Medicare guidance that puts you first.
I'm Nick Heyse, an independent, licensed insurance agent based in Overland Park, Kansas.
I help people turning 65, people already on Medicare, and adult children helping a parent — in the Kansas City metro, across the greater Midwest, and anywhere in Kansas, Missouri, and Texas by phone and video.
My help doesn't cost you anything — the insurance carriers pay me, not you — and you're never obligated to enroll in anything.
Or call or text (913) 472-2330 — no call center, no phone tree.
Two ways to work with me
Both are free, and you can switch between them at any point. There's no wrong way to start.
Schedule an appointment
Pick a time on my calendar — 30 minutes or a full hour. We'll go through your situation, your doctors and your prescriptions, and I'll explain what your options actually are. No cost, no obligation, no pressure to enroll.
Schedule an appointment Opens my live calendar in a new tab.Compare & enroll yourself
Use my plan-comparison and enrollment portal to look up what's available in your ZIP code, compare options side by side, and enroll online on your own schedule. You'll be enrolling under my agent code, at no extra cost to you.
Compare & self-enroll Opens the enrollment portal in a new tab.Not sure where to start? Pick the one that sounds like you.
Most people who call me are in one of these three spots. Tap the one that fits.
I'm turning 65 soon
There's a seven-month window to sign up, and the timing matters more than most people expect. Enter your birthday and get your exact dates.
Find my sign-up window →I'm already on Medicare and want to compare my options
Whether your current plan still fits, and what the difference is between Medicare Advantage and a Medicare Supplement.
Compare the two paths →I'm helping a parent figure this out
You can help without becoming the expert. Here's what to gather, what to ask, and how I work with families.
See the family guide →Why "independent" is the whole point
There are two kinds of people who will help you with Medicare. One works for a single insurance company and can only show you that company's products. The other is independent, which means they can show you what several companies offer and help you decide which one actually fits your needs best.
I'm the second kind. That is genuinely the entire reason I built my business this way.
Practically, that means three things:
- I'm not steering you to one brand. If two plans cover your doctors and one is meaningfully cheaper for your prescriptions, that's the one I'll tell you about.
- You hear the trade-offs, not a pitch. Every option has a downside. I'd rather you hear it from me now than discover it in March.
- You can do this without me. Some people want a guide, some people know exactly what plan they want and just want the freedom to sign up on their own. Both are fine, and both are available right here.
The honest version of how I get paid
I'm paid by the insurance carriers when someone I help decides to enroll in a plan. That payment comes from the carrier, never from you. Your premium is the same whether you enroll through me, through a call center, or on your own.
You should know that up front, because it's the question most people are too polite to ask. And because I represent multiple carriers, I'm not financially motivated to push you toward any one of them.
One thing I want to be clear about
I don't offer every plan available in your area. No independent agent does, and anyone who tells you otherwise is worth a second look. The information above my footer on every page of this site tells you exactly what that means and where to get the complete list.
Independent agent vs. a captive one
| Independent (me) | Captive agent | |
|---|---|---|
| Who they work for | Multiple carriers — no single employer | One insurance company |
| What they can show you | What several companies offer | Only that one company's products |
| If a different plan fits better | I'll say so — it's in my interest to keep you as a client | Their company's plan is the only option they can offer |
| What you pay | Nothing — carriers pay me | Nothing — the carrier pays them |
| When you move or your plan changes | I can help you compare again | Limited to their own products |
A captive agent isn't doing anything wrong — they're just built differently. But if you want to see what more than one company offers, you need someone who can show you.
What I actually help with
All of it is education and comparison — I explain the trade-offs and you make the call.
Turning 65 and new to Medicare
When to sign up, what happens if you're still working, how to avoid the late-enrollment penalty, and the order to do things in.
Read the answerMedicare Advantage vs. Medicare Supplement
The single biggest fork in the road. I'll walk you through how they differ in cost structure, network rules and flexibility, so you can choose deliberately.
Read the answerPrescription drug coverage
We look at your actual medication list against what each option covers. This is where the biggest year-to-year cost differences usually show up.
Read the answerYour doctors and hospitals
Before anything else: does the option keep the doctors you already know and trust? That question comes first, not last.
Read the answerAn annual review
Plans change every year. A 20-minute conversation once a year keeps you from paying for coverage that no longer fits how you live.
Read the answerWorking with families
Adult children are welcome on the call. If a parent prefers, I'll happily walk both of you through it together.
