Medigap Plans - Which is Right For Me?

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Brice Watkins
3 years ago
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1 Insurance to supplement Original Medicare (Medigap plans) Medigap plans Medigaps are insurance plans that private companies sell. They re supplemental insurance that helps cover Original Medicare deductibles and coinsurances. For example, Medicare pays 80 percent of the cost of a doctor s visit. A Medigap can pay the other 20 percent for you. Some Medigaps also cover services Medicare doesn t cover, such as emergency care when you re outside of the United States. Medigaps only work with Original Medicare. They don t work with Medicare Advantage plans, also known as private health plans. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, like an HMO or PPO, you can t buy a Medigap. Choosing a Medigap plan There are 10 standardized Medigap plans (A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M and N). Four other plans (E, H, I and J) stopped being sold to new members in 2010, but some people still have these plans. Each lettered plan pays for a certain set of benefits. The benefits are the same no matter which company sells the plan. Plan A covers the fewest benefits and usually charges a lower monthly fee, or premium. Plans that cover more benefits usually charge a higher premium. (See the attached Medigap Plan Benefits chart to find out what each plan covers.) Note: Massachusetts, Minnesota and Wisconsin have different Medigap plans. The most popular Medigap plans are C and F. They cover key benefits and don t cost as much as other plans. Medigap plans are guaranteed renewable. That means that as long as you pay the premium, you can keep your plan. Premiums may go up from year to year. Shop around. Different insurance companies charge different premiums for the exact same plan. Plans K and L may have lower monthly premiums. However, unlike other Medigaps, plans K and L only pay part of the cost of most Medicare coinsurances and deductibles until you reach a yearly out-of-pocket maximum. After that, it pays the full cost. How to use these charts 1. Medigap Plan Benefits. Use this chart to compare each plan s benefits. 2. Comparison of Monthly Premiums. Use this chart to compare the monthly costs of Medigap plans in your area. Remember: The benefits for every type of plan (Plan A, for example) are the same no matter which company sells it or what the premium is. Look for the best deal Medicare Rights Center Helpline:

2 Medigap Plan Benefits For plans sold on or after June 1, 2010 A B C D F* G K** L** M N Hospital Copayment Copay for days ($304) and days ($608) in hospital; Payment in full for 365 additional lifetime days Part B Coinsurance Coinsurance for Part B services, such as doctors services, laboratory and x-ray services, durable medical equipment, and hospital outpatient services 50% 75% Except $20 for doctors visits and $50 for emergency visits First three pints of blood 50% 75% Hospital Deductible 50% 75% 50% Covers $1,216 in each benefit period Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Daily Copay 50% 75% Covers $152 a day for days each benefit period Part B Annual Deductible Covers $147 (Part B deductible) Part B Excess Charges Benefits 100% of Part B excess charges. (Under federal law, the excess limit is 15% more than Medicare's approved charge when provider does not take assignment; under New York State law, the excess limit is 5% for most services) Emergency Care Outside the U.S. 80% of emergency care costs during the first 60 days of each trip, after an annual deductible of $250, up to a maximum lifetime benefit of $50, % of coinsurance for Part B- covered preventive care services after the Part B deductible has been paid Hospice Care Coinsurance for respite care and other Part A-covered services 50% 75% * Plan F also offers a high-deductible option in which you pay a $2,180 deductible in 2015 before Medigap coverage starts. ** Plans K and L pay 100% of your Part A and Part B copays after you spend a certain amount out of pocket. The 2015 out-of-pocket maximum is $4,940 for Plan K and $2,470 for Plan L. Note: Plans E, H, I, and J stopped being sold June 1, If you bought a Medigap between July 31, 1992 and June 1, 2010, you can keep it even if it s not being sold anymore. Your benefits are different from what s on the chart above. This chart also doesn t apply to Massachusetts, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Those states have their own Medigap systems Medicare Rights Center Helpline:

3 P L A N A Aetna Life Insurance $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ American Progressive $202.85* $184.66* $231.09* $202.85* $231.09* $184.66* $184.66* $184.66* $184.66* $231.09* Bankers Conseco $ $ $ $ $ $ CDPHP Universal Benefits Inc. $ $ $ $ $ $ $ First United American $ $ $ $ Group Health Incorporated (a/k/a GHI) $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ (d/b/a BC/BS of Western New York) $ $ $ $ (d/b/a BS of Northeastern New York) $ $ Humana $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ Sterling Life $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $156.50

