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Plain-English Medicare Education · St. Louis
Understand Medicare
before you decide.
No jargon, no scare tactics. Just the things St. Louis retirees actually need to know — written by our licensed team and updated for 2026. Pick a topic below, or browse the cornerstone library at the bottom.
Where Would You Like To Start?
Six topics, in decision order.
Most St. Louisans land here with the same question — but a different starting point. Pick the one that matches where you are right now.
01
⌛
New to Medicare
You're turning 65 (or close). Start here for the timeline, the parts, and the first decision.
2 articles · Updated for 2026
02
🗓
Enrollment Periods & Penalties
When you can enroll, what each window is for, and the late-enrollment penalties that last a lifetime.
3 articles · Updated for 2026
03
⚖
Advantage vs. Supplement
The single biggest Medicare decision. We sell both — here's how we think about it.
2 articles · Updated for 2026
04
💲
Costs & IRMAA
2026 premiums, deductibles, the $2,000 drug cap, and what your income means for both.
2 articles · Updated for 2026
05
🦷
What's Not Covered
Dental, vision, hearing, long-term care — the gaps that surprise people in year one.
1 article · Updated for 2026
06
📰
Medicare News (2026)
What's changing this year, what it means for St. Louis retirees — refreshed every AEP season.
AEP Guide · Refreshed Aug 2026
Still Working Past 65? Start Here.
You may be comfortable with your group plan — but you've paid into Medicare your entire working life.
You owe it to yourself to explore what's available to you. Many people are surprised to learn a Medicare plan can cost less and cover more than the company plan they're used to. Two quick questions tell you a lot: are you paying more than the current Part B rate — $206.50 a month — and does your plan have a deductible?
3
things to check before staying on your group plan: your premium, your deductible, and whether you're contributing to an HSA.
The Cornerstone Library
Everything you'll want to know,
Everything you'll want to know,
written by our team.
Ten articles cover 90% of what comes up in our conversations. Read them in any order — the topic tiles above are just our suggested path. Most articles are a 6-minute read.
New to Medicare · AnchorDrafting
What Is Medicare? A St. Louis Beginner's Guide
The four parts (A, B, C, D), how they fit together, and what they actually cost in 2026 — written for the person Googling this for the first time.
Read the guide →
Enrollment PeriodsDrafting
Medicare Enrollment Periods Explained (IEP, AEP, SEP, GEP)
Five enrollment windows, plain English. When each one opens, what you can do during it, and a worked St. Louis example.
Read the guide →
Enrollment PeriodsComing Soon
Late-Enrollment Penalties: What They Actually Cost in 2026
A real number, not scare text. We walk through the Part B and Part D penalty math with worked examples — and who's actually exempt.
Read the guide →
Advantage vs. Supplement · AnchorDrafting
Medicare Advantage vs. Medicare Supplement: An Honest St. Louis Comparison
We sell both. Here's the truth about how they work, how the BJC / Mercy / SSM / SLU network question changes the answer, and when each one makes more sense.
Read the guide →
Costs & IRMAAComing Soon
Medicare Costs in 2026: Premiums, Deductibles, IRMAA
The honest budget. 2026 Part A and Part B numbers, the new $2,000 Part D out-of-pocket cap, and the income brackets that trigger surcharges.
Read the guide →
What's Not CoveredComing Soon
What Medicare Doesn't Cover (Dental, Vision, Hearing, Long-Term Care)
The surprises that show up in year one. We map every gap — and how Missouri folks actually fill them.
Read the guide →
Costs & IRMAAComing Soon
The 2026 Medicare Drug Plan Guide for St. Louis
The drug list is the whole game. How to pick a Part D plan, why your Walgreens / Schnucks / Dierbergs choice changes the math, and how Extra Help works.
Read the guide →
Advantage vs. Supplement · LocalComing Soon
Missouri Medigap Rules: The Anniversary-Rule Advantage
Missouri's anniversary rule is one of the best Medigap rules in the country. Here's how to actually use it — and when not to.
Read the guide →
Enrollment Periods · WorkingComing Soon
Medicare & Working Past 65: What St. Louisans Need to Know
The biggest mistake we see: thinking your employer plan is "creditable" when it isn't. The 20-employee rule, HSA traps, and how Boeing / BJC / A-B retirements actually play out.
Read the guide →
News · Refreshed annuallyAug 2026
Medicare Annual Enrollment 2026: What St. Louisans Should Review
30 minutes of your time saves a year of frustration. Refreshed every August before AEP opens Oct 15 — the questions to ask, the changes that matter.
Read the guide →
Medicare News & FactsWhat's changing, what it means for St. Louis retirees — updated by our licensed team. AEP, CMS rule changes, plan-year alerts.
Browse Latest →
How We Write These
Education first. No sales pages dressed up like guides.
Every article on this page is written and reviewed by a licensed agent on our team — not a content farm. We update them whenever CMS changes the rules, and we say "we don't know" when we don't.
If you spot a mistake or want a topic we haven't covered yet, call or text us. We'll fix it or write it.
- 1Written by our licensed teamEach article carries a real author from our staff — Carl, Katie, Emily, Jeff, or James. The byline is the person who'll answer if you call about it.
- 2Updated when CMS updatesEvery article shows the year it was last reviewed. 2026 numbers are the 2026 numbers, not last year's.
- 3Localized to St. LouisWe name BJC, Mercy, SSM, SLU. We cover the Missouri anniversary rule. We mention Boeing and A-B retirements. National articles can't do that.
- 4No marketing dressed as adviceWe don't recommend a specific carrier or plan in these articles. The "right plan" depends on your doctors, your prescriptions, and your budget — and that's a conversation, not an article.
Reading is a start.
Answers come faster on the phone.
Run your doctor list and prescription list past our team. We'll tell you in 30 minutes what would take you a weekend to figure out alone. No fees, no pressure.
Prefer to talk now? Call or text(314) 248-6500We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 9 organizations which offer 30 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Program to get information on all of your options.