Medicare, explained at your kitchen table, not from a call center.
Turning 65? Already on Medicare and wondering if your plan still fits? I'm Justin Mack, an independent licensed insurance agent specializing in Medicare right here in the Sacramento area. I'll walk you through your options in plain English. No jargon, no pressure, and no cost to you.
- Free consultations
- Independent licensed insurance agent
- 10+ years of Medicare experience
Justin Mack
CA Insurance License #0G3682810+ years helping Medicare beneficiaries
Two situations. One local licensed insurance agent
who's seen them both a thousand times.
New to Medicare
Your mailbox is full of Medicare ads and none of it makes sense. I'll explain how Medicare actually works, what your enrollment deadlines are, and help you review the plans available in your county, so you can make a confident choice the first time.
Learn the basics first →Annual coverage review
Plans change every year: networks, drug coverage, dental, and other costs. Your health changes too. I'll review your current coverage line by line and tell you honestly whether it still fits or whether it's worth looking at alternatives.
Request a free review →Independent & no cost to you
I'm independent, which means I'm not employed by any single insurance company. My help costs you nothing. If you enroll in a plan, I'm paid by the insurance company, and your monthly cost is the same whether you use a licensed insurance agent or not.
More about Justin →The four building blocks of Medicare
If you're brand new to this, here's the short version. Each card below links to a longer, plain-English explanation on my Medicare Basics page.
Original Medicare
The federal program itself. Part A helps cover hospital stays; Part B helps cover doctor visits and outpatient care. It generally pays about 80% of approved costs for Part B services, and the 20% you owe has no yearly cap on its own.
What is Original Medicare? →Medicare Advantage (MAPD)
Private plans that bundle your Part A and Part B benefits, and usually drug coverage, into one plan. Many have lower out-of-pocket costs, and you typically use a network of doctors.
What is an MAPD plan? →Medicare Supplement
Private plans that work alongside Original Medicare and help pay the deductibles and 20% coinsurance that Medicare doesn't. Higher monthly cost, but very predictable out-of-pocket costs and the freedom to see any doctor who accepts Medicare.
What is a Medicare Supplement plan? →Prescription drug coverage
Drug coverage from private plans, either built into a Medicare Advantage plan or purchased as a stand-alone plan with Original Medicare. Enrolling late without other drug coverage can mean a lifelong penalty, so timing matters.
How Part D works →| At a glance | Medicare Advantage (MAPD) | Medicare Supplement (Medigap) |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | Often lower out-of-pocket costs | Higher monthly cost (plus your Part B premium) |
| When you use care | Copays and coinsurance as you go, up to a yearly out-of-pocket maximum | Plan helps pay Medicare's deductibles and 20% share, so costs are very predictable |
| Doctors | Usually a plan network (HMO or PPO) | Any doctor in the U.S. who accepts Medicare |
| Drug coverage | Usually included | Not included. You add a separate Part D plan |
Neither option is "better." They fit different people, budgets, and health situations. That's exactly what we'll sort out together.
Your first Medicare decision, step by step
Know your window
Your Initial Enrollment Period is 7 months long: the 3 months before your 65th birthday month, your birthday month, and the 3 months after. Starting early means your coverage is ready on day one.
Enroll in A & B
You sign up for Original Medicare through Social Security (many people are enrolled automatically if already receiving benefits). Still working with employer coverage? You may be able to delay. Let's talk before you decide.
Choose your path
Decide how to handle what Original Medicare doesn't cover: a Medicare Advantage plan, or Original Medicare plus a Medicare Supplement and a drug plan. I'll review the actual plans available in your county.
Review every year
Each fall (October 15 – December 7) you can change plans for the next year. I check in with my clients annually so coverage keeps up with life.
A neighbor who happens to know Medicare inside and out
I've spent more than a decade helping Medicare beneficiaries understand their coverage, first as a licensed insurance agent, then leading and training teams of licensed insurance agents. I hold a California Health & Life license (#0G36828), and I complete AHIP Medicare certification and CMS Medicare compliance training every year.
I live in the Lincoln area with my family, and I work with clients across Placer, Sacramento, Nevada, and Yuba counties, from Roseville and Rocklin to Folsom, Auburn, Grass Valley, Lincoln, and Marysville. Because I'm independent, my job isn't to sell you one company's plan. It's to help you understand your options and choose what genuinely fits your doctors, your prescriptions, and your budget.
Local Medicare help, city by city
Medicare plan availability is set county by county, and the hospitals and medical groups near you shape which plans actually make sense. Here's what's specific to your town.
Medicare in Roseville
Sutter and Kaiser both run full hospitals here, so your network choice carries more weight than almost anywhere in the region.
Roseville Medicare help → Placer CountyMedicare in Rocklin
Clinics in town, hospitals in Roseville. The thing to confirm is that your plan covers both ends of that chain.
Rocklin Medicare help → Placer CountyMedicare in Lincoln
Home to Sun City Lincoln Hills and roughly 6,800 households. I live here, so meeting in person is easy.
Lincoln Medicare help → Placer CountyMedicare in Loomis
Between hospitals in two directions, with fewer pharmacies nearby. Plan fit looks different in a small town.
Loomis Medicare help → Placer CountyMedicare in Auburn
Local care at Sutter Auburn Faith, specialty care down the hill. Referral rules matter more in the foothills.
Auburn Medicare help → Placer CountyMedicare in Granite Bay
You buy Placer County plans even when your doctors are in Folsom. That distinction trips people up.
Granite Bay Medicare help → Sacramento CountyMedicare in Folsom
Sacramento County, which means a different plan lineup than neighbors across the lake in Placer.
Folsom Medicare help →Not listed? I also work with clients throughout Placer, Sacramento, Nevada, and Yuba counties. Get in touch and I'll tell you what's available at your ZIP code.
Straight answers to what people ask most
Turning 65 in California
A month-by-month checklist, including the HSA mistake and the six-month Medigap window almost nobody warns you about.
Read the checklist →The California birthday rule
California lets Medicare Supplement holders switch plans every year with no health questions. Most people who qualify have never heard of it.
How the birthday rule works →When can I change plans?
Every enrollment window explained, plus the one-way door that catches people years after they first sign up.
See the enrollment windows →Do I need Part D if I take no medications?
Almost always yes, and the reason is a penalty that follows you for life rather than expiring.
Why the penalty matters →Don't navigate Medicare alone.
Whether you're turning 65 or reviewing the plan you already have, a 30-minute conversation can save you confusion, money, and costly enrollment mistakes.
Schedule Your Free Plan ReviewRequest your free, no-obligation consultation
Call or text Justin
(916) 343-8517Monday – Friday, 9am – 6pm
Evenings and weekends by appointment
When we talk, have handy:
- Your red, white, and blue Medicare card (if you have one)
- A list of your doctors and any specialists you see
- A list of your prescription medications and dosages
- Your current plan information, if you're already enrolled
Serving Placer, Sacramento, Nevada & Yuba counties