Posts Tagged ‘Medicare supplement quotes’

You Shouldn’t Be Too Surprised With Medicare Supplements

Thursday, September 2nd, 2010

Medicare supplements, in terms of the provisions and coverage offered, are all created equally. In terms of prices and availability, they aren’t so equal. Not all plans are offered by all companies or in all states, and the government apparently decided to be nice and help the insurance industry keep their trillions in profits and grow them, because the prices will all be different, as well. That’s right. You can buy Medicare supplement plan F in your area from one company that wants $189 a month, or from a company that wants $95 a month. There really is that much variation, because there is no cap or standard.

When shopping for Medicare supplements, there are many different things to consider. This insurance was created to work with existing Medicare coverage to fill in the gaps where Medicare fails to provide the right coverage. There are 12 plans to choose from, and each one has something a little different, but they all basically serve to create a match between your existing coverage and what is missing to give you complete coverage for all of your medical needs. This insurance is available to anyone who is eligible for Medicare, which is anyone over the age of 65 or disabled, under certain circumstances.

The internet is a great resource when it comes to learning about Medicare supplements and figuring out how they can best suit your needs. You should definitely use this tool to your advantage, because so many people are trying to work their hardest to get the coverage that they desperately deserve, and you can make the process easier by using the internet. Medicare supplement policies come in 12 types, and they are sold by a number of private insurance companies. It doesn’t matter if you know anything about Medicare supplements or not, because you can learn everything that you need to online.

It’s not really a surprise that Medicare supplements have different prices. Most people just don’t take the time to shop around because it is tedious and they hate talking to pushy insurance companies one after another trying to get the best deal. However, even if you only get three or four insurance quotes for your supplements, you could still save some money. If you don’t think this is a serious issue, check out the Choosing a Medigap Policy manual, which clearly states that premiums can be charged at whatever rate companies want, depending on their own regulations and guidelines for setting rates. While some people might call this taking advantage, many will see it as just a plain rip off.

How else do you think that the insurance industry became a multi-trillion dollar industry, though? They set their own rates based on a random system of statistics and numbers, and then people just pay the bills. When a company is charging $150 a month for Medicare supplements that other companies are only charging $100 for, they’re making profit, point blank. The bottom line: shop around.

For more information on Medigap and to get a medicare supplement quote, or other information, visit http://www.gomedigap.com.

Truths And Myths Covering Medicare Supplement Insurance And What You Need To Know

Tuesday, August 17th, 2010

Medicare supplements are very important to many people. Everyone who reaches age 65 or is disabled becomes eligible for Medicare, which is government sponsored health coverage. The coverage is the same for everyone, which means that some people might be missing out on some critical parts of their healthcare because they cannot afford the expense and insurance doesn’t cover it. Enter the Medicare supplements. These plans were designed specifically to fill in the gaps where Medicare falls short, allowing people to get the coverage that they need for just about anything, at an affordable cost. There are many myths involved with Medicare, and Medicare Supplements Including:

Myth: The government automatically enrolls eligible people in Medicare. Truth: If you have worked 40 quarters in the U.S., you will be enrolled in Medicare Part A automatically. If you got social security at age 62, you will be enrolled in part B. However, you will have the option to decline the coverage if you have a group health plan or other coverage. If neither of these applies, you have to apply on your own through the Social Security Administration.

Myth: Parts D and C are Medicare Supplemental Insurance Plans Truth: Medicare Parts D and C are in fact NOT supplemental insurance plans, they are replacements. Part C is offered by a private insurance company that requires you to forfeit some of your other benefits. Part D is very complicated and requires you to meet other stipulations in order to qualify. The only real reason Part D is slightly beneficial to you is because it covers drugs not covered by Part A & B. All Medicare Supplement plans are known by Plans A-L, 12 in total, or 14 if you count plans that require a higher deductible like F and J.

