Founder and Independent Medicare Broker

Meet Benjamin Thompson

I founded Thompson Medicare Brokerage to give people something that can be difficult to find in insurance: clear explanations, honest comparisons and a real person who remains available when problems arise after enrollment.

I’m an expert problem solver—not a high-pressure salesman. My job is to understand your situation, explain the tradeoffs and help you make an informed Medicare decision.

Benjamin Thompson, founder and Medicare insurance broker
Benjamin and Emma Thompson in Warsaw, Illinois
Emma and me in Warsaw, Illinois
My story

From Illinois to the Missouri Ozarks

My Medicare experience began before Thompson Medicare Brokerage existed. I worked in customer service, as a captive insurance agent and with other brokerages. Those roles taught me how Medicare plans operate from several different sides of the industry.

They also showed me what was missing. Too many people received a sales presentation when what they really needed was someone willing to slow down, listen and explain how the coverage would work in their real life.

The story of Thompson Medicare Brokerage began in Illinois in 2021. Emma and I later moved our family and the agency’s headquarters to Bucyrus, Missouri, where we began building our homestead in the hills of the Ozarks.

Today, I focus my Medicare practice on Missouri and Illinois, with telephone and virtual consultations available statewide and local, appointment-based assistance in Springfield and the Houston/Texas County area.

Why I do this: The people I serve deserve patience, respect and honest answers—not pressure, confusing jargon or a broker who disappears once the application is submitted.
Professional background

Experience From Several Sides of Medicare

Customer service

Learning How Coverage Problems Happen

Customer-service work taught me how claims, billing, prescriptions and plan rules affect people after enrollment—not just how plans appear in a brochure.

Captive agent

Understanding Insurance Companies

Working as a captive agent for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama gave me experience with the structure, expectations and limitations of representing one insurance organization.

Independent broker

Comparing Multiple Organizations

Becoming independent allowed me to work with multiple carriers and compare available coverage instead of beginning every conversation with one company’s products.

Medicare organizations, products and availability change. Being independent does not mean I represent every plan. It means I can compare multiple contracted options and clearly disclose the limits of my portfolio.
My approach

What You Can Expect From Me

I Listen First

Your doctors, prescriptions, finances, travel, family situation and healthcare priorities come before any plan comparison.

I Research the Details

I review provider networks, hospitals, formularies, pharmacies, cost sharing and coverage restrictions using the exact plan under consideration.

I Explain the Tradeoffs

Every approach has advantages and limitations. I explain both so you understand what you are choosing.

I Remain Available

My service does not end after enrollment. I remain available when billing, pharmacy, provider or coverage problems arise.

Medicare guidance

How I Can Help

Medicare Advantage

Compare provider networks, prescriptions, copayments, maximum out-of-pocket exposure, prior authorization and additional benefits.

Learn about Medicare Advantage →

Medicare Supplements

Understand Medigap plan letters, enrollment rights, underwriting, premiums, carrier pricing and how coverage works with Original Medicare.

Learn about Medicare Supplements →

Medicare Part D

Compare prescription plans using your exact medications, dosages, pharmacies, formulary requirements and estimated annual costs.

Learn about Medicare Part D →

Turning 65

Understand when to enroll, whether employer coverage lets you delay Medicare and what decisions follow Parts A and B.

Read the Turning 65 guide →

Medicaid and Extra Help

Understand how Medicaid, Medicare Savings Programs, Extra Help and D-SNP eligibility may affect Medicare coverage and costs.

Learn about D-SNP coverage →

Explore all Medicare broker services →

A practical process

How a Consultation Works

1

Understand Your Situation

We discuss your current coverage, Medicare dates, doctors, prescriptions, finances and priorities.

2

Research Available Coverage

I compare the applicable plans and coverage approaches available for your location and eligibility.

3

Explain the Results

We review the benefits, costs, restrictions and tradeoffs in plain language.

4

Support Your Decision

If you choose to enroll, I help with the application and remain available after coverage begins.

No pressure: A consultation is an opportunity to understand your options. You are not obligated to enroll in a plan through Thompson Medicare Brokerage.
Couple reviewing a confusing Medicare bill
Medicare guidance should include help when unexpected problems arise
Compensation transparency

How Am I Paid?

You do not pay Thompson Medicare Brokerage a separate fee for a Medicare plan consultation or enrollment. When an enrollment qualifies for compensation, the insurance organization may pay the agent or broker.

Compensation is regulated for Medicare Advantage and Part D, but it is not accurate to say every carrier and plan always pays exactly the same. Payment can vary based on the product, carrier, geographic area, new versus renewal enrollment and whether the plan pays independent agents. Some plans may be noncommissionable.

Medicare Supplement and other insurance products use different compensation structures. I believe the appropriate response is transparency—not pretending those differences do not exist.

My recommendation process begins with your doctors, prescriptions, healthcare needs, finances and preferences. If you ever want to know whether or how I may be compensated for an enrollment, ask me directly.

