Medicare Advantage
Medicare Basics
What is Medicare?
Medicare is a federal health insurance program that gives you access to specific coverage and benefits. Medicare is different from health insurance you may have had before. It offers you a variety of coverage options — and it has key enrollment dates and guidelines you need to follow. We’re here to help you make sense of it all.
How is Medicare Different From Other Health Insurance?
- Choose hospital and medical coverage delivered through the federal government.
- Add prescription drug coverage delivered through a private company.
- Purchase a supplemental insurance policy from a private insurer that can help cover some of the costs.
- Choose coverage from a private insurer that combines hospital, medical and often prescription drug coverage into one plan.
In short, with Medicare you can choose coverage that fits your needs, budget and lifestyle. We can help you take full advantage of that freedom.
Who is Eligible for Medicare?
When and How Do I Enroll?
If you’re not receiving benefits from any of these sources at least four months before you turn 65: If you’re under 65 and have a qualifying disability, you’ll automatically get Part A and Part B: If you have ESRD (End-Stage Renal Disease), you can choose to enroll in Part A and Part B: If you’re receiving benefits from any of these sources at least four months before you turn 65:
What If I Continue to Work Past the Age of 65?
Turning 65 doesn’t always mean you have to sign up for Medicare right away — especially if you’re still working. If you or your spouse are actively employed by a company with 20 or more employees and you’re receiving health insurance through that employer, you can:

Stay with the employer health plan as your primary coverage and delay Medicare enrollment.

Enroll in Medicare Part A and use it as secondary coverage to help pay for things the employer health plan doesn’t cover. One thing to note – you can no longer contribute to a commercial HSA once enrolled in Medicare Part A.

