Medicare help that comes to you in Weslaco.
I'm Erick Vallarino, an insurance agent here in the Valley, and Weslaco is one of the towns I drive to most. I don't have an office in Weslaco, so I come to your kitchen table, in English or Spanish. My help costs you nothing.
No office in Weslaco. I come to you.
I'll be straight with you from the start: I don't have an office in Weslaco. Most of the people I help here, I see at home, at the kitchen table, with the family close by and the medicine bottles within reach.
If you'd rather sit down at an office, Weslaco is right between two of mine. Pharr is west on the expressway, and Harlingen is east. Both are by appointment, so call first and we'll pick a time that works for you.
Busy week? Kids in San Antonio or Houston who want to listen in? We can also go over everything by phone or on a Zoom video call.
Same county, same drive.
Weslaco, ZIP code 78596, is in Hidalgo County. Medicare Advantage and drug plans are sold county by county, so your neighbors here usually choose from the same plans you do. When I come out to Weslaco, these towns are on the same trip:
- Mercedes, right next door to the east, and still Hidalgo County.
- Donna, next door to the west, on the way to Pharr.
- Elsa and Edcouch, north of town, up FM 88 and FM 1015.
- Progreso, south of town, toward the bridge.
One thing to watch: past Mercedes, La Feria is in Cameron County, and the plan list there can be different. I look up every address by ZIP code, so you don't have to know where the county line runs. Don't see your town? Here are all the areas I serve.
What I do when I get there.
First, I listen. Then we write down your doctors, your medicines and the pharmacy you use.
I check your doctors and your medicines against each plan I offer in Hidalgo County, one by one, before you choose, not after the first bill comes. A doctor here in Weslaco and a specialist in McAllen, Edinburg or Harlingen? I check every one of them, not just the one closest to home. I don't offer every plan. If something isn't a good fit for you, I'll say so, and you can always check Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE.
There's no pressure. Keep the papers, talk it over with your family, and call me next week if you want. The choice is always yours. The plan costs the same whether you sign up with me or on your own, so my help comes at no extra cost to you.
After that, I'm still your agent, all year. A bill that doesn't look right, a letter you're not sure about, a doctor you need to change: you call me, not a 1-800 number.
Mark these on the calendar.
- October 15 to December 7, every year. Annual Enrollment, also called Open Enrollment. Anyone with Medicare can change plans for next year, and the changes start January 1.
- January 1 to March 31. Already in a Medicare Advantage plan? You get one more change.
- Turning 65? Your window is 7 months: the 3 months before your birthday month, that month, and the 3 months after. Birthday on the 1st? It all moves one month earlier.
Every date, in plain words, is on my key dates page. More questions? Here are the ones people ask me most.
Three questions about Weslaco.
Is there a Social Security office in Weslaco?
No, Weslaco doesn't have one of its own. The closest Social Security offices are in McAllen, on McColl Road, and in Harlingen, on West Jefferson Avenue. Social Security suggests making an appointment first, so you don't wait in line. You may not need the drive at all: you can sign up for Medicare online at ssa.gov, or call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213. If you're turning 65, I'll sit with you and go through it step by step.
I cross to Nuevo Progreso for my medicines. Will my plan pay for them?
No. Medicare drug plans don't cover prescription drugs you buy outside the U.S. And Medicare usually doesn't cover health care in Mexico either, except in rare cases. Some Medicare Supplement policies may help with emergency care on a trip outside the U.S. If you cross often, tell me, and we'll look at how each plan handles it before you choose.
I'm a Winter Texan in a Weslaco RV park. Can you help me?
Welcome back! Medicare Advantage and drug plans go by your permanent address, not where you spend the winter. If your permanent address is in Texas, I can help you. If it's in another state, choose an agent licensed there. Call me anyway, and I'll tell you honestly what I can and can't do. More for Winter Texans.
Live in Weslaco? I'll come to you.
Call or text me, tell me what day works for you, and I'll come to your home in Weslaco, Mercedes, Donna, Elsa or Edcouch, in English or Spanish. My help costs you nothing.