What are the top 5 Medicare Supplement plans?  That is tough to answer, everyone's need and budget is different, but we are going to try.  If you want to see rates, just enter your zip code in one of the quote tools on this page or call us anytime 1-844-528-8688

It’s certainly not unusual for seniors who are shopping for a Medicare Supplement plan to want to consider the top Medicare Supplement plans being sold across the country.

It’s important, however, that we drill down into why a particular plan ranks in the top 5.

• Is it because of the benefits offered?
• Is it because of the premiums charged?
• Is it because of a particular company that offers the plan?
• Is it a combination of all of the above?

The 10 Standardized Medicare Supplement Plans to Choose From

*Plans F & C are only available to Medicare beneficiaries who became eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020.

₁ Plans F & G offer high-deductible plans that have an annual deductible of $2,370 in 2021. Once you meet the deductible, your plan will pay 100% of covered healthcare services for the remainder of the year.

₂ The Plan K has a yearly limit of $6,220 for out-of-pocket expenses. When the limit is met the Plan K will pay 100% of your covered healthcare services for the remainder of the year.

₃ Plan L has a yearly limit of $3,110 for out-of-pocket expenses.

₄ Plan N will pay 100% of the Medicare Part B coinsurance, except for a copay of up to $20 for office visits and up to $50 for ER visits that do not result in admission.

The best and most realistic way to talk about the top 5 Medicare Supplement plan is to consider the different categories the plans should be ranked in:

• Best Medicare Supplement plan for New Enrollees

• Best Low Cost Medicare Supplement plan
• Best Medicare Supplement plan for seniors who became eligible before Jan 1, 2020
• Best Medicare Supplement plan by Company
• Best Medicare Supplement plan for very healthy individuals

Best Medicare Supplement Plan for New Medicare Enrollees

If you are a new Original Medicare enrollee, it means that you became eligible for Medicare after January 1, 2020, and therefore not eligible to purchase Medicare Supplement plan C or pan F.

As such, your best option will be Medicare Supplement Plan G because this plan offers the same benefits as Plan F except it doesn’t cover the Medicare Part B deductible which is $203 for 2021.

Here are the benefits provided by Medicare Supplement Plan G:

Highlights of Medicare Supplement (Medigap) Plan G:

Best Low-Cost Medicare Supplement Plans

As was mentioned earlier, the state you live in will have a significant impact on your cost for a Medicare Supplement plan.

On average the lowest cost Medicare Supplement plans are:

**Prices vary by male or female and zip code

Here is a side-by-side comparison of Medicare Supplement plans K, L, and N:

When you compare the average monthly premiums versus the coverage provided in each plan, Medicare Supplement plan N appears to deliver the best bang for your buck.

Best Medicare Supplement Plan for Seniors who became Eligible before January 1, 2020

Although Medigap Plans C and F can no longer be offered to seniors who became eligible for Original Medicare after January 1, 2020, if you became eligible before 1/1/2020, these plans are the most comprehensive.

Medicare Plan C and F are still available for eligible seniors if companies are offering them in your area.

Plan F covers 100% for every benefit except emergency foreign travel where it covers 80%

Plan C also covers 100% for every benefit except for foreign travel which is 80% and provides no coverage for foreign emergency travel.

Top Rated Medicare Supplement Insurance Companies

When seniors choose a top-rated insurance company, they are choosing the best company based on several attributes such as competitive pricing, plan selection, and customer and claim service.

In reality, the top five Medicare Supplement providers will change year over year as far as position but the top  companies will generally remain in the top 5 years after year.

Here are our top Medicare Supplement insurance companies in no particular order:

Mutual of Omaha Medicare Supplement Plans

United Health Medicare supplement

AARP Medicare Supplement Plans are available through United Healthcare. They offer protection from the gaps in the traditional Medicare system like copays and deductibles, which is especially important for people with low incomes. These plans are designed to help fulfill AARP's mission: "empowering people to choose how they live as they age"

Seniors can easily compare pricing and get all of the pertinent information to discover if an United Health Medicare Supplement Plan is the best fit for your circumstances and budget, by calling us at 844-528-8688

Aetna Medicare Supplement Plans are designed to help with costs that Original Medicare doesn't cover.