Choose to delay enrolling in Medicare Part B until the employment ends or the coverage stops, without paying late enrollment penalties if you enroll later.
Testimonials
I am part of a group that cares for the spiritual needs of seniors in nursing facilities. Yolanda has shared her…
I am part of a group that cares for the spiritual needs of seniors in nursing facilities. Yolanda has shared her knowledge and experience with us to care for those with dementia and Alzheimer’s. She has incredible integrity and is very professional.
My father is aging and has challenges associated with his mobility and cognitive function. Yolanda was very helpful in…
My father is aging and has challenges associated with his mobility and cognitive function. Yolanda was very helpful in offering suggestions to me regarding my dad and how to handle his decline. She is very experienced at dealing with challenges associated with aging parents and offers great advice!
Bottomline — If you’re looking for someone to help with any sort of elder care, call Yolanda. She is THE BEST!!
Our…
Bottomline — If you’re looking for someone to help with any sort of elder care, call Yolanda. She is THE BEST!!
Our experience — My mom, in her late 80’s living alone, went blind overnight due a bad surgery outcome. At first, getting her the care she needed was fairly straightforward, because she was otherwise is good shape.
Then about 2 years later, her ability to function had great diminished, and it was clear that she needed more care. We tried finding new living arrangements, but it wasn’t going well.
That’s when Yolanda came into the picture — thankfully! She’s an experienced geriatric care manager who had managed a large assisted living facility herself. Perhaps more importantly, she’s an incredibly empathetic, clear-minded human being who gets things done.
Yolanda quickly (and painlessly for us) found a perfect place and took care of all the logistics of getting my mom moved and situated. A couple of years later, as mom's needs increased and the care was over-stretching family resources, Yolanda found another place that was again perfect for the new circumstances.
We have referred other family members and a friend to Yolanda, and all had similar experiences. Needless to say, a bunch of us are grateful that we have access to such effective and compassionate help.
Yolanda and The Way to Aging provided invaluable assistance to us in dealing with a difficult situation getting my aunt…
Yolanda and The Way to Aging provided invaluable assistance to us in dealing with a difficult situation getting my aunt into hospice care. Her knowledge and experience helped us navigate the complex decisions around hospitals, insurance, care facilities, and other decisions.
I cannot recommend her services enough, especially if you are unfamiliar with these types of situations. She was able to guide us on what questions to ask of the hospital and medical staff, how to navigate insurance claims, and what types of facilities would be best given the situation. I can't believe in our society that end of life care is so complex, expensive and confusing. She really helped take the burden and stress off my family and did so with speed, efficiency and kindness.
I'm not sure what I would have done without Yolanda.
I called several placement specialists and Yolanda was the only…
I'm not sure what I would have done without Yolanda.
I called several placement specialists and Yolanda was the only one that responded quickly and immediately started search for a place for my mom.
She went over the process which included what pricing we could afford, the level of care that my mom needed, the difference in price between a shared room and private room and the distance we would be willing to travel to visit my mom. She also informed us of what things are covered such as laundry, food preparation, bathing assistance, TV/Internet, mobility assistance, etc.
She was very thorough and explained that it's important to gather as much information as possible so that an accurate monthly price quote can be negotiated from the facility who will be providing the services. She also mentioned what type of things the facility cannot do concerning medical assistance that required a higher level facility. She also was very open about places in the area that don't have a good reputation.
She also made sure we weren't blind sided by things that might cost us extra so that we could interview the facilities and find out what their particular policies were. For example, based on my mom's particular situation, we would have to pay in addition such things as incontinence supplies, medications, and possibly specialized foods (gluten free).
She sent us a report of what facilities might be a match, the pricing range, and distance to us. She also told us she checked the records to see if there were any violations. She worked with us to setup appointments to check out the facilities and encouraged us to ask as many questions as possible.
After I visited the facilities, Yolanda followed up and called me to get feedback on what happened. I'm very happy with the level of service I received from her and would recommend her to anyone that wanted plan for a future placement for a loved one.
Yolanda came as a referral and a great one at that. She was very helpful navigating my family with hospice issues.…
Yolanda came as a referral and a great one at that. She was very helpful navigating my family with hospice issues. Also, very respectful and compassionate with finding the right fit for a board and care for my father. I encourage you to not think twice, just call her and your prayers will be answered!
Yolanda was a great help in navigating through our unknown. She has a wealth of information and can explain it so it is…
Yolanda was a great help in navigating through our unknown. She has a wealth of information and can explain it so it is very understandable. We would highly recommend her to anyone in need of her services.
During the last three years I and my three sisters have been extremely fortunate to have Yolanda’s assistance with…
During the last three years I and my three sisters have been extremely fortunate to have Yolanda’s assistance with our elderly parents. Without her invaluable help and participation, our parents would never have received the necessary quality of care in such a complex senior living environment, which exists today.
Meeting the needs of our very much loved elderly parents was and is an ever changing process. Yolanda has actively demonstrated her professionalism, compassion, empathy, willingness to listen to our specific needs, and her vast knowledge and experience of the process. She is passionate about working with the elderly and their loved ones and understands the multifaceted and individualized emotional and relational needs of each family member.
Her vast knowledge of all the steps involved in this journey and at guiding me and my sisters to the highest quality resources and services available for mom and dad elicits our deepest heartfelt love and thankfulness. She has assisted us with in-home care for both mom and dad and then a transition for both to board and care facilities. She is a very gentle and sweet person who kindly and empathetically supported us during our father’s end of life.
We are now beginning to navigate this process with our mother and cannot thank Yolanda enough for her assistance. I would recommend Yolanda to anyone looking for help in caring for their loved one. You can totally trust her advice and recommendations. I do not think you will find a better person than Yolanda to lovingly assist you with providing the best care for your loved one. Thank you Yolanda for all you do and your heart for the aging. God Bless you.
I have been working with Yolanda for almost 3 years now. She is a deeply compassionate, knowledgeable and experienced…
I have been working with Yolanda for almost 3 years now. She is a deeply compassionate, knowledgeable and experienced individual that truly cares for.people. She has helped me navigate the process of in home care for my mother while she was living on her own, to helping us find her a new home in a board and care. All thr while my Father was doing well, became ill and once again Yolanda walked with us thru the system, answering all of our questions and reassuring us along the way. She has been a priceless asset in the journey of caring for our precious, aging parents.
I would absolutely recommend
reaching out to her for guidance and expertise in navagating the prcocsess for care and comfort.of our loved ones.
Thank you Yolanda!
Blessings Always,
Our family found ourselves in need of assisted living for my parents under stressful and time compressed circumstances.…
Our family found ourselves in need of assisted living for my parents under stressful and time compressed circumstances. We needed to find a location near family, with the right mix of services, and at the right price point. And, due to my dad's health issues, we only had a few weeks to make the transition! Yolanda provided an invaluable service for our family. She was incredibly responsive and compassionate. Her recommendations were insightful and thoroughly researched. Her guidance led us to finding a wonderful community for my parents. My family is very grateful to Yolanda. We could not have navigated this change without her. She has stayed in contact with regular check-ins, and I know we can count on her should the need arise. I recommend The Way to Aging with the highest confidence. She's a wonderful person. Thank you, Yolanda!
I would personally like to share my experience with the way to aging Yolanda. She is amazing. She has help me with my…
I would personally like to share my experience with the way to aging Yolanda. She is amazing. She has help me with my grandfather for many years now, if it wasn’t for her, I would be the caretaker role and not the granddaughter relationship that we now have again. I would be a mess trying to figure things out. She is one of the best people, very compassionate, I really do appreciate her service. Thank you Sincerely, Louisa Dooty!!!♥️♥️♥️♥️
It's always difficult to determine what's best for your parents as they get older and are need more care on a daily…
It's always difficult to determine what's best for your parents as they get older and are need more care on a daily basis. We knew we needed assistance and guidance as to how best to proceed given my Mom's age and her challenges and what were the options available to us. That's when Yolanda Higgens came to our rescue and provided her expertise, resources and unbelievable care and concern for my Mom. As a family, these decisions are never easy and always challenging. Yolanda made my Mom and us understand what was available in terms of care and pricing and what residential care would be best for my Mom. My Mom is happy with her residential care and so is the family. It's never easy, but if you need to explore these options for your loved ones - Yolanda Higgens and The Way To Aging are your best option for finding the best Residential Care for your Elderly Parent with the peace of mind in knowing you did the right thing for them in the right way! Thank you Yolanda!


























