Experience · Access · Follow-through
Why New Mexico Medicare Help: an agency comparison checklist
A Medicare agent should bring more than a quote. This page sets out what we do, in plain terms, next to the questions worth asking any agent you are considering — us included.
Book a free appointment → Call (505) 578-0376
Years licensed and clients served describe Brian Penner's practice across every state where he is licensed. There is no fee for our help; plan premiums and other policy costs still apply. Carrier and plan availability varies by county.
Compare the service behind the plan
New Mexico Medicare Help and other Medicare agents
On a small screen, swipe the chart sideways to see all three columns.
| What to compare | New Mexico Medicare Help | Other Medicare agents: what to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Experience | ||
| Years in the business | Brian Penner has been licensed for 22+ years | Ask when the agent was first licensed, and how much of that time has been spent on Medicare. |
| A license you can check | Licensed in New Mexico, with the official state lookup link published on this site Verify our licenses → | Look the agent up with the New Mexico Office of Superintendent of Insurance, or by National Producer Number. |
| Independent or captive | Independent — not employed by any insurance company | Ask whether the agent is independent or works for a single carrier. |
| Client experience | 2,000+ clients served | Client totals are unknown unless the agent tells you. Ask. |
| How the agent is paid | Explained in writing: carrier-paid, and nothing is added to your premium How agents get paid → | Ask how the agent is paid. A plain answer is a good sign. |
| Service | ||
| Consultation fees | No fee, for the consultation or the enrollment — carriers pay licensed agents | Ask about fees. Many agents also work at no charge to you. |
| Ways to meet | Phone appointments anywhere in New Mexico — no travel, no waiting room | Confirm how you would meet, and whether that suits you. |
| Scheduling | Pick your own time online, any hour of the day See open times → | Scheduling tools and availability vary. |
| Who you talk to | Brian Penner personally, with a client care coordinator who handles scheduling | Ask who takes your call next March — the agent who enrolled you, or a queue. |
| Preparation | A five-minute intake form, so the appointment is a plan comparison rather than an interview | Ask whether your doctors and prescriptions are checked before a plan is recommended. |
| Your pace, your decision | No pressure — you will never be pushed into a plan | Ask for time to think it over. Notice how the agent responds. |
| After enrollment | Year-round help with claims and appeals, plus an annual coverage review Annual coverage review → | Ask exactly what happens after you enroll, and who does it. |
| Education | Free calculators and plain-English guides you can read before you ever call Free tools → | Ask what you can read before you decide. |
| New Mexico insight | ||
| Presbyterian's 2027 exit | Published guides for members whose Presbyterian Medicare Advantage plan is ending, city by city Presbyterian plan ending → | Ask what the agent knows about plans leaving your county next year. |
| County by county | Separate guidance for Bernalillo, Sandoval, Santa Fe and San Juan counties Areas we serve → | Plan availability is set by county. Ask about yours by name. |
| Provider networks | Your own doctors checked against each plan's network before a recommendation | Ask a specific question: is my doctor in this plan's network? |
| Veterans | Guidance on fitting Medicare around VA benefits Medicare for veterans → | Ask whether the agent has worked with VA coverage before. |
Helping with a claim or an appeal does not guarantee a particular outcome — the insurer makes its own coverage decisions. Provider participation has to be checked for the specific plan and can change during the year.
Twenty-two years of practice. One advisor who picks up.
Experience that asks better questions
After 22 years the useful part is knowing what to ask before a plan is chosen: which doctors you would refuse to give up, what your prescriptions cost across a full year, and what happens to your coverage if you move or travel.
New Mexico, county by county
Plan availability is set by county, and 2027 is a year of change here. We track which plans are leaving, which networks reach which providers, and what that means in Bernalillo, Sandoval, Santa Fe and San Juan counties.
Support after the paperwork
Most of the value of an agent shows up after enrollment: the billing question in March, the denied claim, the plan that changes its network in the fall. We stay your agent through all of it, and we review your coverage every year.
Before we talk, the Medicare Intake Form sends us your doctors and prescriptions, so the appointment is spent comparing plans instead of collecting basics. Want to know who you would be working with? Meet the team.
Questions people ask before choosing an agent
How do I choose a Medicare agent in New Mexico?
Check four things before you share any personal information. First, the license: look the agent up with the New Mexico Office of Superintendent of Insurance or by National Producer Number. Second, independence: ask whether they work for one insurance company or contract with several. Third, how you will meet and who you will actually be talking to. Fourth, service after enrollment: ask who answers when you have a billing or claim question next year. The checklist on this page lists the questions under each heading.
Does it cost anything to work with New Mexico Medicare Help?
No. There is no fee for a consultation, a plan comparison or help enrolling. Licensed agents are paid by the insurance carrier when someone enrolls, and your premium is the same whether you use an agent or enroll on your own. Plan premiums, deductibles and copays still apply to whatever coverage you choose.
Is New Mexico Medicare Help independent?
Yes. New Mexico Medicare Help is an independent agency and is not employed by any insurance company. Independent does not mean every plan: we do not offer every plan available in your area, and any information we provide is limited to the plans we do offer. For a complete list of your options, contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE.
How can I verify Brian Penner's New Mexico insurance license?
Our license verification page lists the New Mexico license for Brian Penner (NPN 8206556) and for the agency, Kenztara INC DBA New Mexico Medicare Help (NPN 16493717), each with a link to the official state lookup. Checking takes about two minutes and is worth doing for any agent.
My Presbyterian Medicare Advantage plan is ending. Can you help?
Yes. We have published guides for Presbyterian members in Albuquerque, Rio Rancho and Santa Fe covering what the non-renewal letter means, the enrollment windows it opens, and how to check whether your doctors are in another plan's network. A phone appointment is the fastest way to go through your own doctors and prescriptions.
Put an experienced advisor on your side
Have your questions, your current plan card, the names of your doctors and your prescription list to hand. Pick a time that suits you — there is no cost and no obligation.
Book a free appointment → Call (505) 578-0376
Consultations are free; plan premiums and other policy costs still apply. New Mexico Medicare Help is a licensed independent insurance agency (NPN 16493717). We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options. Not connected with or endorsed by the United States government or the federal Medicare program.
Content reviewed by Brian Penner, Independent Medicare advisor — no pressure.