There are ten different Medicare supplemental Insurance Programs that are listed from A to N. Of these plans Aetna offers Medicare Supplement plan A, plan B, plan G, plan N, plan F, and the high deductible Plan F.

Additionally, Aetna is one of the few companies that offers a discount when both the husband and spouse have an Aetna Medicare Supplement plan.

If you're looking for a comparison of Medicare Supplement Plans, call us to learn about the best option for your location, circumstances, and budget. We're unbiased and we'll help you find the plan that works best for you.

Cigna's Medicare Supplement Plans stand out as one of the top providers, and they offer amazing customer service and claims service. They provide competitive pricing and are a popular choice for seniors across the country.

There are many reasons to choose Cigna as your Medicare Supplement provider, but here are three that are very important:

• Cigna is a top-rated Medicare Supplement provider, according to customer satisfaction surveys. This is thanks to Cigna's continued investment in technology and service. For instance, Cigna offers insurance products efficiently and provides top-notch customer service to both consumers and authorized agents.
• Cigna customers are free to see the doctor they want without network restrictions. There are no referral requirements for specialists, and you can use any medical provider who accepts Original Medicare.
• Cigna makes healthcare coverage available to people nationwide. Their plan options include international coverage, meaning consumers can get benefits for medical expenses incurred in other countries.

The Bottom Line

Without a doubt, when you are shopping for a Medicare Supplement plan that is right for you, always employ the services of an experienced and reputable independent Medicare specialist like the Medicare Solutions Team.

An independent Medicare specialist will represent all of the highly-rated insurance companies and can shop your coverage with multiple carriers simultaneously.

Although the Medicare Solutions Team represents many carriers, they are employed by none of them. This relationship allows your broker to put your needs first and foremost and the expert services they provide will never cost you anything.

Can I Change Medicare Supplement Plans at Anytime?  The short answer is yes, but there are some details that you need to know.  You're technically allowed to change a Medicare supplement plan anytime you want, but you can be turned down if you do not pass underwriting.  Keep reading to get the details or call us at 844-528-8688 to get answers to your questions.

Many seniors who have purchased a Medicare Supplement, especially those new to Medicare, may find out that the plan they selected doesn’t meet their needs.

Certainly, this isn’t unusual because most Medicare Supplement buyers consider their healthcare needs at the time of purchase which will generally change over time.  

So then, the question: "Can I change Medicare Supplement plans anytime" is a frequent and fair question to be asking but unfortunately, the proper answer is “maybe.”

Remember, Open Enrollment is a One-Time Event when You Turn 65

A Medicare Supplement plan (Medigap) is private health insurance (similar to life insurance) that requires medical underwriting except during your open enrollment period.

This means that during your one-time open enrollment, the health insurance company does not consider your medical situation and cannot raise your rates or decline to offer a policy.

However, after your open enrollment expires, your “guaranteed issue” rights are no longer in force, so if you decide to change Medicare Supplement plans, the insurance company will consider your health status.

This means that you may be unable to change plans if you cannot pass the medical underwriting requirements of the company you wanting to change to, even if you stay with the same company and change to a different plan.

Reasons to Consider Changing Your Medicare Supplement Plan

As was mentioned earlier, when Medicare beneficiaries purchase a Medicare Supplement plan, the decision on which plan to purchase is based on the healthcare services you generally need at that time and your budget for purchasing coverage.

Since none of us live in a vacuum, things are going to change and generally, healthcare needs and the monthly budget are two of those things.

Most people consider changing their Medicare Supplement plan for one or more of the following reasons:

• You suspect you are paying for benefits that you don’t need
• The benefits you have now are not sufficient to meet your needs
• You’ve lost confidence in your insurance company
• You’ve received a much higher renewal offer
• You need to reduce your premium to fit your budget

How Can I Change My Medicare Supplement plan Anytime I want?

