HICAP Volunteer Tom Kelber Reveals the Mysteries of Medicare
Our speaker for January 15, 2026, was Tom Kelber, a volunteer with the Health Insurance Counseling & Advocacy Program (HICAP) as a Medicare counselor and educator. Tom worked for over 25 years in the credit union industry and is now retired. He graduated from Cal Poly Pomona with a degree in Management & Human Resources. Tom developed an interest in health-related causes as a result of his own health condition and now volunteers his time advising people about Medicare, among other things.
HICAP is part of Senior Advocacy Services, a resource for seniors and their families in the North Bay. SAS collaborates with older adults to preserve their rights, dignity, and quality of life through the provision of information and advocacy programs, including Medicare education and advocacy for seniors in long-term care. Seniors can make an appointment with HICAP volunteers, who provide free, unbiased Medicare counseling.
Tom gave us an overview of the coverage provided by Medicare and the ways to augment Medicare to provide more complete health coverage to seniors (and others who are entitled to Medicare based on disability). Medicare Part A provides hospital insurance and is free at age 65. Medicare Part B provides outpatient coverage for a premium (the base premium is $206.50/month) with an annual deductible. However, Part B only pays 20% of “approved charges,” so “full coverage” requires an additional health insurance program. These additional programs include Medicare Advantage and Medigap plans. Medicare Advantage plans take over from Medicare, provide HMO/PPO managed coverage, and are typically cheaper than the Medigap plans. The classic Medicare Advantage Plan is Kaiser. There are now only 9 Medicare Advantage plans available in Sonoma County and the market is still shrinking. Medigap plans are subscribed by law but provided by private insurance companies. There are lots of variations, with different pricing. They generally allow the patient to see any doctor who accepts Medicare and do not require a co-pay. Another supplement is Medicare Part D, prescription drug coverage. There are 12 different plans and prices vary from $0 to $227.80. Your selection might depend on the prescriptions you need.
Tom recommends that Medicare beneficiaries shop Medigap plans every year. Price is important and changes regularly. A HICAP counselor can help educate you about Medicare and can even help you decide on the best plan for you. You can call HICAP at 800-434-0220 to set up a personal meeting with an advisor.
Thank you, Tom, for the timely and helpful presentation and for all the work you do helping people navigate the intricacies of Medicare.
