Medicare help in Pharr, in English or Spanish.
I'm Erick Vallarino, an insurance agent here in the Valley. I have an office in Pharr, by appointment, and I help people all over town, from north Pharr down to Las Milpas, and next door in San Juan, Alamo and Donna. When you call, you get me, and my help costs you nothing.
My Pharr office, or your kitchen table.
I have an office in Pharr, by appointment only. Pharr sits right where Expressway 83 crosses 281, so it's an easy drive from McAllen, Edinburg or San Juan. Call or text me first, we'll pick a time, and I'll tell you how to get there.
Most people in Pharr would rather I come to them, and that's fine with me. Your kitchen table is where your medicine bottles and your mail already are. Bring your son or daughter to the table, and family in San Antonio or Houston can listen in on a phone or Zoom video call.
In a lot of Pharr homes, the conversation happens in two languages at once: Spanish with mom and dad, English with the kids. That's how I work too, so nobody at the table gets left out.
Your plans go by your county.
Pharr is in Hidalgo County, like McAllen, Edinburg, San Juan and Weslaco. Medicare Advantage and drug plans are sold by county, so in Pharr we look at Hidalgo County plans, whether you live off Cage Boulevard or out in Las Milpas.
What I check for you
Before you choose, I look up your doctors, your medicines and your pharmacy in each plan I offer in Hidalgo County, so you see how each one fits you. I don't offer every plan. If I can't help with what you need, I'll tell you, and you can always check Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE.
Turning 65 in Pharr?
Your window to sign up is 7 months: the 3 months before the month you turn 65, that month, and the 3 months after. If your birthday is on the 1st, it all moves one month earlier. Many people sign up for Part A and Part B online at ssa.gov, and I can sit with you while you do it. If you'd rather go in person, the closest Social Security office to Pharr is in McAllen, at 3004 N. McColl Road. Make an appointment before you go. More for people turning 65.
Your yearly review, October 15 to December 7.
In these weeks, anyone with Medicare can change health and drug plans, and the changes start January 1. They're my busiest weeks in Pharr and the towns around it.
Did a letter from your plan come in September?
That's your plan telling you what changes on January 1: costs, coverage, the drug list. Don't put it in a drawer. Bring it to the Pharr office or text me a picture, and we'll go over it together. If your plan still fits, I'll tell you to keep it. All the dates are on my key dates page.
Spending the winter in Pharr?
From about November to March, winter Texans fill the RV parks in Pharr, San Juan and Alamo, and many arrive while this window is still open. Welcome back. Your plan goes by your permanent address, not your winter one, so read this first.
Towns nearby.
All of these are in Hidalgo County, like Pharr, and I go to every one of them.
- San Juan. Right next door, to the east. Half the time nobody knows where Pharr ends and San Juan starts, and it doesn't matter. I come to your house either way.
- Alamo. Past San Juan, along Expressway 83. I come to your house there too.
- Donna. A little farther east, between Alamo and Weslaco. Same county, same visit at your kitchen table.
- McAllen. Just to the west. I have an office there too, by appointment. McAllen page.
- Edinburg. North up 281, the county seat. I come to you there. Edinburg page.
- Weslaco. East, past Donna. Weslaco page.
These are just the closest ones. I go all over the Valley, and anywhere in Texas by phone or Zoom. All the areas I serve.
What people here ask me.
Can you meet my mom at her house while I'm at work?
Yes. I sit with her at her table, in Spanish or English, whichever she's more comfortable with, and you can listen on speaker from work or join on Zoom. Afterward, she has my number, and so do you.
We cross to Reynosa a lot. Does Medicare cover us over there?
With the bridge to Reynosa right here in Pharr, this one comes up a lot. In most situations, Original Medicare doesn't pay for care you get in Mexico. Each plan has its own rules about care outside the U.S. If you cross often, tell me, and we'll read those rules together before you choose. More common questions.
Can I just stop by the Pharr office?
Please call first. The office is by appointment only, and most days I'm out at people's homes. Call or text 956-564-2557 and we'll pick a time. If I'm with a client, I call you back.
At your table or at my Pharr office. You pick.
Call or text me, and we'll find a time that works for you, in English or Spanish. My help costs you nothing.