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Medicare articles written by a physician for regular people โ€” from the fundamentals to advanced structural analysis.

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Deep Dive

IRMAA Explained: The Medicare Surcharge Most People Never See Coming

If your income exceeds certain thresholds, you'll pay significantly more for Medicare โ€” based on a tax return you filed two years ago. Here's a clear explanation of how IRMAA works, why the two-year lookback catches recently retired people off guard, and what you can do if your income has dropped since then.

Dr. Michael Koeplin, MD, FACS ยท March 2026 ยท 9 min read

Deep Dive

5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Helping My Mother With Medicare

The enrollment windows are unforgiving. The difference between the two paths is structural, not superficial. And the decision you make at 65 has long-term consequences that are rarely explained clearly. Here's what I learned โ€” and what I wish I'd known sooner.

Dr. Michael Koeplin, MD, FACS ยท January 2026 ยท 8 min read

Analysis

When Medicare Advantage Makes Sense (And When It Doesn't)

Medicare Advantage isn't a bad product โ€” it's a different structural arrangement. Whether it works for you depends on factors most people never systematically evaluate before enrolling. This article gives you the evaluation framework.

Dr. Michael Koeplin, MD, FACS ยท February 2026 ยท 10 min read

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