Myth: Medicare can cover all expenses. Truth: Thruth is, Medicare can cover MOST expenses, but it’s NOT meant to cover ALL expenses you inquire. You will have co-payments and excess charges, which is why Medicare supplements were created. In the end, if you’re on Medicare, you still may have out of pocket expenses. That’s where Medicare Supplements come into play, they make up for the out of pocket expense you would technically had to of paid if you were only enrolled in medicare without a medicare supplement plan.

You can even find calculators that will take your personal information and determine the best plan for your needs, no matter what it may be. Remember that GoMedigap (www.gomedigap.com) is here by your side to help you chose the best plan for you, at the cheapest rate, with the most financially stable company. Call us today at; (866) 894 - 3258, or visit our website at http://www.gomedigap.com

Before you consider enrolling in a Medicare Supplement plan, you should consider allowing GoMedigap to get you the cheapest rate with the best financially stable Medicare Supplement Insurance company. Get a Medicare Supplement Quote online now, or call; (866) 894 - 3258 to speak with one of our licensed agents.

Getting FREE Medigap Quotes Online

Sunday, August 8th, 2010

Getting a Medicare Supplement Insurance Quote online is fast and easy with GoMedigap. All you have to do is go to their website at http://www.gomedigap.com and submit your information. Within minutes a licensed Medicare Supplement agent will be calling you with information regarding a plan that best suits your needs. We proactively scan your rates every year, and if we see that you could save money with another company we will notify you. You can reach us on our website, or by calling (866) 894 - 3258.

In the 1990s, the government came up with 12 more plans that could help offset medical expenses and allow people to get the medical care that they needed. These plans were known as Medicare supplements, and were simply named A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, and L. They allow people who cannot afford the out-of-pocket expense that is left behind by most Medicare plans to get more coverage and help lower those expenses even more. If you do your homework, you can even find a combination that is all-inclusive and leaves you little or nothing to pay out of your own pocket.

Once you’ve found information and plans, you can then use the internet to shop around for rates. You need to comparison shop at least a little bit, because each company offers different premiums on the plans that you will get. The benefits and coverage is uniform across the board, but the premiums have room for differences, which is where shopping around can come in handy. You’ll be able to find an affordable supplement policy from a company that you can trust and all from the comfort and convenience of home on your own time. The internet serves so many people and offers so much assistance, but helping with Medicare supplements is probably one of the better services that the internet provides.

Being uneducated about Medigap insurance and how it affects you can impact your own personal wellbeing and your ability to make decisions about your healthcare needs. Fortunately, it isn’t hard to learn what you need to know about Medigap and Medicare, because there are so many great resources out there. You’ll likely get many different offers for assistance with your Medicare coverage, choosing the right plan, and special ‘exclusives’ from companies that just want to sell you something. Don’t worry about any of these offers. Just take the initiative to start researching the process on your own and figure out what you need.

These are some great tips to keep in mind when it comes to choosing the right Medicare plan and Medigap insurance policy. The 12 plans that you have to choose from will be similar but each has its own coverage types and limits, allowing you to get exactly what you need to make up the difference in your insurance protection.

Want to find out more about Medicare Supplement Quotes, then visit Richard Cantu’s site on how to choose the best Medicare Supplement Quotes for your needs.

Medicare Advantage Plans: Proposed Changes

Saturday, April 24th, 2010

Medicare Supplement Insurance is not the only Medicare-related coverage that is going through changes within the next few months due to the new health care reforms proposed by President Obama. Medicare Part C Plans, which are commonly known as Medicare Advantage plans, are also experiencing change.

Here is some background on Medicare Advantage Plans:

Medicare Advantage Plans are Health Maintenance Organization (HMOs), Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO), Private Fee-for-Service Plans, or Medicare Special Needs Plans. In order to enroll with a Medicare Advantage plan, you need to have Medicare Parts A and Part B, and you may have to pay a monthly premium to your Medicare Advantage Plan for extra benefits that they offer. Advantage plans are privately provided. You should not be simultaneously enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan and a Medigare Supplement Plan as they counter one another.

