Author
Health & Life Insurance Contributor
Michael Chen is a contributor to Best Insurance Guide covering health, life and disability insurance. He writes plain-English explainers on premiums, deductibles, copays and subsidies, with every guide reviewed against current plan documents, CMS materials and marketplace guidelines before publication. *Editorial note: contributor profiles reflect current editorial roles. License numbers and verifiable professional credentials are published here as contributors provide them. Our guides are educational and do not constitute personalized financial advice — always confirm details with a licensed agent or your state insurance department before buying.*
Medicare Part D covers the prescription drugs you take at home. Here is what it covers and excludes, the 2027 deductible and $2,400 cap, why stand-alone plans are shrinking, the newly negotiated drug prices, and how to choose a plan by December 7.
Plan G covers almost everything after the Part B deductible; Plan N trades small copays and excess-charge risk for a lower premium. Here is what Medigap is, the 2027 numbers, and a worked break-even comparison.
You can apply for Medicare three months before the month you turn 65. Here is how the seven-month Initial Enrollment Period works, who is signed up automatically, when working past 65 lets you wait, and what a late start costs.
Medicare's Extra Help program sets 2027 copays at up to $5.80 for generics and $14.40 for brand-name drugs, with a $0 deductible. Who qualifies, the 2026 income limits and how to apply before open enrollment ends.
Medicare Savings Programs can pay your $202.90 Part B premium and more. The 2026 QMB, SLMB and QI income and asset limits, which states allow more, and how to apply before 2027.
How small businesses can offer health insurance for 2027: group plans, QSEHRA and ICHRA compared, what coverage costs, the SHOP tax credit, and the November 15 to December 15 window that waives participation rules.
FEMA disaster assistance can pay for temporary housing, home repairs and other losses insurance doesn't cover, up to $44,800 for each type. Who qualifies, how to apply, why you file an insurance claim first, and what to expect after Hurricane Isaias.
A high-deductible health plan (HDHP) costs less each month and unlocks an HSA, but you pay more before coverage kicks in. A PPO costs more upfront and less when you need care. How to compare the two at open enrollment, with worked numbers.
An HSA is yours to keep and invest but needs a high-deductible plan. An FSA works with almost any plan but is mostly use-it-or-lose-it. How the two accounts differ, which one fits you, and when you can have both.
What burial insurance is, how it differs from regular life insurance, how to get coverage with no waiting period, graded vs modified benefits, whether it's worth the cost, and options for seniors over 85 and people with cancer.
How joint life insurance works for married couples, the difference between first-to-die and survivorship (second-to-die) policies, how survivorship life insurance helps in estate planning, and when two individual policies are the better choice.
A practical guide to life insurance for seniors: whether retirees still need it, what's available over 60, 70, 80 and 85, senior term vs final expense, no-waiting-period policies, what those TV ads really offer, and how to get the best rate.
