A Medicare agent should bring more than a quote. This page sets out what I do, in plain terms, next to the questions worth asking any agent you are considering. Me included.
How to read this comparison.
My column describes my own services and credentials. The right-hand column is a checklist
of things to verify. It is not a finding that other agents lack them. No specific competitor
has been evaluated here, and other agents may offer the same services.
On a small screen, swipe the chart sideways to see all three columns.
Experience, service and local knowledge: a comparison checklist
What to compare
602Medicare
Other Medicare agents: what to verify
Experience
Years in the business
✓22+ years in Medicare, and one stage of life the whole time
Ask when the agent was first licensed, and how much of that time has been spent on Medicare.
A license you can check
✓Arizona-licensed. National Producer Number 8206556, searchable in any state lookup
Look the agent up with the Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions, or by National Producer Number.
Independent or captive
✓Independent. I contract with multiple carriers and work for none of them What independent means →
Ask whether the agent is independent or works for a single carrier.
How the agent is paid
✓By the carrier, and only if you enroll. Your premium is the same either way
Ask how the agent is paid. A plain answer is a good sign.
Where the agent actually is
✓Based in Anthem, AZ, working 9 Valley communities Service area →
Ask where the person you are talking to is sitting. A local area code is not a local office.
Service
Consultation fees
✓None, for the conversation or the enrollment
Ask about fees. Many agents also work at no charge to you.
Ways to meet
✓Phone, video or in person, in Anthem and across the Valley
Confirm whether meeting in person is possible where you live.
Scheduling
✓Pick your own time online. Evening and weekend appointments by request See open times →
Scheduling tools and availability vary.
Who you talk to
✓Brian Penner, directly. The same person this year and next
Ask who takes your call next March: the agent who enrolled you, or a queue.
Preparation
✓A five-minute intake form, so the appointment is a plan comparison rather than an interview
Ask whether your doctors and prescriptions are checked before a plan is recommended.
Your pace, your decision
✓No pressure. If your current plan still fits, I will tell you to stay put
Ask for time to think it over. Notice how the agent responds.
After enrollment
✓I stay your agent of record: the billing question in March, the network change in July, the review every fall
Ask exactly what happens after you enroll, and who does it.
Education
✓Free calculators and plain-English guides you can use before you ever call Free tools →
Ask what you can read before you decide.
Local insight
Provider networks
✓Your own doctors checked against each network before I recommend anything How networks work →
Ask a specific question: is my doctor in this plan’s network at this hospital?
ZIP by ZIP
✓Plan availability and networks mapped by ZIP across the north and west Valley Find your ZIP →
Availability is set county by county and networks differ by ZIP. Ask about yours.
If you move or split the year
✓Licensed in 18 states, so a move rarely means starting over with a stranger
Ask whether the agent is licensed where you spend the rest of the year.
Beyond Medicare
✓Long-term care, dental-vision-hearing, hospital indemnity and the other coverage that fills Medicare’s gaps Compare plan types →
Ask what happens when your question is next door to Medicare rather than inside it.
Helping with a claim or an appeal does not guarantee a particular outcome. The insurer makes
its own coverage decisions. Provider participation has to be checked for the specific plan
and can change during the year. In-person appointments are by arrangement.
What that adds up to
Twenty-twoyears.Oneadvisorwhopicksup.
Experience that asks better questions
After twenty-two years the useful part is knowing what to ask before a plan is chosen: which doctors you would refuse to give up, what your prescriptions cost across a full year, and what happens to your coverage if you split the year somewhere cooler.
Someone who lives here
Provider networks are drawn around specific hospital systems. Whether the nearest in-network cardiologist is ten minutes away or forty changes which plan is right for you, and that is hard to weigh from a call center in another state.
Support after the paperwork
Most of the value of an agent shows up in years two through ten, not on enrollment day. The billing question, the denied claim, the plan that changes its network in the fall: those come to me, not to a 1-800 number.
Before we talk, the
Medicare Intake Form
sends me your doctors and prescriptions, so the appointment is spent comparing plans instead
of collecting basics. Want the longer version of how I work?
About Brian.
In their words
WhatBrian'sClientsSay
Rated 5 out of 5.
Brian is very helpful and talks you through all the steps to choose the best medical plan for your circumstances. Highly recommend him. Both myself and my husband have greatly appreciated his assistance during this complicated time of our lives.
Cricket Green
Rated 5 out of 5.
Outstanding highly recommend to all. Went above and beyond to take care of us. I would not got to or trust anyone else.
Jon Pedersen
Rated 5 out of 5.
Brian is knowledgeable as to many different options of insurances plans. He was prompt and prepared. I had several options to chose from. I obtained the insurance plan and great advice I needed. I would recommend his service.
Todd Stubbs
Verified Google reviews from Brian Penner's clients at Medicare On Main, our sister agency — backed by 22+ years of Medicare experience.
Fair questions
Whatpeopleaskbeforechoosinganagent.
How do I choose a Medicare agent in the Phoenix area?
Check four things before you share any personal information. First, the license: look the agent up with the Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions or by National Producer Number. Second, independence: ask whether they work for one insurance company or contract with several. Third, location: ask where the person you are speaking with is based and whether you can meet in person. Fourth, service after enrollment: ask who answers when you have a billing or claim question next year. The checklist on this page lists the questions under each heading.
Does it cost anything to work with 602Medicare?
No. There is no fee for a conversation, a plan comparison or help enrolling. I am paid by the insurance carrier, and only if you enroll, and your premium is the same whether you use an agent or enroll on your own. Plan premiums, deductibles and copays still apply to whatever coverage you choose.
Is 602Medicare independent?
Yes. I contract with multiple carriers rather than working for one. Independent does not mean every plan, though. No agent represents every plan in a market, which is why the disclaimer sits at the bottom of every page here, and why I will point you to Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE if you want to see the complete list.
How can I verify Brian Penner’s insurance license?
Search National Producer Number 8206556 in the Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions license search, or in the national producer lookup run by the state insurance regulators. It takes about two minutes and is worth doing for any agent before you hand over a Medicare number.
Can I meet in person?
Yes. I am based in Anthem, AZ and meet face to face there and across the Valley, by arrangement. Phone and video work just as well if you would rather not drive. You can pick a time online for a free 30-minute call.
Next step
Putalocaladvisoronyourside.
Bring your questions, your current plan card, the names of your doctors and your prescription list. No cost, no obligation, and you will speak to Brian directly.