Current reports state that Medicare Advantage Plan payments to private health insurers will be limited to 2010 rates for the entirety of 2011. The proposed health care laws stipulate cuts amounting to $130 billion over the next ten years to these plans to prevent government overcompensation to insurance providers.

Provided that next year’s payments can’t match rising health care costs, what could occur is that insurance companies will offset the loss of payment increases by increasing the premiums that their customers are required to pay.

Medicare Advantage Plans and drug plans additionally must have significant differences betwixt their products due to CMS regulation requiring elimination of duplicate prescription and health plans. These differences range from plan types, client out-of-pocket costs, premiums, and formulary offerings.

Beginning in 2014, Medicare Advantage Plans will need to spend 85% of insurance premiums collected on providing health care to their customers as another limiting factor to overcompensation of insurance executives.

Looking to find the best deal on a Medigap Plan, then visit www.gomedigap.com to find the best advice on a policy for you.

The Modernization of Medicare Supplement Plans to Occur June 2010

Tuesday, April 20th, 2010

Medicare has recently passed and will implement the following changes to Medicare supplements June 1, 2010:

Plans E, H, I, and J will no longer exist. These plans will not be sold by any insurance company after June 1, 2010. However, if you are currently enrolled in one of the aforementioned plans, then you can be “grandfathered” in to keep the policy. Do keep in mind that some insurance companies will let you convert your coverage to one of the new “modernized” Medicare supplement policies. This may well be a good opportunity as there may be higher renewal premiums for E, H, I, and J in the near future due to the lack of premiums from new recipients of that coverage. If you wait to convert beyond the allotted time period, then you may be required to go through medical underwriting and thus risk decline.

Plans M and N will be introduced. Medicare supplement insurance Plans M and N will have lower monthly premiums in exchange for higher out of pocket payments for medical expenses. For instance, Medicare supplement Plans M and N will not cover the Part B deductible or Part B excess charges. Plan M will cover half of the Part A deductible, while Plan N will cover all of the Part A deductible. Plan N also will have instances in which co-pays will be required. Plans K, L, M and N could be suitable low cost alternatives to Medicare Advantage Plans (minus the prescription drug coverage.)

New Medicare supplement policies will issue with lower rates. An advantage associated with this modernization should be lower monthly rates for those who choose a conversion plan who are healthy (enough to pass medical underwriting qualifications.) As new plans are introduced they often offer lower rates as there are no claims associated with them. New risk pools equal lower rates.

In direct contrast to all the above listed changes, Plans A, B, C, D, F, G, K and L will have virtually the same benefits as before with Plan F now being the most comprehensive.

For more information, do be sure to do your own research and contact a Medicare supplement agent whom you can trust.

Looking to find the best deal on Medigap, then visit www.gomedigap.com to find the best advice on a medicare supplement for you.

Medicare Supplement Plans M and N: A Description of Coverage

Monday, April 19th, 2010

Medicare supplement insurance Plans M and N will be available for purchase starting June 1, 2010.

Medigap Plans M and N are cost sharing plans. These plans will have lower monthly premiums in exchange for higher out of pocket expenses for medical expenses incurred. For example, Plans M and N will not cover the Part B deductible and Part B excess charges.

Plan M will cover 50% of the Part A deductible, while Plan N will cover 100% of the Part A deductible. Plan N will additionally have instances in which co-pays will be required. Plans K, L, M and N will be suitable low cost alternatives to Medicare Advantage Plans (minus the prescription coverage and network restrictions.) This means that you will be able to visit any doctor or hospital that accepts Medicare.

Certain insurance companies will offer Plan N on a guaranteed issue basis in the majority of states. This will be a relief to those who have health complication and thus may have trouble obtaining coverage which requires medical underwriting. Medicare supplement Plan M, however, will require underwriting with most companies in many situations.

