Senior and Disabilities Services

Medicare Supplement Plans

 

2010  MEDIGAP PLANS -- What you should know  2010

A Medigap policy is a health insurance policy sold by private insurance companies. Costs you pay for Medicare benefits – like coinsurance, copayments and deductibles – are called “gaps” in Original Medicare.  You might want to buy a Medigap policy to help cover these gaps.  Some Medigap policies also cover benefits that aren’t covered by Medicare, like emergency health care while travelling outside the United States. Medicare supplement plans, or Medigap, provide a health insurance option for people with Medicare who have no spousal benefits, retiree or secondary health insurance. 

You must be on Medicare Part A and Part B and be 65 years of age or older, to get a Medigap plan. There are 10 different plans, however not all insurance companies are required to sell all the plans but they must sell Plan A if they offer any Medigap policy. The benefits in any Medigap plan are the same for every insurance company, however the costs for a policy may be different depending on the insurance company. You are shopping for COST.

Once you are 65 or older and enrolled in Medicare Part B, the Medigap open enrollment period starts and cannot be changed. The Open enrollment period lasts for 6 months. If you delay enrolling in Medicare Part B because you or your spouse were working and you had group health coverage through an employer or union based on current active employment, your Open enrollment period begins when your part B begins.  You must buy a Medigap policy within 6 months during which time you have a guaranteed right to buy one. They cannot deny insurance for pre-existing conditions.

Before you buy any plan you should read them all to decide which plan best suits your circumstances. Then you should call several companies to check on their current prices. A list of all the companies selling Medigap insurance with their toll-free numbers is included. You should also ask them all the specifics of what is included in that particular plan.

 Plan A ( not to be confused with Medicare Part A) consists of these basic benefits:

  • Part A co-insurance for inpatient hospital care
  • Coverage for Parts A & B reasonable cost of the first 3 pints of blood
  • Coverage for the co-insurance amount for Pt B services after the Deductible is met
  • Coverage for Hospice care

Plan B (not to be confused with Medicare Part B) Includes the basic benefits in
Plan A plus Coverage for Medicare Part A inpatient hospital deductible

Plan C  includes basic Plan A coverage plus

  • Part A inpatient Hospital deductible
  • Coverage for skilled nursing facility care co-insurance
  • Coverage for Medicare Part B deductible
  • 80% coverage for Medically necessary emergency care in a foreign
  • Country, after $250 deductible

Plan D includes basic Plan A coverage plus

  • Part A deductible
  • Coverage for skilled nursing care facility co-insurance
  • Coverage for Foreign Travel emergency

Plan F  includes basic Plan A coverage plus

  • Part A deductible
  • Part B deductible
  • Coverage for skilled nursing care facility co-insurance
  • Coverage for Part B excess charges
  • Coverage for Foreign Travel emergency

Plan G  includes basic Plan A coverage plus

  • Part A deductible
  • Part B deductible
  • Coverage for skilled nursing care facility co insurance
  • Coverage for Part B excess charges
  • Coverage for foreign travel emergency

Plan K  includes basic Plan A coverage plus

  • Med Pt A coinsurance & all costs after hospital benefits are Exhausted (100%)
  • 50% of Part A deductible
  • 50% of skilled nursing care facility co-insurance
  • 50% of Part B deductible
  • 50% of cost of first three pints of blood
  • 50% of cost of hospice care
  • Will only pay for a portion of the cost that Medicare does not cover until you    reach an annual out-of-pocket limit of  $4,620.00

Plan L includes basic Plan A coverage plus

  • Med Pt A coinsurance & all costs after hospital benefits are exhausted (100%)
  • 75% of Part A deductible
  • 75% of skilled nursing care facility co-insurance
  • 75% of Part B deductible
  • 75% of cost of first three pints of blood
  • 75% of cost of hospice care
  • Will only pay for a portion of the cost that Medicare does not cover until you
  • Reach an annual out-of-pocket limit of $2,310

Plan M    same as Plan D but with 50% co-insurance on Part A deductible

Plan N    same as Plan D  but with 100% Part B co-insurance benefit, less $20 per

  • Physician visit and $50 per Emergency Room visit unless patient admitted

A very helpful document called  Choosing a Medigap Policy 2009 is available online at http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/02110.pdf  After you review the document you will be on your way to deciding which policy to purchase.

Then you will want to find out exactly what companies sell Medigap policies in Alaska.  The Medicare Supplement Rate Guide compiled by the Alaska’s Division of Insurance is online here at http://www.hss.state.ak.us/dsds/Seniorinfo/pdfs/2008_Medicare_Rate_Guide.pdf

 

The SHIP (800-478-6065) has information about Medicare Supplements and you are welcome to call us for unbiased advice.

 

Companies in Alaska that sell Medicare Supplement policies

AARP.......................................1-800-523-5800

Bankers Life............................1-800-621-3724

Continental General...............1-877-291-5434   

Genworth Life.........................1-888-436-9678

Globe Life.................................1-800-801-6831

Golden Rule.............................1-800-474-4467

Humana....................................1-800-872-7294

Mutual of Omaha....................1-800-316-0842

Premera Blue...........................1-888-669-2583

Sterling.....................................1-800- 688-0010

United American......................1-800-331-2512

USAA Life.................................1-800-531-8000