Read the answerServing Johnson County in person, and three states beyond it
I live and work here, and most of my Kansas City clients are within about 20 minutes of my desk. I meet people in person when that's easier and more preferable than a phone call.
I regularly work with people in Overland Park, Leawood, Olathe, Lenexa, Shawnee, Prairie Village, Mission, Gardner, Spring Hill, Edgerton, Merriam, Fairway, Roeland Park, De Soto, and Stilwell, and across the wider Kansas City area. If you're just outside that list, call me anyway — it's worth checking.
I'm licensed across Kansas, Missouri, and Texas, and I work with clients across the greater Midwest by phone and video. If you found me from a video or a search and you're outside Kansas, Missouri, and Texas, tell me anyway — I'll be straight with you about whether I can help, and if I can't I'll point you to someone licensed in your state who can.
Kansas City has its own quirks with Medicare that don't apply in every state, and I'd rather you hear about them from someone who deals with these carriers every day.
Based in Overland Park, Kansas
Serving Johnson County and the Kansas City metro and the surrounding counties in person, plus clients across the Midwest and statewide in Kansas, Missouri and Texas by phone and video.
Licensed in Kansas, Missouri, and Texas
Don't know who your agent is? You're not stuck.
Plenty of people end up on a Medicare plan and then never hear from the person who enrolled them again. Maybe it was a call center. Maybe it was someone whose name you never caught. Maybe they've since left the business. That's common, and it isn't your fault.
You can have your own agent again — and it doesn't cost you anything, and it doesn't require waiting for the Annual Enrollment Period.
I'll look up what you're actually enrolled in, tell you honestly whether it still fits what you need, and take over as your trusted agent if you'd like. If the plan you already have is the right one, I'll tell you that too and we'll leave it alone. But I want you to at least feel confident in your decision.
What changing agents actually involves
- No cost to you, ever
- Your plan, premiums, and card don't change
- You keep the same doctors
- We start by reviewing what you already have
The Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7. If you want to review your coverage for next year, that's the window. Outside it, most plan changes need a Special Enrollment Period — so if something about your coverage is bothering you, it's worth a conversation before October rather than after.
Medicare is where I spend my time — but it's not all I can help with.
If your Medicare coverage is already sorted and you're happy with it, there are a few other things I can look at with you. None of them are Medicare, and they get their own appointment — here's why.
Dental, vision & hearing
Standalone plans for dental work, glasses and contacts, and hearing aids. Original Medicare covers very little of this, so most people who want it buy a separate plan. I write these through more than one carrier, which means I can compare them for you instead of showing you one company's version.
Read the answerLife insurance
Term, whole life, or final expense. Final expense is the one people ask about most — a smaller policy whose whole job is keeping a funeral from landing on your family as a bill. Term covers a set number of years; whole life lasts as long as you do. I'll show you what each one costs before you decide anything.
Read the answerHospital indemnity
A fixed daily cash benefit paid to you while you're in the hospital, not to the hospital. Medicare has deductibles and gaps; this is one way to offset some of them. It is not a replacement for Medicare, and it is not a Medicare plan.
Read the answerHome health care benefit
A benefit designed to pay for certain in-home care services. Worth being precise: this is not long-term care insurance, and it will not cover an ongoing nursing-home stay. If you're trying to solve long-term care, tell me — I'd rather point you to the right person than sell you the wrong thing.
Read the answerNot sure any of it is worth your time? See everything I can write — or just ask me. I'd rather tell you that you don't need something than sell you something you don't.
Questions I get asked every week
How much does it cost to work with you?
Nothing. My help is paid for by the insurance carriers if you decide to enroll in a plan, so there is no charge to you and your premium is the same either way.
That includes the appointment itself, follow-up questions over the phone, and an annual check-in after you're enrolled. There's no invoice at any point.
Am I obligated to enroll in anything?
No. You can talk to me, ask every question you have, and then decide to enroll somewhere else — or not at all. Nothing happens automatically and nothing gets signed on your behalf.
What should I have ready for our first call?
Three things, and it's fine if you need to go find them: your list of prescription medications with dosages, the names of the doctors and hospitals you want to keep, and roughly what you currently pay. If you're not sure about any of it, we'll work it out on the call.
Let's make this simple.
Bring your questions, your medication list, and whoever you'd like sitting next to you. I'll bring the answers.
Talk it through with me
30 minutes or a full hour, whichever suits you. Phone, video, or in person.
Schedule an appointmentBrowse plans on your own
Look up what's available in your ZIP code and enroll online, on your own schedule.
Compare & self-enrollOr just call or text me at (913) 472-2330