Read more about Medicare broker compensation →

Thompson Medicare Brokerage does not represent every Medicare organization or plan available in every area. Medicare.gov and 1-800-MEDICARE can provide information about all available options.
Beyond enrollment

Year-Round Client Advocacy

Medicare decisions do not stop mattering when the application is approved. Provider directories can be wrong, prescriptions can require exceptions, claims can be processed incorrectly and a plan benefit may not work as expected.

Depending on the situation, I may help clients:

  • Understand an unexpected medical bill or explanation of benefits
  • Contact a carrier about enrollment or coverage records
  • Investigate a pharmacy or formulary problem
  • Review provider-network information
  • Understand prior authorization or appeal procedures
  • Coordinate Medicare with Medicaid, VA or employer coverage
  • Prepare for an annual coverage review
  • Identify the appropriate agency when an issue falls outside my authority
I cannot guarantee that every dispute will be resolved in a client’s favor. What I can promise is that I will take the problem seriously, research it carefully and help identify the next appropriate step.
Missouri and Illinois

Personal Service Wherever You Are

Most Medicare consultations can be completed conveniently by telephone or virtually. In-person appointments are also available at the Springfield and Bucyrus locations with advance scheduling.

Bucyrus and Texas County

Thompson Medicare Brokerage
10101 Venable Drive, Lot 19
Bucyrus, Missouri 65444

Headquarters serving Houston, Bucyrus and surrounding Texas County communities. In-person meetings are available by appointment.

Visit the Bucyrus location page →

Springfield, Missouri

Thompson Medicare Brokerage
405 North Jefferson Avenue
Springfield, Missouri 65806

Local Medicare consultations are available in Springfield by advance appointment, along with telephone and virtual service.

Visit the Springfield location page →
Availability: Telephone service is generally available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Central Time, seven days a week. In-person visits require an appointment. The office is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Carrier portfolio

Independent Does Not Mean One Insurance Company

I work with numerous Medicare insurance organizations across different product lines. This provides a broader comparison than working with an agent limited to one company, but carrier contracting and plan availability still vary by state, county, product and coverage year.

Explore the Thompson Medicare carrier portfolio →

One carrier may offer several plans with different provider networks, formularies, costs and rules. I compare the exact plan—not merely the insurance company’s name.
Optional online research

Explore Medicare Advantage and Part D Options

You can begin reviewing participating Medicare Advantage and Part D options online. The primary comparison tool does not include every carrier Thompson Medicare Brokerage represents. Schedule a no-cost consultation for a personalized review and the full list of carrier options Benjamin can discuss based on your location and eligibility.

An online result is not a complete personal coverage review. Confirm doctors, hospitals, prescriptions, pharmacies, costs and eligibility before submitting an enrollment.
Frequently asked questions

Questions About Benjamin and Thompson Medicare

Is Thompson Medicare Brokerage an insurance company?

No. Thompson Medicare Brokerage is an independent insurance agency. Benjamin helps clients compare available coverage issued by private insurance companies.

Is Thompson Medicare part of Medicare or the government?

No. Thompson Medicare Brokerage is not connected with or endorsed by the United States government or the federal Medicare program.

Do Medicare consultations cost anything?

Thompson Medicare Brokerage does not charge beneficiaries a separate fee for Medicare plan consultations or enrollments.

Do you represent only one insurance company?

No. Benjamin works with numerous organizations. However, Thompson Medicare Brokerage does not represent every plan or company available in every market.

Can you help after I enroll?

Yes. Year-round client advocacy is a central part of Benjamin’s service. He remains available when coverage, pharmacy, provider or billing questions arise.

Do you offer telephone and virtual appointments?

Yes. Most consultations can be completed by telephone or virtually throughout Missouri and Illinois.

Can we meet in person?

Yes. In-person appointments are available in Springfield and the Bucyrus/Houston-area with advance scheduling.

What should I prepare for a consultation?

Gather your Medicare card if you have one, current coverage information, doctors, specialists, hospitals, prescriptions, dosages and preferred pharmacies.

Will you tell me if you do not represent a plan?

Yes. Transparency includes explaining the limits of Benjamin’s carrier portfolio and directing clients to Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE when information about all available options is needed.

Can you guarantee that a coverage problem will be resolved?

No broker can guarantee the outcome of a claim, appeal, provider dispute or coverage determination. Benjamin can research the problem, explain available steps and advocate within the authority available to him.

Learn more

Explore Thompson Medicare Brokerage

Medicare: Made Simple

Let’s Have a Real Conversation About Your Medicare

Whether you are turning 65, retiring, reviewing current coverage or trying to solve a Medicare problem, you do not have to figure everything out alone.

I’ll take the time to understand your situation, explain the available approaches and help you make an informed decision without high-pressure sales.

Thompson Medicare Brokerage is an independent insurance agency and is not connected with or endorsed by the United States government or the federal Medicare program. Carrier contracting, certifications, appointments, plan availability and compensation may vary. Thompson Medicare Brokerage does not represent every plan available in every area. Contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE or your State Health Insurance Assistance Program for information about all available options.