Medicare is an alphabet soup of parts, plans, and deadlines. We specialize in exactly one thing: simplifying it. Our advisors educate first, compare every major carrier, and help you enroll — at no cost to you.
The federal program itself: Part A hospital coverage and Part B medical coverage. We explain what it pays for — and the 20% it doesn't.
Learn Parts A & B →All-in-one private plans that can add dental, vision, hearing, fitness benefits, and drug coverage — often for a low or $0 monthly premium.
Explore Part C →Medigap plans pick up the deductibles and 20% coinsurance Original Medicare leaves behind, so big bills don't land on you.
Compare Medigap plans →Original Medicare doesn't cover most prescriptions. We match your medication list against every Part D plan in your area.
Understand Part D →Medicare skips routine cleanings, glasses, and hearing aids. Affordable standalone plans can fill those gaps as they become more important with age.
See extra coverage →Lump-sum cancer plans and hospital indemnity policies protect your savings from a serious diagnosis or a long hospital stay.
Protect your savings →Matt Temmen founded Temmen Insurance in Springfield with one goal: help people make educated decisions about their healthcare. We're independent, which means we work for you — not for any single insurance company.
Original Medicare is the federal health insurance program created in 1965. It has two parts — and two famous gaps. Here's how it actually works.
Covers: inpatient hospital stays, skilled nursing facility care after a qualifying stay, hospice, and some home health care.
Cost: premium-free for most people who worked and paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years (40 quarters). You still pay a deductible for each hospital benefit period, and daily copays kick in on long stays.
The catch: benefits are tied to “benefit periods,” and with a very long hospitalization your lifetime reserve days can run out.
Covers: doctor visits, outpatient care, preventive services, lab work, durable medical equipment, ambulance services.
Cost: a monthly premium (higher-income households pay more), plus an annual deductible.
The catch: after the deductible, Part B generally pays 80% of approved charges. You pay the other 20% — with no annual cap. On a $100,000 medical year, that's $20,000 out of your pocket.
Replace how you receive your benefits with an all-in-one private plan that caps your yearly costs and usually adds dental, vision, hearing, and drug coverage.
Explore Advantage plans →Keep Original Medicare and add a Supplement to pay the deductibles and 20%, plus a standalone drug plan for prescriptions.
Explore Supplements →Medicare Advantage plans are offered by private insurance companies approved by Medicare. They must cover everything Parts A and B cover — and most go well beyond it.
You use the plan's network of doctors and hospitals and typically choose a primary care doctor. Usually the lowest premiums; the strictest networks.
Lower costs in-network, but you keep the flexibility to see out-of-network providers for a higher cost. No referrals needed for specialists in most plans.
The plan sets its payment terms and you can see any provider who agrees to them. Less common today, but useful in some areas.
Designed for specific groups: people with certain chronic conditions (like diabetes or heart disease), people in institutions, or people who have both Medicare and Medicaid. Benefits are tailored to the condition.
We answer all five for every plan in your ZIP code — in one conversation. Book your free comparison →
Part B only covers 80% of your medical services, and Part A benefits can run out during long hospital stays. Medicare Supplement plans pay a percentage — or all — of that cost-sharing so it never lands on you.
You keep Original Medicare as your primary insurance and add a Supplement from a private company. When Medicare pays its share, your Supplement pays some or all of the rest — automatically, with no claim forms.
Plan G — the most comprehensive plan available to new enrollees. After you pay the small annual Part B deductible, Plan G covers essentially everything else Medicare approves.
Plan N — a lower-premium option. You pay the Part B deductible plus small copays for office ($20) and ER ($50) visits. A great fit for people who don't visit the doctor often.
Plans A, B, C, D, F, K, L, and M also exist — we'll show you the full grid and price every one.
| Medigap + Part D | Medicare Advantage | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly premium | Higher (Supplement + drug plan) | Low, often $0 (plus Part B premium) |
| Doctor choice | Any Medicare provider nationwide | Plan network (varies by plan type) |
| Out-of-pocket costs | Minimal and predictable | Copays as you go, capped by annual maximum |
| Drug coverage | Separate Part D plan | Usually built in |
| Extra benefits | Not included (buy separately) | Dental, vision, hearing, fitness often included |
| Best for | Frequent travelers, people who want any-doctor freedom and predictable bills | Budget-minded people who want extras and whose doctors are in network |
There's no universally “better” option — only the one that fits your health, doctors, and budget. That's the conversation we have with you, free. Let's find your fit →
Original Medicare does not cover most prescriptions you take at home. Part D is how you get that coverage — and choosing the wrong plan is one of the most expensive Medicare mistakes people make.
A separate drug-only policy that pairs with Original Medicare — the standard route for people with a Medicare Supplement.
Most Advantage plans bundle drug coverage into the plan, so one card covers medical and pharmacy.
Every January, plans can change their premiums, formularies, tiers, and pharmacy networks. A plan that was perfect for your medications this year can quietly become the most expensive option next year.
During the Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7), we run your exact medication list through every plan in your area and show you the true yearly cost of each — premiums, deductibles, and copays combined. It takes one phone call and costs you nothing.
Get my free drug plan reviewMedicare runs on windows. Know your windows, and everything is easy. Miss them, and penalties can follow you for life. Here's your map.