You must be willing to go through medical underwriting and you are confident that you’ll satisfy the company’s guidelines (if you’re outside of your open enrollment period).  The underwriting procedure is nothing difficult.  You will answer some health questions and list your medications.

Nobody will come to your home and draw fluids like term life insurance underwriting.  They will simply look at your records with the MIB and your prescription history.

Each year, you’ll receive a renewal offer from your insurer about a month before the anniversary date of your Medicare Supplement plan. If the company plans to increase your rates, this letter will explain how much your increase will be.

When you receive this letter and are considering changing plans, call the Medicare Solutions Team at 844-528-8688 or send us an email and we'll spring into action to find the plan that will best meet your circumstances and budget.

Contacting us early will give our team time to walk you through the medical underwriting process and help you decide if it’s time to change your plan or your company, or both.

If you decide to go ahead and renew your coverage, that’s okay too, because you can change your plan or company whenever it best suits your needs.

How Many Medicare Supplement Plans are There?

When it comes to Medicare Supplements, you have many plans to choose from and fortunately, the coverages do not change very often. Depending on when you first became eligible for Original Medicare, you will have a choice of at least eight different plans.

Moreover, if you became eligible for Original Medicare before January 1, 2020, you will have a choice of ten different plans.

*Plans F & C are only available to Medicare beneficiaries who became eligible for Medicare prior to January 1, 2020.

₁ Plans F & G offer high-deductible plans that have an annual deductible of $2,370 in 2021. Once you meet the deductible, your plan will pay 100% of covered healthcare services for the remainder of the year.

₂ The Plan K has a yearly limit of $6,220 for out-of-pocket expenses. When the limit is met the Plan K will pay 100% of your covered healthcare services for the remainder of the year.

₃ Plan L has a yearly limit of $3,110 for out-of-pocket expenses.

₄ Plan N will pay 100% of the Medicare Part B coinsurance, except for a copay of up to $20 for office visits and up to $50 for ER visits that do not result in admission.

These plans are standardized which means every insurance company must offer the same plan. For example, the plan G plan is the same with every insurance company, but each company sets its own rates.

Is it Possible to avoid Medical Underwriting outside of the Open Enrollment Period?

The short answer is YES but you must be eligible under one of the following qualifiers:

• Your state has a special enrollment time such as the birthday rule or the anniversary rule.
• Your insurance company went bankrupt or canceled your policy through no fault of your own.
• Your insurance committed fraud and you are canceling the policy.
• Your company misleads you and you decided to leave.
• You purchased a Medicare Advantage plan for the first time but decided to cancel the Medicare Advantage policy and return to Original Medicare with a Medicare Supplement plan.
• You've purchased a Medicare Select plan but then moved out of the service and network area. You can switch to a standardized Medicare Supplement plan with the same or fewer basic benefits that you had in your SELECT plan.
• You enrolled in a Medicare Supplement plan for less than six months. The insurance company may offer to sell you a new policy with the same basic benefits but with a waiting period of up to six months before the new plan will cover any pre-existing conditions.

Can I switch from a Medicare Supplement to a Medicare Advantage Plan?

Yes, you can switch from your Medigap plan to a Medicare Advantage plan between October 15 and December 7, which is the annual enrollment period.

Although a Medicare Advantage plan will generally provide prescription drug coverage, and a little dental, hearing, and vision coverage, it may not be the best fit for your circumstances and budget.

You might not be able to switch back to your Medicare supplement plan once you have changed to a Medicare advantage plan.

In any case, speak with our Medicare Solutions Team to get the advice you need and a verified list of the pros and cons of making a change from Medigap to Medicare Advantage.

Medicare Supplement Vs Medicare Advantage, what are the differences?  If you’re like most people who are on or will soon be on Medicare, you are on the lookout for the best way to ensure that you get reasonable health care without breaking the bank.  

If you would like to have a one on one conversation, please call us at 844-528-8688 and we would be happy to discuss what plan is right for you.

