Lynn Michel Insurance, LLC was founded by Debbie DeChambeau in 2019 as an organization that helps people with Medicare.
After years of caring for her uncle and mother, and trying to understand Medicare, Medicaid and frustrated with not getting any answers why her mom couldn’t get Part B, Debbie came to the realization that others might have the same frustrations. While caring for her mom in hospice, the company was formed.
The experience of caring for family members made her aware of how complicated and confusing Medicare options can be. It is Debbie’s desire, and the foundation of the company, to help others minimize their frustrations with insurance and have a better understanding of Medicare.
In addition to helping people navigate the Medicare maze, Lynn Michel Insurance offers individual health plans and extended care planning.
WORKING WITH US
There is no charge to work with us. We are an insurance agency and are paid by the insurance companies. We believe in transparency and helping you choose the plan that is best for you and your situation. We do not recommend one insurance product over another; our recommendations are only based on your preferences.
We offer education on the different options, the costs and other health benefit considerations.
Our clients meet with us in person, virtually or over the phone. We prefer virtually so that we can screen share and easily show various documents and websites to help explain the options, however; we are always available for in person or phone meetings.
As part of our education process, we offer monthly webinars, one on one meetings and we work with organizations to educate their members and residents.
WHERE WE WORK
Currently, we are licensed in Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, District of Columbia, Ohio, North Carolina, New Jersey and Florida.
Our main office is located in Gaithersburg, MD but we spend a lot of time meeting with clients on the eastern shore of Maryland, Delaware and Virginia.
Generally, we meet with our out-of-state clients virtually.
CONTINUING EDUCATION
In order to help people with Medicare and the Affordable Care Act, there is annual training that every agent must complete. This annual education is in addition to what each state requires for maintaining an insurance license.
Medicare
- First is an annual certification program from AHIP or NABIP. This is a requirement and if an agent doesn’t complete the annual training, they can’t assist in enrolling members in Medicare policies and get paid.
- Once the AHIP or NABIP training is complete, each agent must complete the training offered by each company they represent. This can be anywhere from 20-30 different certifications, depending on the programs being offered each year in the different states. This training allows agents to get paid for the services they offer.
- These trainings focus heavily on compliance, product changes for Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug plans, HIPPA, Ethics and Fraud, Waste and Abuse.
Affordable Care Act
Annual training for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is different than Medicare. The first step is to complete the Federal Marketplace training and then complete the training for each state that has their own marketplace. (MD, DC and VA). The states that have their own marketplace have their own training; the other states only require the federal training.
When choosing an agent to work with, be sure to ask them about their training as this is essential in helping you make the best decision for your situation. There is no one option that works best for everyone.
We often say to our clients, as we age, things should be simple, but unfortunately with Medicare, the choices are confusing and seem to get more confusing each year!
ABOUT THE NAME
People often ask about the name of the company and what it represents. Debbie wanted to create a two-name company, similar to Morgan Stanley or Wells Fargo, but wanted to keep it personal. Lynn is the founder’s middle name and Michel is her son’s middle name. She is hopeful that one day her son will join the company!
If you are ready to learn more, contact us or sign up for one of our upcoming educational sessions. Here’s a list of upcoming educational events