If you (or your spouse) are still working and covered by an employer group plan from a company with 20+ employees, you can usually delay Part B without penalty — many people enroll in premium-free Part A only and keep working.
When that employment ends, a Special Enrollment Period lets you pick up Part B penalty-free. We help you time the handoff so there's no gap and no penalty.
| Penalty | How much | How long it lasts |
|---|---|---|
| Part B late enrollment | +10% of the premium for every 12-month period you delayed without qualifying coverage | For as long as you have Part B — usually life |
| Part D late enrollment | About +1% of the national base premium per month without creditable drug coverage | For life |
| Part A (if you have to buy it) | +10% of the premium | Twice the number of years you delayed |
Turning 65 in the next year? The best time to talk is 3–6 months before your birthday. Get on Matt's calendar →
Medicare was never designed to cover everything. These affordable policies fill the gaps that matter most as we age — and protect your savings from the big what-ifs.
Medicare doesn't cover routine cleanings, fillings, dentures, eye exams, glasses, hearing exams, or hearing aids — and those needs grow with age. Standalone DVH plans bundle all three for a modest monthly premium, with benefits that often increase the longer you keep the plan. Many Advantage plans include some of this; a standalone plan can strengthen or replace it.
Roughly two out of every five people will face a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime. These plans pay a lump sum in cash directly to you upon diagnosis — money for travel to treatment, lost income, caregiving, or anything else. It's protection from financial problems arriving on top of everything else.
Many Medicare Advantage plans charge a daily copay for hospital stays — often for the first several days of each stay. A hospital indemnity plan pays you a fixed cash benefit per day in the hospital, which can wipe out those copays entirely. It pairs especially well with Advantage plans.
Medicare does not pay for long-term custodial care — the help with daily living that most of us will eventually need. Short-term care and LTC policies protect your nest egg from those costs. Final expense life insurance ensures funeral costs never fall on your family.
Straight answers to the questions we hear every day. Tap any question to expand it.
Nothing — ever. We're paid by the insurance companies when we help someone enroll, and your premium is exactly the same whether you use us or go directly to the carrier. You get an expert in your corner for free.
No. But you should review it every year, because plans change their costs, drug lists, and networks every January. We do that review for our clients automatically each fall — if your plan is still your best option, we'll tell you to stay put.
With Original Medicare plus a Supplement, yes — any doctor in the country who accepts Medicare. With a Medicare Advantage plan, it depends on the plan's network, which is why checking your specific doctors is step one of our process.
An Advantage plan replaces how you receive your Medicare benefits through a private plan with networks, copays, and extras like dental. A Supplement adds to Original Medicare, paying the deductibles and 20% coinsurance so your costs are minimal and predictable. See our side-by-side comparison.
Often not for Part B — if your employer has 20+ employees and you're on the group plan, you can usually delay penalty-free. But the rules have traps (COBRA doesn't count, small employers are different), so talk to us before your birthday.
You may have to wait for a General Enrollment Period and can owe lifetime late penalties — 10% per year missed on Part B, about 1% per month on Part D. If you think you've missed a window, call us right away; a Special Enrollment Period may still apply.
You can apply, but outside your one-time Medigap Open Enrollment window most states allow companies to ask health questions — so approval isn't guaranteed. This is the biggest reason to make the Advantage-vs-Supplement decision carefully the first time.
No — we're headquartered in Springfield, Missouri, but Matt is licensed in all 50 states and our advisors help clients nationwide by phone.
Three things: your red-white-and-blue Medicare card (or your Part A/B start dates), a list of your doctors, and a list of your prescriptions with dosages. With those, we can price every option accurately in one sitting.
Yes. We use your information only to compare and enroll you in coverage you request, and we never sell it. You'll never be pressured — our whole model is built on education and long-term relationships.
Matt Temmen is the founder of Temmen Insurance and Missouri Insurance Advisors — a Springfield, Missouri agency built on one simple idea: nobody should have to figure out Medicare alone.
Matt, a Missouri State University graduate, started Temmen Insurance in Springfield and grew it from a one-man shop into a full agency: 10 in-house advisors here in Springfield, 20 agents across the state of Missouri, and 50 agents nationwide.
Along the way the mission never changed. Medicare is one of the biggest financial decisions you'll make at 65, and the industry is full of call centers reading scripts. We took the opposite approach — local advisors, real education, and recommendations built around your doctors, your prescriptions, and your budget.
Matt is licensed to sell Medicare insurance in all 50 states, and the team represents all major companies and organizations that serve the senior market.
To show our clients that we care. We're not your average insurance brokerage — our goal is an ongoing relationship, not a one-time sale.
One conversation. Every option on the table. Zero cost and zero pressure. Call, visit, or send the form below and we'll reach out.
☎ Call (844) 348-4138Tell us a little about your situation and an advisor will follow up promptly.
Temmen Insurance / Missouri Insurance Advisors
3612 S Campbell Ave, Springfield, MO 65807
Toll-free: (844) 348-4138
Local: (417) 695-5844
Email: [email protected]
Office hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Prefer to meet by phone or video? Every step can be handled remotely — we help clients in all 50 states.
Talk with Matt's team, compare every option side by side, and enroll with confidence. Our advice never costs you a dime.
Book a free consultation Call (844) 348-4138