Rooted Benefits

“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: ‘What are you doing for others?’” — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we reflect on the power of service and community. Dr. King taught us that helping others is one of the greatest ways for us to create lasting and meaningful change.

Today, we honor Dr. King’s legacy by continuing our commitment to serving our community of seniors with compassion, clarity, and respect.

📌As a reminder, we will be closed today for MLK Day, but will resume tomorrow, January 20th, with normal business hours.

Both options offer Medicare coverage, but they work differently. Thankfully, you can choose how you want to receive your Medicare benefits.

Original Medicare (Parts A & B):

This an option that lets you see any doctor or hospital in the United States that accepts Medicare. If you want prescription drug coverage, you can add a separate Part D plan. You can also buy a Medigap policy that helps with deductibles and coinsurance. One important that to know about Original Medicare is that is doesn't have a yearly limit on what you might spend of of pocket.

Medicare Advantage (Part C):

These plans are offered by private insurance companies that Medicare approves. They combine Part A and Part B, and most include drug coverage too. Many plans also offer extra benefits like dental, vision, or hearing. Medicare Advantage plans use provider networks, and they do include a yearly limit on your out‑of‑pocket costs.

So which one is right for you?

Well, choosing between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage depends on your doctors, medications, and the type of coverage that you prefer. You don't have to figure it out alone.. We are here to help. If you're unsure which option best fits your needs, we can help you review your choices.

Medicare has four parts, each covering different services.

• Part A helps pay for hospital stays, skilled nursing facility care, hospice services, and some home health care.

• Part B covers things like doctor visits, outpatient care, preventive screenings, and medical equipment.

• Part C (Medicare Advantage) is an alternative way to get your Medicare benefits through private insurance companies approved by Medicare. These plans include Part A and Part B, and most also include drug coverage and extra benefits like dental or vision.

• Part D helps cover prescription medications and recommended vaccines.

- Part A → Hospital care
- Part B → Doctor visits & outpatient care
- Part C → All‑in‑one private plan
- Part D → Prescription drugs

Medicare is a national health insurance program run by the federal government. It mainly covers people who are 65 or older, but it also helps younger individuals who have certain disabilities, ALS, or kidney failure that requires dialysis or a transplant. Medicare is divided into different parts, and each part covers specific types of care. You can choose to get your benefits through Original Medicare or through a Medicare Advantage plan, depending on what works best for your needs.

Understanding Medicare early makes it much easier to choose the coverage that fits your health needs and budget when it's time to enroll.

If you're turning 65 soon, now is a great time to learn your options.

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

This morning volunteers from all over Montgomery County came together to bring Christmas cheer and some needed relief to our community.

In partnership with GatewayChurch, we passed out 120 boxes of essential food items to seniors 65 and older. We want to give a special thanks to the following volunteers and organizations that supported this effort:

- H-E-B #705 and their events manager Sherri
-Gateway's Volunteers and Joel their director
-The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
-The Young Men's Service League
-Feed the City Volunteers
-Grand Oaks High School Criminal Justice Club
-All Volunteers from Imperial Oaks

Without all of you, this mission wouldn't have been possible! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Rooted Benefits!

Breaking News!

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is rolling out a major overhaul to hospital payment and pricing transparency rules beginning in 2026. Under the new rule, hospitals must post real, consumer-usable prices (not estimates) - including the negotiated rates insurers pay, so patients can see up front what their care will actually cost.

For millions of seniors and Medicare-eligible Americans, this means clearer, more predictable costs, fewer surprise bills, and stronger protection against unnecessary or inflated charges. Over the next decade the reforms are projected to deliver roughly $11 billion in savings for Medicare beneficiaries and the program overall.

At Rooted Benefits we believe this is a watershed moment for our community. Transparency is a cornerstone of trust, and when people know what they’ll pay, they can make truly informed decisions about health care. We stand ready to help you understand what these changes mean for you or your clients, to compare options, and to navigate the system with confidence.

If you or someone you know is on Medicare, or will be soon, reach out. Let’s walk through what this update means for your coverage, your costs, and your care.

Gratitude is Happiness doubled by Wonder
- G. K. Chesterton