Medicare help - Greensboro & the Triad
Medicare questions? Let's talk them through.
Turning 65 or reviewing your coverage? Get help from a local agent who answers his own phone. Free.
I’m Christian Brinkley, a licensed insurance agent in Greensboro. Meet at home or talk by phone. No cost, no pressure, no call center.
Turning 65? See how your enrollment window worksFree. No obligation. Your info is never sold.
Where are you right now?
Pick the one that sounds like you. Each one starts with plain answers, and you can call whenever you’re ready.
- I’m turning 65 soonWhen to sign up, what to sign up for, and how to stay clear of penalties.Start with your window
- I’m already on MedicarePlans change every year. Check whether yours still fits before December 7.Take the plan check
- I’m planning retirementSocial Security timing, taxes, RMDs, and what Medicare will cost you.See the timeline
- I’m helping a parentWhat you can handle for Mom or Dad, and what they need to do themselves.Read the guide
How Medicare timing works
Seven months. One window.
You get one main chance to sign up without a penalty, and it’s built around the month you turn 65. Pick your month and watch how it works.
The month you turn 65
Example: turning 65 in June. Your window is seven months long. It opens in March, three months before you turn 65, and closes at the end of September. Tap a month to see when coverage would start.
Still working with coverage through a job? Different rules can apply, and you may be able to wait without a penalty. Get your exact dates
Already on Medicare?
Plans change every year. Did yours?
Open enrollment runs October 15 to December 7. Seven quick questions about your doctors, your prescriptions, and what you pay, and you’ll get an honest read on whether a review is worth your time. Nothing gets sent anywhere unless you ask.
What waiting costs
Late on Part B? That penalty sticks around.
Drag the slider. It’s the same math Medicare uses: 10% of the standard premium for every full year you could’ve had Part B and didn’t. And you keep paying it for as long as you have Part B.
- Standard premium, 2026
- $202.90/mo
- Penalty added
- $20.30/mo
- Over a year
- $243.60
- You'd pay
- $223.20/mo
Estimate for education, at the 2026 standard premium. If you or your spouse have coverage through a current job, you can usually wait without any penalty. Work out your own number
Who you’ll be talking to
Hey, I’m Christian.
When you call, you get me. I answer my own phone, and during my meeting I check your doctors and your prescriptions against the plans live, so you see exactly what is covered before anything is signed. I represent 8 insurance companies, which means I compare options instead of selling you the only one I have.
I am based in Greensboro and have been a licensed agent (NC Life & Health) since June 2026, with 12 policies written so far. I am also an accounting senior at UNCG, graduating in December 2026.
Down the road, I want to run a planning practice right here, helping families with Medicare, taxes, retirement, and insurance in one place. For now, here is what I promise: plain answers, no pressure, and if your coverage is already fine, I will tell you.
- Licensed agent · NC Life & Health
- Senior accounting student at UNCG, graduating December 2026
- Meets at your home, somewhere nearby, or by phone
- Works with an advisor when planning calls for one
Guides
Read first. Call when you’re ready.
Plain-English guides on Medicare, taxes, Social Security, and insurance. No sales pitch and no email wall. Just the answers.
- Turning 65
- Already on Medicare
- Medicare costs
- Taxes in retirement
- Retirement income
- Insurance explained
- Helping a parent
- GuideTurning 65: when to sign up for MedicareYour seven-month window, coverage through work, and what to do first.
- GuideMedicare Advantage or a Medigap plan?How the two paths differ on doctors, costs, and travel.
- ToolDoes your Medicare plan still fit?Seven questions, about 90 seconds, and an honest read on whether to look again.
- GuideEvery 2026 Medicare cost, with its sourcePremiums, deductibles, and income brackets on one page.
- GuideWhen should I take Social Security?62, full retirement age, or 70, and what changes with each.
- GuideHelping a parent with MedicareWhat you can do for them, and what they have to do themselves.
I’d rather earn reviews than write them.
You won’t find made-up testimonials on this site. When people I’ve helped leave a review on Google, it’ll show up right here, word for word. If you’ve worked with me, I’d really appreciate one.
What happens next
No script. No pressure. No hand-off.
- 01
You call, or send me a note.
It comes straight to me, not a queue. I’ll get in touch personally to find a time that works.
- 02
I meet with you.
At your kitchen table, somewhere nearby, or by phone. I go through your doctors, prescriptions, and budget.
- 03
You decide, in your own time.
There’s no cost and no obligation to enroll. And I’m still here when the next question comes.
Before your visit
Questions people ask me first.
I meet people all over the Triad and back home in Granville County. Folks in Winston-Salem, High Point, Kernersville, and Burlington get the same free, no-pressure help as everyone in Greensboro.
See every town I serveAre you a Medicare agent in Greensboro?
Yes. I'm Christian Brinkley, a licensed North Carolina insurance agent (NC Life & Health, NPN 22217190) based in Greensboro. I offer free Medicare consultations throughout the Piedmont Triad, at your home, a public place, or by phone.
How are you paid?
Insurance companies pay me a commission if you enroll in a plan through me. The consultation is free, and there's no obligation to enroll. I represent a limited number of companies and will tell you about options I can't offer.
SHIIP counseling and help from a licensed agent
North Carolina SHIIP provides free, unbiased Medicare counseling. A licensed agent can explain the plans they represent and help with enrollment applications.
SHIIP is a useful place to start if you want independent guidance. Counselors do not sell or endorse insurance products, according to the NC Department of Insurance. They can help you understand coverage and compare options. Ask your local counselor what enrollment assistance they offer.
When you want to discuss specific plans I represent, I can check your doctors, prescriptions, and costs, then help you apply if you decide to enroll. I represent a limited number of companies and receive a commission if you enroll through me. There is no charge for the consultation.
Find a SHIIP counselor in your county or book a free conversation with Christian.