Medicare Supplement Comparisons – Plans, Benefits, Providers, Perks, & Premiums

Original Medicare Parts A & B cover seniors for the expenses involved with hospitalization and medical care services. However, Part A & B only covers 80% of these costs, leaving you with the remaining 20% to pay out-of-pocket. Medicare supplement plans (Medigap) cover this outstanding expense, leaving you with nothing or next to nothing to pay.

There are ten Medigap plans, each with varying levels of coverage. Some are comprehensive, while others offer limited benefits. What’s the difference between the Medigap plans, the coverage they offer, the premiums you pay, and the providers offering the plans? Let’s unpack everything you need to know about Medigap policies.

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Let’s start by comparing the benefits you get with each plan. Here’s a brief overview of the benefits offered in each of the plans and how they compare with each other.

All Medigap plans offer the following benefits.

• Part A coinsurance and hospital costs for up to 365 days after using up Medicare benefits.
• Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment.
• Part B coinsurance or copayment.
• Blood transfusion costs for the first three pints of blood.

Plans F*, G, and N offer additional Medicare Parts A & B benefits.

• Part A deductible.
• Part B excess charges (Plan N doesn’t cover these charges).
• Skilled nursing facility care coinsurance.
• 80% of emergency healthcare costs when traveling outside the US for 60 days. ($250 deductible and $50,000 maximum apply).
• Unlimited coverage for all out-of-pocket costs.

*Plan F is only available for seniors qualifying for Medicare before January 1, 2020. If you’re eligible after this date, you’ll need to go with Plan G instead. Plan G has the same benefits as Plan F but doesn’t cover the $226 Part B deductible.

Plans F & G are also available in “High-Deductible” variants. The HD plans reduce your monthly premiums, but you retain the same benefits as the standard plans. The difference is that your Part A deductible increases from $1,600 to $2,700.

High-Deductible plans are ideal for seniors that want the highest level of coverage in an emergency but are otherwise healthy and don’t visit the doctor or emergency room often. You save on your monthly premiums and still have the best level of comprehensive coverage if you experience a healthcare emergency. Plans F & G are the only policies with HD options, and they aren’t available from all providers or in all states.

Choosing the right Medigap plan to suit your healthcare requirements can be confusing. Each plan has standardized benefits, but that doesn’t mean anything if you don’t know what the coverage offers or whether you need it.

You could end up over or under-insured and pay more in monthly premiums, or end up with coinsurance responsibilities or copayments you can’t afford. So, let’s look at the best plans for your unique healthcare needs.

We’ll start with Plans A, B, D, K, L, & M. These plans are the most basic offerings. For instance, Plans A & B offer basic benefits for Medicare Part A expenses. The difference between Plan A & B is that Plan B pays the Part A deductible.

Plan D is affordable but offers limited coverage for Part A & B expenses. Plans K & L have low premiums and a cost-sharing model. With Plan K, you get 50% coverage for Part B benefits, and Plan L gives you 75% coverage for Part B benefits. Plan M offers coverage for Part A & B benefits, but you only get 50% coverage of the Part A deductible.

Typically, the above-mentioned plans are the least popular options. They’re good choices for seniors on a budget or who have low incomes during their retirement age.

The most popular options for Medigap plans are Plans G, F, & N. Plan F is the only plan offering comprehensive coverage, including the Part B deductible. With Plan G, you get all the same benefits as Plan F but no coverage for the Part B deductible.

However, Plan G premiums are cheaper than Plan Fs. As a result, your annual savings on premiums versus Plan F are usually more than enough to account for the Part B deductible.

Plan N is a good choice for healthy seniors who rarely visit the emergency room or doctor. It features copayments of $50 at the emergency room when not admitted into the hospital and a $20 copayment at the doctor.

There’s no coverage for Part B excess charges with Plan N. So, you’ll need to use medical providers charging Medicare-approved rates (Medicare Assignment) to avoid paying the additional fees charged by practitioners over these rates.

The Medigap industry is competitive. Insurers offer additional perks and benefits over the standardized Part A & B benefits to capture your business. For instance, some providers offer discounted rates on hearing, dental, and vision services if you use providers in their network.

They’ll also offer discounts on OTC medications and supplements, preventative care treatments, and gym memberships. Some providers have a bare-bones offering with limited perks – such as Aetna. Others have a huge range of additional benefits – like UnitedHealthcare and Humana.

Navigating the range of Medigap plans can be confusing for people new to Medicare and Medicare supplement policies. Our team of fully licensed agents is available at 1-888-891-0229 for a free consultation and quote. We’ll help you compare Medigap plans to find the right one for you. If you want us to call you back, complete the contact form on this site, and we’ll get in touch with you.