Medicare Specialist Sets Up New Office In Overton

By VERNON ROBISON

The Progress

A new small business has come to downtown Overton. And this one will be particularly helpful to members of the local senior population who need help in navigating the complex world of Medicare.

Mary Bundy is a licensed health insurance agent who specializes in Medicare plans. She will officially begin seeing clients from an office in Overton beginning on Monday, June 7. Her office will be located inside the Travis Pack CPA building at 280 S. Moapa Valley Blvd.

Bundy is licensed in Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming. But she has primarily been operating out of Mesquite and serving clients in Clark County, Nevada; Mohave County, Arizona and Washington County, Utah.

She recently felt the need to open an office here in Overton. “I was visiting with a client when he suggested that I open an office in Moapa Valley,” Bundy said. “So one day I just decided to go for a drive, and it just felt right.”

It wasn’t her first time to Moapa Valley though. Bundy is an avid barrel racer and her husband loves to compete in rodeo events.

“My husband brought me down here to Moapa Valley when he was in the rodeo here some time ago and I just fell in love with it then,” Bundy said. “So when we decided to expand my business, we just kept coming back to the Moapa Valley.”

Bundy has been consulting with people on Medicare plans for the past four years. She explained what it was that got her interested in the field.

Shortly after Bundy had graduated from Dixie State University with a BS in Communications, she travelled to Idaho to see her parents. Her father had been diagnosed with colon cancer at the time.

“After chemotherapy, radiation and eight surgeries I had looked at my Mom and asked, ‘How are you paying for this?’,” Bundy recalled. “She pointed to a refrigerator magnet with the name of her insurance agent who specialized in Medicare. At that time I didn’t know there were agents who specialized in Medicare plans.”

Her mother proceeded to tell her that a friend had referred them to this agent. He had educated them and provided them with the best insurance that they could afford.

Because of her dads illness, they had racked up hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills. But because of the supplemental plan that the agent had put them in, they only paid a minimal deductible, Bundy said.

“Because they talked to the right person at the right time, it literally saved them from financial ruin,” Bundy said. “I knew then that I wanted to be ‘that’ person for as many people as I could. I have never looked back.”

Bundy’s hope now is to educate as many people as possible about Medicare and their many options. But the year of COVID has posed a challenge in getting that message out, she said.

“Before COVID, I was holding educational classes at libraries and civic centers,” Bundy said. “After the pandemic began, I had to get really creative on how to reach as many 64-year-olds as possible. It hasn’t been easy.”

Bundy said that many industries have turned to technology as the alternative in a health-restricted environment. But that has its limitations in her field. Chiefly, it is difficult to forge trusting relationships with members of the senior population over only electronic media, she said.

“So word of mouth referrals have been key in meeting the people who need me the most,” Bundy said. “Area residents who may know someone who is about to get on Medicare, need to understand: it is so important that they meet with an agent so they can eventually make the best decisions for their healthcare.”

“Medicare is so heavily regulated and there are so many different deadlines, knowing all your options brings peace of mind,” Bundy added. “Not to mention, the right plan can save you so much money in the long run.”

Bundy can be reached at 702-544-2295 or at 435-429-9490 for an appointment. Or people can stop by the Overton office each Monday to meet Bundy personally and discuss any questions they may have about Medicare.

“Consultations are always free of charge,” Bundy said. “And no matter what, I’m glad to meet people.”