Many of Medigap insurance providers are now offering Medicare supplement Plans M and N. You may now begin signing up for these types of coverage as long as your effective date is June 1, 2010 or later.

Plans M and N will be cost effective ways to cover most of what Original Medicare Parts A and B do not cover. However, you still need to be sure to do thorough research on these plans to make sure you are aware and at peace with the out of pocket expenses you may need to pay. For assistance in your Medigap decision, contact a trusted Medicare attorney and/or Medicare supplement insurance brokerage.

Want to find out more about Medicare supplement insurance, then visit Richard Cantu’s site on how to choose the best plan for your needs.

Medigap Plans: Should You Buy Them Now or Later?

Tuesday, April 13th, 2010

Buying health insurance can be a stressful task for many. However, if you take some time to look into out all of your options, you should be able to navigate the process with ease.

Medigap plans are relatively easy to comprehend as there are a limited number of plans from which to choose. The question that many people have is whether they should go ahead and get Medigap plans when they ‘age in’ to the Medicare eligibility or if they should wait to see if they need it.

You’ve probably heard the phrase “you snooze, you lose” before, and it can apply to this type of coverage as well. Here are some reasons why:

Medigap plans are immediately available to anyone who is eligible for Medicare coverage. These plans come in 12 varieties and can supplement any Medicare coverage to protect anyone from just about anything.

However, anyone who doesn’t get one of these plans right away will need to beware. Once you develop chronic illness, you are not able to get Medigap plans. Also, if you have or are diagnosed with a disease or chronic illness and drop your Medigap coverage, you can never get it back. You never know what will happen later in life, so it is always better to be prepared.

Medigap plans are affordable, even for those living on fixed incomes. Since Medicare was never designed to cover every single expense related to healthcare, it is nice that the government offers these standardized plans to help out where it can.

You simply need to take the time to see which plans best suit your needs and then go from there to choose the one that works for you. Once you have chosen a plan, you can contact any private insurance company that offers the plan you need to get a free quote. Make sure that you shop around, because every company is allowed to set their own premiums and you need to find the best deal that you can.

When it comes to Medigap plans, it is always better to get them sooner rather than later. Later might come sooner than you think, and you might lose your eligibility before you are able to get a policy. Take a moment to check out Medicare supplements and see which ones best suit your needs or might help you out in the future.

Learn more about Medigap. Stop by Richard Cantu’s site where you can find out all about a Medigap policy and what it can do for you.

Medicare Supplements: What is the Deal with Rate Increases?

Thursday, April 1st, 2010

Those considering enrolling with a Medicare supplement and those already enrolled worry about rate increase. Rate increases can seem consuming, confounding, and confusing. If you are looking for a guide to explain the who, what, when, where, and why of Medigap rate increases, then you have come to the right place! Read on….

Most Medicare supplement providing companies have a twelve-month rate lock-in during which their new clients will not experience a rate increase. However, once that period is up and rate increases occur, many are perplexed as to why. In most cases, the why of rate increases can be attributed to one or more of the below causes:

The Post 12-month administrative rule: If a rate increase takes effect during the initial 12-month period the client owns a policy, the rate increase will occur for that client at the first premium payment date after the end of the twelve-month period.

Consecutive annual rate adjustments: This applies when there are consecutive rate increases within the first two years an individual is covered by a policy. In this case, both rate increases will go into effect at once.

Attained age: For policyholders in attained-age states, the premium payment amount goes up each year on the first policy payment date. However, if an attained age rate increase and an annual rate adjustment take place two months in a row, the later increase will go into effect three months after the first.

Please know that insurance premiums rise due to increasing health care costs (due to inflation) as well as increases in Medicare’s deductibles and copayments (which increase each year.) No single enrollee of a Medicare supplement policy is singled out for a rate increase.

For more information on Medigap, Medicare, and all other associated plans, you should do your research. Be prepared and comfortable with the information so that you are completely comfortable with the plan you purchase and are not caught off guard by its processes.