You may have heard of Medicare supplements (also known as Medigap) as well as Medicare Advantage Plans (or Medicare Part C). These are two common options for Medicare recipients to maximize their benefits, but figuring them out can be a real headache. And deciding which one is best for you is even more challenging.

So in this guide, we want to offer you straightforward answers to the most important questions about Medicare Supplement vs Medicare Advantage. We’ll explain what each option is and help you decide the best choice for your needs.

The Most Important Difference Between Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement

Important Terms to Understand

Before we compare your two options, let’s get a few difficult terms out of the way. Understanding these now will help you better grasp the difference between Medigap and Medicare Advantage.

Deductible: A deductible is the amount of out-of-pocket cash you will need to pay before your Medicare benefits kick in. For example, the Medicare Part A deductible for inpatient hospital care is around $1400. This means that if you required inpatient services, you would have to pay the first $1400 in expenses before Medicare would start paying anything.

Benefit Period: This is the period of time that must pass before your deductible resets and you have to pay it again. It can get complicated, but a simple way to understand it is that after paying your deductible, you won’t have to pay it again until 60 days have passed without you requiring the same sort of medical care.

Premium: Insurance premiums are a monthly fee that you need to pay in order to maintain coverage. For example, the standard monthly premium to stay on Medicare Part B was $144.60 in 2020.

Coinsurance: A percentage of medical costs that you are responsible for paying, even after you have met your deductible. Medicare Part B, for example, requires 20% coinsurance on most services. So if you required $1000 worth of medical care, you would pay $200.

Copayment: Like coinsurance, but it is a fixed dollar amount rather than a percentage. With Medicare, this mostly applies to prescription drugs (covered by Part D).

What Is Medicare Supplement?

What Is Medicare Advantage?

Unlike Medigap, when you choose a Medicare Advantage Plan, you are opting out of Original Medicare. Instead, you are choosing a third party insurance provider to handle all of your health care.

You will continue to pay your Part B premium, and may also have an additional monthly premium from the insurance company. However, all Medicare Advantage providers are required to offer at least the same level of coverage as Original Medicare.

A Medicare Advantage Plan is similar to shopping around for insurance before you had Medicare. You get to compare companies, plans, coverage, and costs and choose the best option for you.

At the same time, you’ll be tied to the health care providers that are in your plan’s network, a restriction that doesn’t come with Original Medicare. However, many Advantage Plans also cover prescriptions, dental, vision, and hearing—so they are appealing to many.

Medicare Supplement Vs Medicare Advantage: Which Is Right For Me?

There is no one size fits all answer to the question of Medicare Advantage vs Medicare Supplement. Instead, you have to consider your specific needs in order to find which is best for you.

So let’s compare these two Medicare options across some of the most important elements of your healthcare.

Healthcare Provider / Network

Since Medigap is simply an addition to your Original Medicare, your benefits will apply to any doctor or hospital that accepts Medicare. This means you’ll have a wide range of providers to choose from and won’t be tied down to a specific network.

With Medicare Advantage, however, you will be restricted to the hospitals and providers that are within the network of your insurance company. So if you would like more freedom to choose your doctors, Medigap is a better choice for you. If you are interested in a Medicare Advantage plan but want to keep seeing your current providers, you should make sure they are in-network before adopting a plan.

Specialist Referrals

With Original Medicare (and thus Medigap), you will not need a referral for specialists. Many Advantage Plans, on the other hand, require a referral from your primary care provider in order for a specialist visit to be covered. If you see a specialist without this referral, you may have to pay all of the costs out-of-pocket.

So, if you want free-range of choosing when to see a specialist, Medigap is probably the way to go.

Costs

Here’s where it gets a little tricky to compare. The exact costs are going to vary a lot based on exactly what coverage you opt for. For both Medicare Supplement and Medicare Advantage, you’ll continue to pay the Part B monthly premium. Beyond that, here is what you can expect:

• Medigap: If you choose your plan right, you will see very few out-of-pocket expenses for services, and most plans eliminate the deductible. However, your monthly premium will increase. In essence, you are choosing a fixed monthly cost over big surprise medical bills.
• Medicare Advantage: Your monthly costs will usually be lower than with Medigap. However, you will have a copayment or coinsurance for most medical services. A deductible may apply as well.

