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WELCOME TO GARDNER & COMPANY
WHO WE ARE. Founded more than two decades ago, Gardner & Company is a highly credentialed Insurance and Legacy Planning Agency operating throughout the southeastern US. We are best known for educating our clients and keeping our promises.
WHO WE SERVE. We help individuals protect their overall health and financial well-being with smart, affordable Supplemental Insurance such as Critical Illness, Living Benefits, Life Insurance and more. We also provide Medicare Insurance to eligible seniors.
OUR PROMISE TO YOU. With all the options available in today’s complex insurance landscape, we appreciate the trust our client’s place in us. We strive to offer and educate them on the absolute best in insurance products – and to keep our promises.
What Is Legacy Planning?
Over the past few decades, people have experienced increasingly limited opportunities to strategize and protect themselves financially. Employer-paid benefits are shrinking, as well as an individual’s means to build a nest egg for life’s milestones, such as saving for their children’s college or their own retirement. Then, enter baby-boomers.
With advancements in medical technology, baby-boomers are living longer and surviving major illnesses. Experts agree that many of them will need some type of homecare or Long Term Care at some point. Then the Affordable Care Act.
With the Affordable Care Act (ACA) into full swing, individuals are looking for alternative options to replace or enhance costly, high-deductible traditional health benefits.
This is where Gardner & Company can help. Legacy Planning is the practice of using affordable, smart insurance solutions to protect your health and financial well-being. We can help you augment your health insurance (fill in the major gaps) and be prepared for unforeseen health issues and/or a tragedy. We can also show you how certain types of life insurance can help you build cash value rapidly and safely, and how other types of life insurance even pay benefits while you are still alive. Lastly, we can help you reduce estate taxation and improve the financial legacy that you leave behind for your family after death.
*We invite you to watch these great educational videos on the varous types of Supplemental Insurance we offer, and then give us a call or click the buttons below to request a quote.
Overview Legacy Planning
Our Vision
We make it easy. When it comes to helping clients make the wisest decisions about their Legacy planning options, our vision is to arm them with the power of knowledge. We firmly believe it is the only way to get the absolute best value from your Insurance, Income, and Estate plans, based on your unique circumstances and healthcare needs.
About Medicare
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Medicare Parts A & BMedicare is the federal health insurance program for people who are 65 or older. The different parts of Medicare help cover specific services:
Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance)
Part A covers inpatient hospital stays, care in a skilled nursing facility, hospice care, and some home health care.Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance)
Part B covers certain doctors’ services, outpatient care, medical supplies, and preventive services. Most people will pay a standard Part B premium which varies depending on income. -
Medicare Part C also known as Medicare Advantage PlansMedicare Advantage Plans are offered by private carriers and replace your original Medicare Parts A and B, as they are rolled into one plan.
Much like regular insurance, you can select different plan types, such as a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), or a Preferred Provider Organization (PPO), or a Medicare Medical Savings Account Plan. Premiums will vary, based on coverage, carrier and geographical location.
Advantage Plans include may include prescription drug coverage, and sometimes offer other supplemental coverage, like dental or vision.
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Medicare Part D also known as Prescription Drug CoverageMedicare Part D adds prescription drug coverage to Original Medicare and is offered through private insurance companies that are contracted and approved by Medicare – premiums vary between carriers. Medicare Advantage Plans may also offer prescription drug coverage that follows the same rules as Medicare Prescription Drug Plans.
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Medicare Supplements (Medigap)Medicare Supplement Insurance policies are offered through private carriers and work in conjunction to complement your original Medicare Parts A and B. They cover some, if not all, of the expenses that Part A and B do not cover, like co-pays, deductibles and other excess charges.
There are many different types of Medciare Supplement policies available, yet they are regulated so the benefits for these various policies (known as Plan A through N), are all the same regardless of the carrier. However, premiums can vary greatly among carriers.
Ultimately, the best supplement plan is one that is purchased from a quality carrier, has a low premium and leaves you with the least or no out of pocket expenses.
Click here for an overview of what Supplement Plans cover.
Open Enrollment
OCT
15th
OPEN ENROLLMENT BEGINS
Each year in October, carriers provide information for next year’s plans. Beginning on October 15th, people with Medicare can change their Medicare health plans and prescription drug coverage for the following year to better meet their needs. Note that you must already have original Medicare Parts A & B to purchase a Medicare Supplement Plan or switch to a Medicare Advantage Plan during open enrollment.
DEC
7th
OPEN ENROLLMENT ENDS
Open enrollment for Medicare ends December 7th. If you did not act during this period, you may have to wait until next year to change your plan. However, there are certain qualifying events in which you may be able to sign up for a Medicare health plan outside of the open enrollment. For more information, review our information on eligibility to the right of this paragraph.
Eligibility For Medicare
INITIAL ENROLLMENT PERIOD
To sign up for Medicare Parts A, B, and supplemental coverage (known as Supplement, Advantage, or Prescription Drug Plans), most people will have a 7 month period around the time they turn age 65. This period begins 3 months before the month you turn 65, includes the month you turn 65, and ends 3 months after the month you turn 65.
Once your Initial Enrollment Period is over, if you wish to change or purchase Advantage and Supplement Plans, you must act during the open enrollment period.
Did you miss the deadline? When open enrollment is closed, there are special circumstances that may enable you to enroll outside of the enrollment period. Listed below are the qualiying events:
- You are turning 65
- You move out of the area
- Recently moved back to the US
- You lose your current coverage (Group )
- Divorce with loss of dependent group coverage
- You require or no longer require a SNP (Special Needs Plan)
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