Medicare Supplement Plan D 2024 – Benefits & Rates

Do you have Medicare Parts A & B? These federally funded healthcare insurance policies assist seniors with paying for medical and hospital bills in their golden years.

However, many seniors don’t realize that Original Medicare only covers 80% of medical and hospital expenses.

The beneficiary must settle the remaining 20% of the costs.

You qualify for a Medigap plan if you have Parts A & B. Medicare supplement insurance fully or partially covers the remaining out-of-pocket costs associated with your Part A & B healthcare expenses.

What Is Medicare Supplement Plan D?

Medicare supplement Plan D is one of the range of Medigap plans aimed at seniors living on fixed incomes looking for an affordable Medigap plan.

You get excellent coverage for a range of Medicare Part A & B services and coverage for medical emergencies when traveling outside the United States.

The premiums are affordable, and this plan has no out-of-pocket maximums.

What Does Medicare Supplement Plan D Cover?

The CMS is a federal agency regulating the benefits offered in Medigap plans. This organization ensures private healthcare insurers are consistent with the coverage in each plan.

As a result, the benefits you get with a Plan D policy from an insurer like Cigna will be the same as those in a Plan D policy from UnitedHealthcare or any other Medigap provider.

Plan D offers the following coverage and benefits to beneficiaries.

• 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.
• Part A deductible.
• 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).

What Isn’t Covered by Medicare Supplement Plan D?

Plan D doesn’t provide coverage for the following Part B services.

• Part B excess charges.
• Part B deductible.

Plan D, like other Medigap policies, doesn’t offer coverage for any expenses unrelated to the coverage provided by Original Medicare Parts A & B.

So, you don’t have coverage for prescriptions; you’ll need a Part D plan for that. Medicare Part D is a separate policy and is not to be confused with Medigap Plan D.

Plan D also doesn’t cover preventative care services like podiatry, physiotherapists, chiropractors, or acupuncture therapists. You also don’t have coverage for vision, dental, and hearing services.

Plan D won’t cover the costs of long-term stays in nursing homes or private duty nursing.

What are the Average Monthly Premiums for Medicare Supplement Plan D?

Plan D policies are available for private healthcare insurers like UnitedHealthcare, Mutual of Omaha, and others. However, since it’s not a popular plan, many insurers refuse to offer it, preferring to stick to the Plan G, F, & N policies that are the most popular options.

So, you have limited carriers offering Plan D, which might not be available in your area for 2024.

The average monthly premium for Plan D across all providers and states where its available ranges from $290 – $334. However, since the CMS doesn’t regulate plan premiums, insurers can charge whatever they want for the policy.

The cost of a Plan D policy from one provider might be higher or lower than another.

If you want the best rates on Plan D premiums, you’ll need an agent to get you multiple quotes from providers in your area. Your premiums can vary in price depending on your risk profile with the provider.

When assessing your premiums, the insurer looks at your age, gender, smoking status, and location.

For instance, beneficiaries in Los Angeles may pay more in premiums than those in New Mexico. Smokers pay more than nonsmokers, and men pay more than women.

Is Medicare Supplement Plan D Available in Massachusetts, Minnesota, or Wisconsin?

Wisconsin, Massachusetts, and Minnesota have federal waivers allowing these states to standardize Medigap plans as they see fit. As a result, Plan D is unavailable in any of these states.

You have options for Basic, Basic with Riders, Extended Basic, and Medigap plans F, K, L, M, and N.

How Do You Enroll in Medicare Supplement Plan D?

You can enroll in Medigap Plan D and all Medigap plans after turning 65. The six months after your birthday is known as the “Open Enrollment” period.

The provider must accept your application to join its Medigap scheme during this time, even if you have pre-existing conditions.

They cannot charge you more than the average rate for your policy, and they can’t deny your application. However, if you decide to enroll in Medigap after the Open Enrollment window, the insurer requires you to undergo medical underwriting.

If you have pre-existing conditions, the provider can charge you above-average rates for premiums, and they can deny you a plan if they feel you’re too high a risk to insure.

In some instances, you can apply for Medigap policies outside the Open Enrollment period if you have guaranteed issue rights. Speak to a Medigap agent to see if you qualify for these consumer protections.

What are the Best Alternatives to Medicare Supplement Plan D?

The best alternatives to Plan D are Plan N or high-deductible Plan G. With Medigap Plan N, you don’t have coverage for the Part B deductible or excess charges, making it similar to Plan D.

However, you have to make copayments of $20 when seeing the doctor and $50 at the emergency room when not admitted into inpatient care at the hospital.

The high-Deductible version of Plan G offers near-comprehensive coverage of all Part A & B expenses, except the Part B deductible.

You get low monthly premiums, but your annual Part A deductible increases from $1,600 to $2,700.

Finding the right Medicare plan doesn’t have to be stressful. Whether it’s a Medigap plan or you have questions about Medicare Advantage or Medicare Part D, we can help.

Call us today at 1-888-891-0229 and one of our knowledgeable, licensed insurance agents will be happy to assist you!