Medicare for Snowbirds: Coverage in Two States
If you spend part of the year in one state and part in another, you may be what’s often called a “snowbird.” While this lifestyle offers plenty of advantages, it can create challenges when it comes to Medicare coverage. The good news is that with some planning, your benefits can travel with you.
Original Medicare (Parts A and B) is straightforward—it works nationwide with any provider who accepts Medicare. But things can get more complicated with Medicare Advantage, Part D prescription drug plans , and Medigap . Advantage plans usually have local networks that may not extend to your second home, and drug plans often limit which pharmacies you can use. Medigap tends to offer the most flexibility, covering you with any Medicare-participating provider in the U.S.
It’s also important to know that Medicare requires you to keep one “primary residence,” and this determines your eligibility for certain plans. And while Medicare always covers emergency and urgent care anywhere in the U.S., routine care may be treated differently depending on your plan. If you split your time between states, reach out to us—we can help you determine if your current Medicare coverage will work for you in both locations.
Bet You Didn't Know Your Life Insurance Policy Could Do That!
When you think about life insurance, chances are you picture the support that comes to loved ones after you're gone. But did you know that some types of life insurance can do much more? Depending on the policy, life insurance can provide living benefits and even help with long-term planning. Here are a few lesser-known ways it can work for you:
College Funding: Some permanent life insurance policies build cash value over time. In certain situations, you can borrow against this cash value to help cover big expenses, like a child’s college tuition. It’s not a replacement for dedicated education savings, but it can provide flexibility when extra resources are needed.
Hybrid Life & Long-Term Care Coverage: Newer policies sometimes combine life insurance with long-term care benefits. That means if you ever need extended in-home help or a nursing facility, the policy can help cover those costs. And if you never use the long-term coverage, the life insurance benefit is still there for your family later.
Cash Value: Permanent life insurance plans may also allow you to borrow against the policy’s cash value during your lifetime. This can be used for unforeseen expenses, supplementing retirement income, or other needs. Of course, it’s important to understand how drawing on cash value affects the policy before making any moves.
Reach out to us to learn which types of policies offer these features, and which options might be a fit for your needs.
Designing Pregnancy-Friendly Benefits for Employees
Pregnancy is an exciting milestone, but it often brings medical, financial, and emotional challenges for employees. Employers can play an important role in easing that burden — not just through workplace culture and flexibility, but also by making sure their group insurance plan is designed with expectant parents in mind.
Core maternity coverage, newborn care, and access to specialists are essential, but employers can also strengthen support with supplemental options such as short-term disability, hospital indemnity coverage, or voluntary life insurance. Innovative features like telehealth maternity programs, wellness services, and even fertility or adoption assistance are becoming more common as well.
Of course, even the best-designed benefits only help if employees know how to use them. Clear communication and thoughtful planning around leave and return-to-work transitions can go a long way in helping expectant parents feel cared for and supported. Reach out to us if you’d like to review your benefits and explore whether your plan is meeting the needs of growing families.