Prescription Drugs

Medicare Supplements do not include prescription drug coverage. If you choose Medigap, you would also need to enroll in Medicare Part D in order to receive coverage for prescriptions.

Most Medicare Advantage Plans do include prescription drug coverage. If you are trying to decide what is best for you, you should weigh the costs of the Advantage Plan against the cost of adding Part D on top of your Original Medicare.

Other Healthcare

Medicare Supplements do not include coverage for dental, hearing, or vision care. Many Advantage Plans do cover some or all of these services. You’ll have to shop around to find the plan that includes what you need, but if you are hoping to avoid large out-of-pocket expenses for these types of care, a Medicare Advantage Plan may be best for you.

Enrollment Period

Medigap has relatively loose rules about when you can enroll compared to Medicare Advantage. Basically, any time after you turn 65 and are enrolled in Part B, you can add a Medicare Supplement.

Medicare Advantage Plans, however, operate more like a traditional health insurance plan with an open enrollment period. This is going to vary from one insurance company to the next, so you may need to shop around a bit if you are on a strict time schedule.

2 Important Considerations to Guide Your Decision

So far, we’ve covered the basic differences between Medigap and Medicare Advantage. By this point, you might be leaning towards one over the other. Before you make your final decision, however, there are a few important points you need to keep in mind.

#1 You get what you pay for.

Just like everything in life, better Medicare coverage is going to cost more. This is why we always recommend that you choose some sort of addition to your Original Medicare, whether that’s Medigap or a Medicare Advantage Plan.

The real decision is whether you want predictable payments or not. Medigap will offer you predictable monthly payments so that you don’t have to fork up surprise cash in an emergency. Medicare Advantage may require you to plan ahead a little bit more and have some money in savings for surprise healthcare costs, but there will not be as much monthly overhead.

#2 You can’t just switch plans any time you want

Unfortunately, you can’t game the system by opting for the cheapest options now and then switching plans when your healthcare needs change.

You are allowed a 12-month trial period for Medicare Advantage. If you leave it within that time frame, you can go back to Medigap without restriction.

While there are some other exceptions, the general rule is that if you have Medigap and drop it, you may not be able to re-enroll in it again. If you do, you will be subject to medical underwriting, which means you may be denied coverage or charged higher premiums due to pre-existing health conditions.

Long story short: Your best option is to do your research and make an informed decision about the best plan for you so that you don’t have to deal with the risk of changing down the road.

Need Help Making The Right Decision?

Medicare Supplement Rate Increases

Medigap Attained Age vs. Issue Age vs. Community Rated

Medicare Wellness Visit vs. Annual Physical

Does Medicare cover a physical exam? The short answer is no, but it does cover a wellness exam.  Here’s a question for you, “what’s the difference between a Medicare Annual Wellness visit versus an Annual Physical and which one is covered by Medicare?”

Before your head explodes, take a minute and read the following list of procedures and measurements that make up these two completely separate doctor visits and we’ll point out the subtle difference between them.  Or call us to discuss what is covered and how it will affect you 844-528-8688.

vision plans for seniors on medicare

What to do With Medicare When Moving out of State

Most seniors who are embarking on a challenging move (they’re all challenging), are likely to have questions about whether their Medicare Plans will follow them to another state.

Our intention in this guide is to answer your questions clearly but if we aren’t clear enough or you have questions that haven’t been addressed in this guide; call us right now at 844-528-8688.

Medicare Penalty

Penalties for not signing up for Medicare:  Believe it or not, there are penalties for not signing up for Medicare. Now, it’s not like the federal government is forcing you to enroll in Medicare. But, if you don’t sign up during your eligibility window, you are going to face some pretty significant fees.  To put it plain and simple, your Medicare is going to cost you more.  This can get confusing, so if you have any questions, please give us a call at 844-528-8688.