Understanding Medicare Supplements

We are experts in Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans and look forward to being your trusted, go-to broker and adviser.

A Medicare Supplement or ‘Medigap’ policy is an insurance policy, issued by private insurance companies, that helps to pay all or some of the health care costs that Medicare Part A and Part B do not cover. Medicare Parts A and B will typically cover 80% of most health care expenses. A Medicare Supplement policy will cover all or some of the remaining 20%, including costs such as co-payments, coinsurance, and deductibles, which can be substantial.

A few important things to note about Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans

Medigap policies are guaranteed renewable. Which means the insurance carrier can not cancel these policies for any reason, as long as you pay your premium.
If your doctor or hospital accepts Medicare, they have to by law, accept your accompanying MediGap policy.
Some MediGap policies provide health coverage if you travel and have health care needs outside of the U.S.
For example, in New Hampshire we have 21 different companies offering 11 different plans with different prices for different plans and different prices for the same plans!

MediGap policies are standardized and categorized into different plan ‘letters’ such as Plan F, Plan G and Plan N. Therefore, a Plan F with company A must be 100% identical in coverage to a Plan F with company B. This makes shopping for comparison rates on the same plan easier.
The Medicare Supplement Insurance market is a competitive market and carriers offer wildly varying pricing for the exact same plans. This is one reason to work with an experienced and thorough brokerage.

Benefits of Owning a Medicare Supplement Policy

ENJOY LOW OR NO OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS

Your Medicare Supplement and Medicare Parts A and B work together to minimize your share of health care costs. Therefore, unexpected medical events aren’t likely to impact your ‘financial’ health. Additionally, as Medicare deductibles, co-payments and coinsurance increase, your Medicare supplement benefits also increase to help meet your eligible expenses (depending on the plan you choose).

NO WORRYING ABOUT PROVIDER NETWORKS, NO NEED FOR REFERRALS

Keep your doctors and hospitals. Any health care provider that accepts Medicare patients must, by law, accept your accompanying Medicare supplement insurance. You do not have to worry about working within limited provider networks or needing to get pre-authorization or referrals in order to see specialists.

RARELY RECEIVE A BILL FOR COVERED SERVICES

When your health care providers accept Medicare, they bill Medicare directly for the approved services. Medicare pays their share and your Medicare Supplement plan pays the rest. The whole process is electronic so your claims are paid quickly and the entire process is streamlined to prevent headaches for you.

TAKE YOUR COVERAGE TO ANY STATE IN THE U.S. AND OVERSEAS AS WELL!

Just like Medicare, your Medicare supplement insurance covers your health care needs anywhere in the United States. That way, you can visit family and friends or long-term snow-birding anywhere you choose. Additionally, Some Medicare supplement plans provide medically necessary and emergency care outside of the country, up to a maximum of $50,000.

KEEP YOUR COVERAGE, GUARANTEED RENEWABLE FOR LIFE

Your coverage renews as long as you pay your required premiums. Your insurance company must honor your coverage for as long as you need to keep it and can not increase your premiums on an individual basis or cancel your coverage for any health reason.

What’s more, your Medicare Parts A and B and supplement benefits aren’t impacted by the annual Medicare open enrollment or the Affordable Care Act annual election period every fall. If you like your coverage and plan, you simply keep it and roll it over each year. There is nothing you have to do other than continue to pay your premiums.

Benefits that Medigap policies cover

Map to Coverage Options

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