Health Insurance
Health insurance guidance, explained plainly
Choosing coverage is easier with someone who walks you through it. I help individuals, families and small business owners understand their options, review what they have now, and compare plans, by phone or video conference. Licensed in Florida, Georgia, Texas and New York.
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently, we represent 0-78 organizations which offer 0-2,613 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.
Open enrollment
Enrollment windows for 2027 coverage
These are the main windows right now. Most people can only change plans during one of them, unless a life event opens a Special Enrollment Period.
| Window | Dates | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| Medicare Open Enrollment | Oct 15 – Dec 7, 2026 | Join, switch or drop a Medicare Advantage plan or a Medicare drug (Part D) plan. Changes take effect January 1, 2027. |
| Marketplace (ACA) Open Enrollment | Nov 1, 2026 – Jan 15, 2027 | Individual and family plans for 2027. Enroll by December 15 for coverage that starts January 1. |
| Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment | Jan 1 – Mar 31, 2027 | Only if you are already in a Medicare Advantage plan: switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare. |
Dates from Medicare.gov and HealthCare.gov. Last reviewed .
How I can help
From confusing to clear
We meet by phone or video conference, whichever is easier for you. There is no charge for my guidance or enrollment help; I am compensated by the insurance carriers.
Start with your situation
I walk through which programs you may be eligible for based on your age, work situation, income and household. I can’t make the eligibility decision, since Medicare, the Marketplace and your state do, but I can tell you what typically applies and what to expect.
Review what you have
We go through your current coverage together: what it pays for, what it costs, and whether it still fits your doctors, prescriptions and budget.
Compare plans side by side
I line up plans so you can see premiums, deductibles, networks, drug coverage and out-of-pocket costs next to each other, and I explain the trade-offs.
Make sure it is all understood
Insurance terms are not plain English. I explain each one, so you understand your choice before you make it.
Coverage
What I can discuss
Medicare
Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement (Medigap) and Part D prescription drug plans.
Marketplace (ACA) plans
Individual and family plans through the Marketplace, including help understanding any financial help you may qualify for.
Private plans outside the Marketplace
For some higher-income households, plans offered outside the Marketplace are worth comparing. What is available varies by state and carrier.
Travel health insurance
Coverage for medical care while you are traveling.
Dental and vision plans
Stand-alone dental and vision coverage.
Life insurance
Protection for the people who depend on you. Read about life insurance.
For business owners
Coverage for your employees
If you have employees, I can help you compare and enroll in a SHOP plan (the Marketplace program for small businesses) or a private small group plan. Which options are open to you depends on how many employees you have, your state and the carriers available. We can walk through it on a call.
Credentials
Licensed in four states
I am a licensed insurance agent in Florida, Georgia, Texas and New York. License numbers are in the Insurance Disclosure at the bottom of this page. You can also check my Marketplace registration:
Before we talk
What to have ready
- Your Medicare card or current insurance cards
- A list of your doctors and your prescriptions, with doses
- Your current plan documents, if you have them
- For Marketplace plans: who is in your household and your expected income this year
- For a business: how many employees you have and your current plan, if any
Questions
Common questions
When can I change my Medicare plan?
Medicare Open Enrollment runs October 15 to December 7, and changes take effect January 1. If you are already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you also have a Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment from January 1 to March 31. If you are new to Medicare, your Initial Enrollment Period is the seven months around the month you turn 65: the three months before, your birthday month, and the three months after. Some life events, such as moving or losing other coverage, can open a Special Enrollment Period.
What is the difference between Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement?
A Medicare Advantage plan (Part C) is offered by a private insurer and replaces how you receive your Original Medicare coverage, usually through a network, and often includes drug coverage. A Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policy is also private, but it works alongside Original Medicare and helps pay some costs Original Medicare leaves to you. Prescription drug coverage (Part D) is separate unless it is built into an Advantage plan.
Will you tell me which plan to choose?
I explain your options, check them against your doctors, prescriptions and budget, and compare them side by side so every trade-off is clear. The decision is always yours.
Does it cost anything to work with you?
No. There is no charge for my health insurance guidance or enrollment help. I am compensated by the insurance carriers whose plans I offer. That also means I can only enroll you in plans from the carriers I represent, so I will tell you if a plan you are interested in is not one I can offer, and you can always check all of your options at Medicare.gov, HealthCare.gov or your state marketplace.
What does it mean that you would be my agent of record?
When you enroll in a plan with my help, I am listed as the licensed agent on that plan with the insurance company. That is what "agent of record" means. It is also how the carrier compensates me, which is why there is no charge to you. If you enroll on your own instead, with no agent, I am not attached to your plan.
Do I have to enroll through you?
No. You can enroll yourself at Medicare.gov, HealthCare.gov or your state marketplace. I am here to help you understand the choices first, and to help with enrollment if you want it.
Can I enroll or change plans outside open enrollment?
In two situations. Medicaid and CHIP can be applied for any time of year, and I can help you find out whether you or your family may qualify. Otherwise it takes a qualifying life event, such as losing other coverage, moving, or a change in your household, which can open a Special Enrollment Period for a Marketplace plan or a Medicare change. If something has changed, tell me what happened and we can check whether you qualify. Without one of these, the enrollment windows above apply.
I own a small business. What can you help with?
I help business owners compare and enroll in SHOP plans (the Marketplace program for small businesses) and private small group plans. Which options are open to you depends on your number of employees, your state and the carriers available.
How does a call work?
You choose a time on my calendar and we meet by phone or video conference. I start by asking for your authorization to help you, and I keep a record of it; you can withdraw it at any time. Then we go through your situation together. Bring the items listed above if you have them.
Which states do you serve?
I am a licensed insurance agent in Florida, Georgia, Texas and New York.
Important information
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently, we represent 0-78 organizations which offer 0-2,613 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.
This page is general information, not a recommendation of any plan or product. Program rules, dates and costs change; check Medicare.gov and HealthCare.gov for current details. Insurance products and services are offered through JoAnna Cohen, a licensed insurance agent. See the Insurance Disclosure below and the Disclosures page.
Last reviewed .
Ready to talk it through?
Pick a time that works for you, or start online. The enrollment buttons open HealthSherpa, the enrollment system I use, in a new tab.