Concrete things, not a conversation about a conversation.
Every one of these is included, and none of it is billed to you. Our compensation comes from the carrier you eventually choose — or from nowhere at all, if the right answer is to leave your coverage exactly as it is.
- A shortlist of the plans that genuinely fit, not every plan in the county
- Premium, deductible and out-of-pocket maximum, side by side
- A network check for each doctor, specialist and facility you name
- A formulary check for each prescription, at its actual tier, at your pharmacy
- A best-year and worst-year cost estimate for each plan
- A named recommendation with the reasoning written down
How it runs
Step by step.
- 01
You tell us what matters
Doctors you will not give up, prescriptions you take, whether you travel, how you feel about copays versus premiums, and what a comfortable monthly number looks like.
- 02
We pull the field
Every plan available at your ZIP code from the carriers we are appointed with, plus an honest note about anything material we cannot offer, so you know what is outside our view.
- 03
We narrow it properly
Plans that fail a network or formulary check come off the list immediately. What survives gets compared on total cost in a normal year and in a bad one.
- 04
You get it in writing
A written comparison you keep, can discuss with your family, and take a week over. Then a recommendation, with the reasoning, and no follow-up pressure.
The numbers that actually decide it
| Figure | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Monthly premium | The number everyone looks at first, and the least useful in isolation |
| Annual deductible | What you pay before the plan participates |
| Out-of-pocket maximum | The worst realistic year — the single most important figure |
| Specialist copay | Drives cost for anyone managing a condition |
| Inpatient cost share | The largest single exposure in most plans |
| Drug tier for each of your prescriptions | Where low-premium plans quietly get expensive |
| Network status of each of your doctors | A plan that excludes your cardiologist is not a candidate |
What we will tell you that a call center will not
That the plan you already have is the right one, when it is. That the extras being advertised at you are worth less than the copay structure underneath them. That the cheapest premium in the county is the most expensive plan for someone with your drug list. That a product someone else recommended is fine, and you do not need to move.
We are compensated when you enroll, which means we have an obvious incentive to recommend change. We would rather have a client for twenty years than a commission this month, and that trade-off is the entire basis of how we work.
How we narrow the field
Steps two and three usually eliminate most of the field, which is the point. A shortlist of three plans that genuinely fit is more useful than a spreadsheet of thirty that mostly do not.
- Pull every plan available at your ZIP code from the carriers we are appointed with.
- Remove anything that excludes a doctor, specialist or hospital you told us you will not give up.
- Remove anything that puts one of your prescriptions on a tier you cannot afford.
- Price what survives on a normal year and on a bad year, including the out-of-pocket maximum.
- Rank on total cost rather than premium, and write down why the top choice won.
What we cannot see, stated plainly
We compare plans from the carriers we hold appointments with. In most counties that covers the large majority of what is sold, but it is not everything, and any broker who implies otherwise is overstating it.
Where something material sits outside our appointments, we say so and point you at Medicare.gov or your state Marketplace so you can look at it yourself. You are entitled to know the edges of the advice you are being given.
Frequently asked questions
Do you compare every plan on the market?
We compare every plan from the carriers we are appointed with in your area, which covers the large majority of what is available in most counties. We do not offer every plan available in your area, and we will tell you plainly when something material sits outside our appointments so you can look at it yourself on Medicare.gov or the Marketplace.
How long does a comparison take?
Most take a single conversation of twenty to forty minutes, plus the time we spend running networks and formularies afterwards. You usually have the written comparison within a day or two.
Does comparing obligate me to switch?
Not at all. A significant share of our comparisons end with us recommending no change. You are not signing anything by asking.
Coverage involved
The products this service touches.
-
Medicare Advantage (Part C)
Medicare Advantage (Part C) is a private plan that replaces how you receive your Part A and Part B benefits. Plans usually bundle prescription drug coverage and extras like dental and vision, often carry a $0 monthly premium, and cap your annual out-of-pocket costs — but you use a provider network and pay copays at the point of care.
About this coverage -
Medicare Supplement (Medigap)
A Medicare Supplement, or Medigap, is a private policy that pays the deductibles, copayments and coinsurance Original Medicare does not. You keep Original Medicare, see any provider in the country who accepts Medicare, need no referrals, and pay a monthly premium. Prescription drug coverage is bought separately as a Part D plan.
About this coverage -
ACA / Marketplace health plans
An ACA Marketplace plan is individual major-medical health insurance sold under the Affordable Care Act. Carriers cannot decline you or price you on health history, every plan covers the ten essential health benefits, and households under certain income levels receive a premium tax credit that reduces the monthly cost — often substantially.
About this coverage -
Part D prescription drug plans
Medicare Part D is prescription drug coverage sold by private carriers, either as a standalone plan alongside Original Medicare and a Medigap policy or bundled inside a Medicare Advantage plan. Each plan has its own formulary, tiers and pharmacy network, and an annual cap on what you pay out of pocket for covered drugs.
About this coverage
Related services
Often needed at the same time.
-
Annual coverage review
Your plan changes every January. We re-check it every October, before it costs you.
How it works -
Prescription drug cost review
Your actual drug list, run against every plan in your county, at your pharmacy.
How it works -
Medicare enrollment assistance
Step-by-step help getting enrolled in the right Medicare arrangement, at no cost to you.
How it works