Speak with an experienced advisor! Depending on the Medicare Supplement insurance policy that is purchased, this coverage can pay for the Medicare Part A and / or Medicare Part B deductible amount that you owe, as well as the copayments and coinsurance. Other benefits are also offered.
There are currently ten different Medicare Supplement insurance policies that are offered in the marketplace today. Each plan is represented by letter, Medigap A is the smallest.
Although the premiums may differ a great deal from one insurer to another, the benefits of the same letter are identical.
Medicare Supplement insurance Plan A includes the following benefits:
- Payment of Medicare Part A coinsurance and hospital costs up to an additional 365 days after Medicare benefits are used up;
- Coinsurance or copayment for Medicare Part A hospice care
- Coinsurance or copayment for Medicare Part B
- First three pints of blood
Each of the other nine Medigap insurance plans are required to at least offer the benefits of Plan A. In addition, all Medicare Supplement insurance policies that are offered are required to follow both state and federal laws that are designed to protect consumers.
One of these includes the requirement that each policy must be clearly marked as being a “Medicare Supplement Insurance” plan. Likewise, insurance companies are only allowed to offer standardized policies that are identified as such.
Although all insurance companies that offer Medicare Supplement insurance policies must offer Plan A, they do not need to offer all of the Medicare Supplement plans. However, it is required that an insurer offer Medigap Plan C or Medigap Plan F if they do offer any other plan.
Source: Medicare.gov
* Plan F also offers a high deductible plan. If you choose this option, this means that you must pay for Medicare-covered costs up to the deductible amount of $2,180 in 2016 before the Medigap plan will pay anything.
** After you meet your out-of-pocket annual limit and your annual Medicare Part B deductible, the Medicare Supplement plan pays 100% of the covered services for the remainder of the calendar year.
*** Plan N will pay for 100% of the Medicare Part B coinsurance, except for a copayment of up to $20 for certain doctor’s office visits, and up to a $50 copayment for emergency room visits that do not result in a hospital inpatient admission.
Note that the Medicare Supplement insurance policies that are offered in the states of Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Wisconsin are standardized in a different way than those that are offered in the other U.S. states.
How to Compare Medigap Insurance Policies
When trying to determine which will be the best Medigap coverage for you, it is important to factor in which of the benefits you are most likely to use. In addition, be sure to compare premiums from more than one insurance company, as the costs can differ a great deal.
You need to review the claims paying history and the financial strength rating of the underlying insurer. This way, you can ensure that the company you purchase from has a good, solid reputation in the insurance industry.
You’ll need to account for your finances, health, different options, and family history. All of these are going to play an important impact on which of the different supplemental insurance policies work best for you.
Before you pick a plan, take the time to consider your current health and your family history. Do you have several health complications on your medical records? If you’re in poor health, or have a family medical history of health problems later in life, you should consider getting one of the most comprehensive policies, like Plan F..
After reading this article, we hope you have all the information you need to buy the perfect Medigap plan. If not, please give us a call. We can guide you through the process and find the best coverage for you.