Easy Street Insurance is Ready!
Photographer / Christina Cochran
Halloween is on its way with its share of frights. One thing that shouldn’t inspire terror is navigating the changes to Medicare for 2026. The Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) starts October 15 and runs through December 7th.
Easy Street Insurance in Indianapolis is ready to help guide folks through what they call a “complex maze of options.”
Easy Street Insurance owners, Jess and Sandra Carrasquillo, have been helping seniors understand the shifting Medicare Advantage market since its inception in 2006. They and their team have been preparing for AEP by certifying with the carriers and learning about the plans that will be offered for 2026.
Carriers are feeling more pressure as they cover an influx of seniors and the rising cost of medical treatment. To manage the bottom line, carriers are reducing some of the ancillary benefits many seniors have come to expect. However, some companies are coming out with more robust options. This is a good year to take a deep look at your current coverage and see what else is available in your area.
Original Medicare, paired with a Medicare supplement, will continue to have the same coverage as it has for many years. The cost of Medicare supplements continues to rise, squeezing some seniors’ budgets. Check out the new Indiana Birthday Rule effective January 1, 2026, discussed later in this article.
How Easy Street Insurance Is Preparing
In response to the expected changes, Easy Street Insurance began reaching out to its clients over the summer.
“We’re using a mix of emails, texts, voicemails, and other technology to ensure we’re communicating effectively,” Jess says. “We’re gathering detailed information, like a list of their medications, doctors and preferred pharmacies, so we are ready on October 15 to help them select the right option. This proactive approach is necessary so that our team of agents can assist people more efficiently with their Medicare needs.”
The Carrasquillos say more seniors are becoming computer-savvy, which is a powerful help.
“It’s possible to go online to pick a plan with a company, but without having adequate industry knowledge, self-research might not be enough,” Jess says. “With us doing this for more than 25 years, with all the contacts we have with the insurance companies, we become an advocate for our clients, and they trust and depend on us year after year. People stay with us because we take care of them. If a plan changes, we don’t just let them figure it out on their own — we alert them. For example, we might say, ‘Your plan has worked well for the last several years, but this year there are additional options available for you.’”
Disruptions and Why Professional Help Matters
Finding the right agency to work with is especially important now because of disruptions in the marketplace. New carriers have entered Central Indiana, while others have left. That’s the disruption.
“Navigating all of that requires help from someone who knows the industry,” Jess says. “It’s similar to working with an accountant, a lawyer, or even your home and auto insurance agent — having a professional on your side makes all the difference.”
Sandra and Jess also want to offer a word of caution, as scam artists are getting more sophisticated at going after unsuspecting Medicare recipients.
“Sometimes a senior answers a call or calls a number from an ad,” Sandra says. “They provide their Medicare number and (unknowingly), agree to being enrolled in a new plan, then they realize later they made a big mistake. It can take several weeks or months to work with Medicare to get everything straightened out and restore their original coverage. It’s a lot of work, and stressful for clients.”
Recently a client in Florida contacted Easy Street, saying a claim was denied because they did not have coverage.
“When we checked, we discovered they had been disenrolled from their Advantage plan as of June 30 without their knowledge,” Sandra says. “They had reverted to Original Medicare, but they were missing benefits and even lost their Part B premium giveback — about $185 a month in income — because of it.”
Scams are becoming more common, which is why it is critical to have an advocate whom you can trust.
Help with Medicare Sign-Up
In recent years, with the need for added security, it has become a bigger challenge for someone to sign up for Medicare, which is where the Easy Street team can step in and help.
“Many people don’t have their Social Security accounts set up, and now, because of fraud concerns, the process requires more verification,” Sandra says. “You must upload a photo of your driver’s license (front and back) and even take a live photo of yourself to confirm your identity. It is much more secure and stricter than before, so we’re seeing more people coming to us for help with enrolling in Medicare before they can even get to the steps to select the right Medicare Advantage or Supplement plan. To qualify for either choice, they first need to enroll in Medicare parts A and B.”
Indiana Birthday Rule
Although it does not go into effect until January 1, 2026, Easy Street Insurance wants to make you aware of an upcoming legislative change available to seniors in Indiana that have a Medicare Supplement plan.
Legislation was signed that allows people on Medicare Supplements to change from one insurance carrier to another during a 60-day window starting on their birthday. This is exciting for those who have been stuck in old policies that have become unaffordable. The rule allows a person to switch to a different carrier’s version of the same plan (i.e.; a Plan G to a Plan G or a Plan F to a Plan F, etc.) for a potentially lower monthly premium rate with no health underwriting during the 60-day period following their birthday.
This means an 85-year-old senior who has a Supplement policy, paying $300 or $400 a month could move to another carrier and hopefully get a lower rate. Currently, to change to another carrier and a lower rate, a senior must pass medical underwriting.
If they have significant health issues they could be declined and stuck with their existing coverage and its ever-increasing yearly premium. In 2026, carriers will not be able to ask medical questions if a person applies during this special window after their birthday. It’s hard to know what the rates will be in 2026, but Easy Street Insurance will be ready to help you navigate this change.
WHAT CAN YOU DO
It is imperative that you read the Annual Notice of Change for your current plan, that arrived by October 1. Be sure to compare what the same coverage will look like in 2026. This is crucial if you are on an Advantage plan or a stand-alone Medicare Rx prescription drug plan (PDP).
As we approach the Medicare sign-up period for 2026 (Oct. 15–Dec 7, 2025), the Easy Street team is working tirelessly to ensure that seniors in Central Indiana are well-prepared for the upcoming changes. Easy Street Insurance’s commitment to personalized service and education makes it a valuable resource for anyone navigating the complexities of Medicare.
For more information, visit easystreetins.com or call them at 317-882-9602.
Disclaimer: We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 14 organizations which offer 85 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1800MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.
