Medicare supplement! How do you choose?? - Page 4

sissel · ‎08-13-2010

Also every state is different please keep that in mind. Also find an agent if you do not understand your state tell them what you want and they will do the work for you.

Carmie · ‎10-25-2010

@sissel wrote:
DH has been in ins. for 43yrs & we have to do this Jan 1st. there are several questions 1. everyone will need supplements and most ins. are few dollars more or less OK do you want them to tell you what drs. to go to or do you want to keep same drs. then that is advance supplement. Here is the difference better plan you pick your own drs. and if you go anywhere in any state they will honor your plan. Of course that is more $$. You are never stuck in a plan you can change or upgrade but the supplement has the right to approve you for the change no one is stuck. You can upgrade or downgrade anytime. Also any of these plans do not include dental that is separate Please get this cause our teeth are around 60yrs of chewing so crowns, root canal will be coming in soon. We are going with the AARP advance supplement & if you are a member (around $15 a yr with discounts on somethings) you get a discount we are going with the G plan. My husband has spent a few weeks looking I understand some can't afford but everyone with medicare needs some type of supplement,medicare only does so much and God help you if you don't get supplemental. Not one will have dental look into this please.

Most people are stuck with their Medigap policy by Federal Law. There are a few, very few circumstances where someone can change their policy to a different Medigap policy. You have to meet certain criterias, and just because you don’t Like your policy is not one of them. Also, the price will be much higher than most people can afford with the underwriting that is allowed. You cannot upgrade, only downgrade.

a poster mentioned that the state of CA allows this. I know of no other state that does and this is the first time I have heard that CA is different. If the OP does not live in CA, she is locked in.

I tried to downgrade a family members Medigap Plan F coverage to Plan C with United Health Care. They would allow it, but it was almost $80 more a month even though the benefits were less comprehensive because of the underwriting. She was years older than 65 at the time we requested the change. You only have 6 months after your Medicare B effective date to change your mind.

Moonchilde · ‎05-23-2010

Copied and pasted directly from insurance.ca dotgov - State of CA, Dept of Insurance, 2010:

“Q: What is the “Birthday Rule” and how does it apply to the new Medigap Plans?

“A: If a person already has Medigap insurance, they have 30 days of “open enrollment” following their
birthday each year when they may buy a new Medigap policy without a medical screening or a new waiting period. The new policy must have the same or lesser benefits as the old policy. To avoid confusion, the new law specifies which of the new Plans are equal to the old Plans.”

Life without Mexican food is no life at all

Carmie · ‎10-25-2010

@Moonchilde wrote:
Copied and pasted directly from insurance.ca dotgov - State of CA, Dept of Insurance, 2010:

“Q: What is the “Birthday Rule” and how does it apply to the new Medigap Plans?

“A: If a person already has Medigap insurance, they have 30 days of “open enrollment” following their
birthday each year when they may buy a new Medigap policy without a medical screening or a new waiting period. The new policy must have the same or lesser benefits as the old policy. To avoid confusion, the new law specifies which of the new Plans are equal to the old Plans.”

@Moonchilde That is wonderful that CA allows that. I did notice though, that they allow the same coverage or a downgrade, but no upgrade. Federal Law does not allow an upgrade for Medigap policies.

pattypeep · ‎06-06-2011

@Lovemyboots Egads ! I hate delving into all of that. My bff loves it, so when I need to get a supplemental insurance, I'm going to defer to her. LOL

Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea-Robert A. Heinlein

RealtyGal2 · ‎01-05-2017

I listened to an agent representing one company do a great presentation, explaining what the individual programs include. I selected Plan G which covers everything with no co-pays after you pay a yearly deductible which dhanges every year. Last year it was $183.00. Then I found an insurance broker who represented Blue Cross and United Healthcare plus several others because I wanted to have choices when I selected my secondary (for the 20% that Medicare does not pay).

I ended up choosing AFLAC for my secondary because they were less expensive than anyone else (if you want to choose your own doctors) while still offering good service. I had Blue Cross prior to Medicare and like them, but they were much more expensive than AFLAC. My insurance broker suggested AFLAC because they were inexpensive and have good service.

I chose United Healthcare for my prescription drugs. I have been happy with all my choices. My best advice is to shop around and ask a lot of questions.

One of the things I was warned about was to not select an insurer that just did small groups each year and then closed the offering. Everyone in the group would be the same age and the increases in rates would be higher with no younger people coming in to balance things out and keep the rates lower. Usually these insurance companies have very low starting rates. It is important to check out the history of a company's yearly increases to be sure they are not just low the first year and then take a big increase the next year. Hope this helps.

Mom2Dogs · ‎03-09-2010

@Carmie....why does the federal government NOT allow people to switch plans (medi-gap). I had no idea...I thought that health issues would only keep a person from switching.

I guess a person needs to make an informed decision, since there is no do-over! My dh's job helped us make the decision for his medi gap policy so we did not know all the in and outs of making the decision on our own.

Carmie · ‎10-25-2010

@Mom2Dogs wrote:
@Carmie....why does the federal government NOT allow people to switch plans (medi-gap). I had no idea...I thought that health issues would only keep a person from switching.

I guess a person needs to make an informed decision, since there is no do-over! My dh's job helped us make the decision for his medi gap policy so we did not know all the in and outs of making the decision on our own.

My guess is that many healthy people would either forgo supplemental insurance or choose the cheapest plan that is offered when they turn 65.

When they are older and sick, they would pick up a more expensive comprehensive plan or decide to finally get a supplemental plan.

Insurance rates would be sky high if everyone did this. Having healthy people and sick people on the same plan helps keeps the rates lower, not that they are ever cheap.

My DH is turning 65 soon. He is signed up for Original Medicare and Supplemental Plan C. Plan C was chosen because it is one of the plans that covers the coinsurance for days 21 through 100 in a skilled nursing facility (SNF) It also covers all the deductibles and coinsurance 100% After Medicare. It covers foreign claims too... needed if you cruise. We live in PA. In PA, the doctors must except Medicare and can not bill the excess fee if there is one. Plan C does not cover the excess fee.

If you do not live in a state that does not allow doctors to bill the excess fee, this plan will work very well if all of your doctors are participating with Medicare.

I used to answer the phones for a health insurance company and heard so many people break down in tears when they found out their supplement only covered a SNF up to 20 days in full. Not having a plan that will cover those SNF claims can cause you heartaches, if you ever need it.