Ep6 | Why Medicare Is NOT Free & 5 Common Enrollment Mistakes to Avoid

Think Medicare is free? Think again. Do you actually know if your Medigap plan is legitimate—or how to avoid surprise surcharges in retirement? In this important episode of Financially Fluent, Ray Godleski sits down with Janet Payne, a Georgia SHIP counselor, to uncover the biggest misunderstandings and mistakes people make around Medicare. Whether you're years away from retiring or already covered under a Medicare plan, this conversation will open your eyes to critical decisions, timelines, and protections you probably haven’t considered. In this episode, you’ll discover:✅ Why Medicare is not free, and how IRMAA surcharges could impact high-income retirees✅ How to verify if your Medigap plan is legitimate (Hint: It must have a letter!)✅ What SHIP counselors do, how to access them in every U.S. state, and why they’re the only CMS-sanctioned free Medicare resource✅ The difference between Medicare Advantage and Original Medicare (and why straddling the fence isn’t allowed)✅ The truth about international travel coverage, long-term care misconceptions, and how to avoid being scammed 🎧 Listen now to protect yourself from Medicare pitfalls, understand your options clearly, and gain access to a free, unbiased resource that exists in every U.S. state. 🎧 Follow the show every Tuesday on Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/financially-fluent/id1796392113📩 [email protected] welcome. Real answers given.Explore our free tools and resources atwww.YourNextStepFinancial.com