4 P L A N B Aetna Life Insurance $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ American Progressive $284.22* $257.46* $322.51* $284.22* $322.51* $257.46* $257.46* $257.46* $257.46* $322.51* Bankers Conseco $ $ $ $ $ $ CDPHP Universal Benefits Inc. $ $ $ $ $ $ $ First United American $ $ $ $ Group Health Incorporated (a/k/a GHI) $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ (d/b/a BC/BS of Western New York) (d/b/a BS of Northeastern New York) $ Humana $ $ $ Sterling Life $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $222.50

5 P L A N C American Progressive $355.11* $319.74* $400.57* $355.11* $400.57* $319.74* $319.74* $319.74* $319.74* $400.57* $ $ First United American $ $ $ $ Group Health Incorporated (a/k/a GHI) $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ (d/b/a BC/BS of Western New York) $ $ $ $ (d/b/a BS of Northeastern New York) $ $ Humana $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ P L A N D American Progressive $352.95* $317.79* $398.11* $352.95* $398.11* $317.79* $317.79* $317.79* $317.79* $398.11* First United American $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $378.61

6 P L A N F Aetna Life Insurance $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ American Progressive $368.38* $333.42* $417.43* $368.38* $417.43* $333.42* $333.42* $333.42* $333.42* $417.43* Bankers Conseco $ $ $ $ $ $ CDPHP Universal Benefits Inc. $ $ $ $ $ $ $ First United American $ $ $ $ Group Health Incorporated (a/k/a GHI) $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ (d/b/a BC/BS of Western New York) (d/b/a BS of Northeastern New York) $ Humana $ $ $ Sterling Life $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $261.00

7 P L A N F+ (HIGH DEDUCTIBLE) COMPARISON OF YEAR 2015 COMMUNITY RATED Bankers Conseco $74.14 $64.61 $93.21 $74.14 $93.21 $64.61 $83.05 $83.05 First United American $51.00 $51.00 $62.00 $51.00 $85.16 $91.94 $64.61 $74.14 $85.16 $91.94 $83.05 $ $ $ $62.00 $68.00 $ $ $ $ $ (d/b/a BC/BS of Western New York) (d/b/a BS of Northeastern New York) $ Humana $79.51 $79.51 $ $64.61 $64.61 $83.05 $83.05 $74.14 $93.21 $51.00 $51.00 $51.00 $51.00 $62.00 $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $79.51 $98.30 $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $79.51 $79.51 $79.51 $79.51 $ P L A N G American Progressive $344.85* $310.41* $388.83* $344.85* $388.83* $310.41* $310.41* $310.41* $310.41* $388.83* Bankers Conseco $ $ $ $ $ $ First United American $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $359.22

8 P L A N K Bankers Conseco $92.58 $80.66 $ $92.58 $ $80.66 First United American $ $ $ $ Humana $ $ $ Sterling Life $ $57.25 $66.50 $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $80.66 $92.58 $80.66 $80.66 $92.58 $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $57.25 $82.75 $66.50 $82.75 $57.25 $ $57.25 $66.50 $ $ $57.25 $66.50 $ $57.25 $66.50 $82.75 P L A N L Bankers Conseco $ $ $ $ $ $ First United American $ $ $ $ Humana $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $152.25

9 P L A N M Bankers Conseco $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $368.79

10 P L A N N American Progressive $192.43* $182.11* $247.01* $192.43* $247.01* $182.11* $182.11* $182.11* $182.11* $247.01* Bankers Conseco $ $ $ $ $ $ CDPHP Universal Benefits Inc. $ $ $ $ $ $ $ First United American $ $ $ $ Humana $ $ $ Sterling Life $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $178.75

Insurance to supplement Original Medicare (Medigap plans)

Insurance to supplement Original Medicare (Medigap plans) Medigap plans Medigaps are insurance plans that private companies sell. They re supplemental insurance that helps cover Original Medicare deductibles