No. Working with a licensed Medicare agent costs you nothing. Insurance companies pay agents a commission that is fixed by the carrier and, for Advantage and Part D plans, capped by Medicare. Your premium is the same whether you enroll through me, through the company's website, or by calling the plan directly. There is no fee, no markup and no bill.
Who pays, and how much
For Medicare Advantage and Part D, Medicare sets the maximum commission each year, and every agent in a state gets the same amount from the same plan. For Supplements, the insurance company sets the commission, which is built into the premium that everyone pays, agent or no agent. Enrolling on your own does not lower your price. It just means nobody was paid to help you.
Independent versus captive
A captive agent works for one insurance company and can only show you that company's plans. An independent agent, which is what I am, holds contracts with many companies and compares across them. When one company raises its rates or drops a doctor from its network, an independent agent can move you. A captive agent cannot.
What you get for free
A comparison of the plans in your ZIP code against your doctors, your prescriptions and your pharmacy. A written side-by-side of the top options. Help with the paperwork and the deadlines. A review every fall when the plans change. And a person to call when a claim is denied, a bill looks wrong or a pharmacy says your drug is not covered. Those calls are most of what I do in a year.
What an agent cannot do
An agent cannot change the price of a plan, cannot get you into a plan outside its enrollment window, and cannot enroll you in Parts A and B. Those go through Social Security.
How to know you are dealing with a real agent
Ask for the license number and check it on your state insurance department's website. A licensed agent must give you a Scope of Appointment before discussing Advantage or Part D plans, and calls about those plans are recorded, which protects you. Nobody from Medicare calls to sell plans, and no legitimate agent asks for a payment.
My license number is in the footer of this site. Request a plan check and the comparison is yours whether you enroll or not.