Everything in one place
Sorted by what you actually need — understand a topic, get a number from a calculator, download a form, or go straight to the official source.
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Pick the one closest to your situation and we'll take you to the right guides.
Medicare
Understand a topic Plain-English guides to every part of Medicare — start with the basics, or jump straight to your question.
Medicare Overview
The big picture and how we help.
Read moreBasics: The Four Parts Explained
Parts A, B, C, and D in plain English — what each covers, what it costs, and how they fit together.
Read moreNew to Medicare? Your First Decisions
A step-by-step first-timer's guide to enrolling on time and choosing your initial coverage without costly mistakes.
Read moreEnrollment Periods & Deadlines
IEP, AEP, OEP, SEP — the enrollment windows that decide when you can join, switch, or drop a plan without penalty.
Read moreAdvantage (Part C) Plans
How Medicare Advantage bundles your benefits, what the extras really mean, and who these plans fit best.
Read moreSupplement (Medigap) Plans
Medigap plans pair with Original Medicare to cover the gaps — deductibles, coinsurance — for freedom and predictable bills.
Read morePart D Prescription Drug Plans
How Part D works, the new out-of-pocket cap, and why the right plan depends entirely on your specific medications.
Read moreIRMAA: Higher-Income Medicare Surcharges
If your income is above the thresholds, you pay more for Part B and Part D. Here's how IRMAA works and how to appeal it.
Read moreHSAs & Medicare: What Changes at 65
Enrolling in Medicare ends new HSA contributions — but the money you saved stays yours. Here's how to avoid the common trap.
Read moreMedicaid
If you qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid, special plans and programs can dramatically lower — or eliminate — your costs.
Read moreChronic Conditions
Chronic Special Needs Plans tailor Medicare Advantage to conditions like diabetes, heart disease, or COPD.
Read moreTravel Coverage
Whether you travel the country or spend winters south, your Medicare choice determines how well you're covered away from home.
Read moreVeterans
Having VA benefits doesn't always mean skipping Medicare. Here's how the two work together — and why Part B often still matters.
Read moreResources & Trusted Links
A curated set of official Medicare resources, plus year-stamped figures and a real person to call when the websites aren't enough.
Read moreUnder-65 & Family Coverage
Understand a topic Health coverage before Medicare — Marketplace subsidies, self-employed options, kids' coverage, and filling a gap.
ACA Marketplace Health Insurance
Compare subsidized Marketplace plans, check if you qualify for premium tax credits, and enroll with a licensed agent — at no extra cost.
Read moreHealth Insurance for the Self-Employed
Freelancers, contractors, and business owners have more options than the Marketplace alone. We map the choice that fits your income and taxes.
Read moreShort-Term & Gap Coverage
Bridging a gap between jobs, before Medicare, or after a life change? Short-term and supplemental plans can cover the in-between.
Read moreDental & Vision Insurance
Standalone dental and vision plans that fill a real gap — because Original Medicare and most health plans don't cover routine dental or eye care.
Read morePPO Plan Options
Private, indemnity-style PPO plans for people under 65, especially the self-employed: see the providers you want, when you want, with no referrals needed.
Read moreMental Health & Telemedicine Coverage
Plans and supplemental options that make therapy, psychiatry, and virtual doctor visits genuinely accessible — not just technically covered.
Read moreFlorida KidCare & Children's Medicaid
Low-cost and no-cost health coverage for Florida children through Florida KidCare and Medicaid — and help figuring out which program your family qualifies for.
Read moreFamily Planning Medicaid (Limited Benefit)
A limited Medicaid benefit that covers family-planning services for those who qualify — a helpful option to know about while you sort out fuller coverage.
Read moreLife, Planning & Protection
Understand a topic Life insurance, Social Security timing, estate coordination, and the supplemental policies that cover what health insurance doesn't.
Life Insurance
Term, whole, and living-benefit life insurance that protects your family's income, pays off debt, and can even help while you're still living.
Read moreCritical Illness & Supplemental Coverage
Lump-sum cash if you're diagnosed with cancer, a heart attack, or stroke — money you can spend on anything, not just medical bills.
Read moreEstate & Legacy Planning Coordination
We coordinate the insurance side of your estate plan — beneficiaries, life insurance, and long-term-care strategy — alongside your attorney and tax advisor.
Read moreSocial Security Timing Analysis
As a Registered Social Security Analyst®, Kate helps you choose the claiming age and strategy that can add tens of thousands to your lifetime benefit.
Read moreTravel Medical Insurance
Coverage for medical emergencies while you travel — including abroad, where Medicare and most U.S. plans simply don't follow you.
Read moreInstant-Decision Term Life with Living Benefits
Term life you can often qualify for in minutes — no medical exam for many applicants — and that includes living benefits you can use if you get seriously ill.
Read moreBusiness & Group Benefits
Understand a topic Group health, level-funded plans, and PEO evaluation for your team.
Group Benefits for Employers
Competitive group health and ancillary benefits that help you attract and keep good people — designed around your budget, not the carrier's.
Read moreLevel-Funded Health Plans
Level-funded group health plans combine the fixed monthly payments of a fully insured plan with the potential refund of unused claims dollars you would otherwise only see with self-funding.
Read moreGet a number
Do something Every one of these runs in your browser and gives you an answer on the spot — no email address, no sales call, nothing sent anywhere.
Medigap Cost Comparison
Compare what Medigap plans typically cost, side by side.
IRMAA Calculator
See whether your income triggers a Medicare premium surcharge.
Medicare Enrollment Finder
Find the enrollment window that actually applies to you.
Part B Penalty Calculator
Estimate the lifetime cost of delaying Part B.
Part D Penalty Calculator
Estimate the lifetime cost of delaying drug coverage.
Part A Premium Calculator
What Part A costs without 40 work credits.
Income & Subsidy Estimator
See what ACA help you may qualify for.
ACA Qualifying Event Finder
Check whether a life change lets you enroll outside open enrollment.
Family Glitch Calculator
See if your family qualifies for Marketplace help despite a job offer.
Get a document
Do something Printable kits, the official CMS handbook, and the enrolment and appeal forms people most often need.
Keep learning
Do something Articles, short answers, plain-English definitions, recorded sessions, and a monthly email of deadlines worth knowing.
The Blog
Up-to-date Medicare, ACA, and life insurance insights.
Straight Answers
One question, one page, answer first.
Insurance Translator
Insurance jargon, decoded into plain English.
Life Stages
Start from what's happening in your life, not from a product.
Watch & Learn
Recorded sessions and free live webinars.
Get It Right — the book
Kate's book on Medicare and Social Security.
Newsletter
Monthly tips and deadline reminders by email.
Senior & Veteran Discounts
Discounts most people never think to ask for.
What it's like to be a client
About us The support you get after enrolment, what other clients say, and the extra services we offer locally.
Go straight to the source
Elsewhere Government and nonprofit sites, for when you want the official word rather than our explanation of it.
External links are provided for convenience. Mere Benefits is not responsible for content on third-party sites and is not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program.
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