Independence and the towns around it
Independence is one of the two county seats of Jackson County, and a small corner of the city reaches into Clay County (Wikipedia). People here also use Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Buckner and the east side of Kansas City for doctors, pharmacies and family. Many cross the river to Liberty on Highway 291.
Medicare Advantage and Part D drug plans are sold by county. Nearly everyone in Independence is on the Jackson County list, so your choices usually match a neighbor in Blue Springs or Raytown. The exception is the Clay County corner, which can see a different list. We confirm which applies to you from your ZIP code and street.
Step by step: signing up for Medicare in Independence
Signing up has two parts, and people mix them up all the time. Social Security handles Parts A and B. Insurance companies, with help from an agent like us, handle the plan you add on top. Here is the order:
- Three months before your 65th birthday month, your first sign-up window opens. It lasts seven months in total (medicare.gov). If you already get Social Security checks, Parts A and B usually start on their own.
- Apply for Parts A and B online at ssa.gov, by phone at 1-800-772-1213, or in person at the office below. If you are still working and have coverage from a larger employer, you may be able to wait on Part B. Ask before you decide.
- Call us once you know your Part B start date. We go over your doctors, your medicines and your budget, then show you the plans we offer that fit.
- Pick a plan so it starts the same day as Part B. That way there is no gap.
Social Security Office, Independence
3520 S Noland Rd, Suite C, Independence, MO 64055
Check hours and make an appointment through the ssa.gov office locator.
Address listed by United Way of Greater Kansas City 211. Please confirm with the locator before you go. We are not connected with Social Security, and we cannot sign you up for Parts A or B. We can help you understand the choices before and after.
Hospitals people in Independence use
- Centerpoint Medical Center (HCA Midwest Health), 19600 E 39th St S, Independence. The city's main hospital and one of its largest employers.
- University Health Lakewood Medical Center, 7900 Lee's Summit Rd, Kansas City, on the south edge of Independence.
- Saint Luke's East Hospital, Lee's Summit, a common choice for people on the south side.
- Liberty Hospital, Liberty, for people who cross the river on 291.
Each of these belongs to a different health system, and each system signs its own contracts with Medicare Advantage plans. We do not state here which plans include Centerpoint, because networks change every year and we would rather check your plan than guess. A Medicare Supplement goes with any provider who takes Medicare, so the network question goes away. See how we check.
Call us first so we can check your doctors. Before you pick or switch a plan, give us the names of your doctors and the hospital you use. We check them against the plans we offer. Call (816) 307-6165 or book a free review.
Being told no when you are already sick
This is the worry under most of the questions we hear in Independence. Many Medicare Advantage plans use prior authorization, which means the plan has to approve certain care before it pays. Original Medicare with a Supplement rarely does. Advantage plans often cost less each month and add extras. Supplements cost more each month but have fewer rules. There is no single right answer, and we will not push you toward either one. We lay out both using your own doctors and health history. This year's figures are on our Medicare costs page.
Veterans in Independence
If you served, the nearest VA hospital is the Kansas City VA Medical Center at 4801 Linwood Blvd in Kansas City, Missouri. The Honor VA Clinic at 4251 Northern Ave, Kansas City, offers primary care, mental health care, radiology and a pharmacy, and it is a short drive from Independence, near I-70. VA care and Medicare work side by side. VA covers you inside VA facilities. Medicare can cover you at Centerpoint or a local urgent care, where VA care alone usually does not, and it is the only one of the two that can help a spouse. We explain the pieces, including TRICARE For Life and CHAMPVA, on our veterans page.
Missouri rules and free help
Missouri has an anniversary rule for Medicare Supplement plans. Each year, within 30 days before or after your policy anniversary, you may switch to the same plan letter with another company without health questions (Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance). Kansas does not have this rule. See how the two states compare.
For free counseling that does not sell anything, call Missouri SHIP at 800-390-3330 or visit missouriship.org. It used to be called CLAIM.
How we work with people in Independence
We are a Kansas City agency, and we are independent, so we are not tied to any one insurance company. We do not have an Independence office. For now, people in Independence reach us by phone or on a video call, and when our office reopens in January 2027 you will be able to schedule an in-person visit. We look at plans from many insurance companies. There is no charge for our help, and the price matches going direct. We are here all year. When a plan letter arrives or a doctor leaves a network, call us first.
Call us first
Tell us a little about you and we will call you back during business hours.
Questions people ask us
Is there a Medicare office in Independence?
Not a Medicare office, but there is a Social Security office at 3520 S Noland Rd, Suite C. Social Security handles Part A and B sign-up. Medicare itself has no local offices, and we are not a government office. You can also apply online at ssa.gov or call 1-800-772-1213. For help choosing a plan, call us or Missouri SHIP.
Do I have to go to the Noland Road office to sign up for Medicare?
No. Most people sign up online at ssa.gov in one short sitting, or by phone. The office is there if you prefer to sit with someone or have paperwork to show. Appointments are recommended, and the ssa.gov locator shows current hours.
Will my plan include Centerpoint Medical Center?
It depends on the plan. A Medicare Supplement works at Centerpoint and at any other hospital that takes Medicare. Medicare Advantage plans use networks that can change each year. Give us your doctors' names and we will check the plans we offer.
Do you have an office in Independence?
No office in Independence. We serve Independence by phone and video today. When our Kansas City office reopens in January 2027, you can make an appointment to come in and sit down with us.
I am still working at 65. Do I need Part B now?
Maybe not. If you have health coverage from a job with 20 or more employees, you can often delay Part B without a penalty. The rules depend on the size of the employer and the type of coverage. We can help you think it through before you talk with Social Security.
Does it cost anything to work with you?
No. Our help costs you nothing. Plan prices are the same with or without an agent, so going direct does not change the price, and coming to us costs no fee.