Looking to find the best deal on a Medicare supplement, then visit www.gomedigap.com to find the best advice on a policy for you.

Medigap: Decisions… Decisions!

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010

Choosing your Medigap policy can often seem complicated. Fortunately, there are numerous great resources out there for people who are looking to purchase this type of coverage.

Medigap (also known as Medicare supplemental insurance) is available to those that are eligible for Medicare coverage. However, there are some factors to consider that may be a bit confusing….

For example, spouses must have separate policies when applying for Medigap coverage. Medigap is offered on a standard system of 12 different plans to choose from, all ranging in coverage type and amount. Also, each of these policies are offered by many different private insurance companies, which gives you even more power in choosing the exact Medigap insurance coverage for your needs.

The way that supplemental insurance functions is that you first choose the plan that best suits your needs, based on the existing coverage that you have and what you desire. Then, you can comparison shop with the companies that sell Medicare supplements to determine which one has the best rates and service for the plan that you need. All companies which provide supplemental Medicare coverage will offer all 12 plans, so you don’t need to worry about that. All you have to do is choose the one that you like best.

Your reasons for choosing a Medigap insurance provider are allowed to be whatever you choose. You may pick the one with the lowest rate, or the one with the best customer service. You can even pick a company just because you happen to like their website, if that’s what you choose. It is all up to you.

First, you should determine what you need and what you can afford. Please remember that your coverage will be different if you are healthy than if you have medical conditions or a constant need for doctor’s visits. Be sure that you are asking questions so that you understand everything very clearly before you make any decisions about what you’re going to do or which plan you want.

Medigap insurance providers and policies don’t have to be complicated. If you take things step-by-step and allow yourself to figure things out and learn as you go, it can be a simple process. If all else fails, you can easily find a private insurance company that deals with this type of coverage and get their assistance in choosing the best insurance policy to cover the gaps in your Medicare insurance.

Learn more about Medicare supplements. Stop by Richard Cantu’s site where you can find out all about Medigap and what it can do for you.

Medicare Supplements: A Clarification

Thursday, March 25th, 2010

Many are dealing with Medicare supplement plans that they simply do not understand. While the process is easy when it comes to getting extra coverage, the mere lack of information is enough to scare many away entirely.

Finding information concerning Medicare supplements written in plain English can be difficult, at least until now. If you have been confused by the maximum benefit limit, the supplement versus the Advantage plan, or the variety of plans from which you may choose, you have come to the right place.

First, you should know that there are 12 Medicare supplement plans from which to choose.

These 12 Medicare supplement plans are labeled A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, and L. They are easy to find and pretty similar in many aspects.

You need to also be aware that Medicare is planning some major changes this June, including eliminating duplicate coverage by getting rid of policies E, H, I, and J. They will additionally be introducing plans M and N, which have lower premiums and offer co-pays instead. These plans are simple to choose from because all you do is compare your current coverage to the various plans and choose the one that makes the most complete match.

The premium you pay for Medicare supplements is the cost of the policy. The premium can be paid annually, bi-annually, quarterly, or monthly with most insurance companies. However, since private insurance companies offer Medicare coverage, their premium rates and policies for payment will vary according to the company’s policies.

Medicare supplements are NOT the same as the Medicare Advantage Plan. The Medicare Advantage Plan acts IN PLACE of Medicare coverage. Supplemental coverage, on the other hand, adds to your existing Medicare coverage.

Benefits refer to the covered areas or elements that you may claim with your Medicare supplement plans. For example, some plans have a travel emergency benefit, others have a preventative care benefit, and most just come with basic benefits for medically necessary procedures and visits.

Once you have chosen a Medicare plan, you will need to find an insurance company that offers the plan that you desire at a price you can afford accompanied by the service you deserve.

Looking to find the best deal on a Medicare supplement, then visit www.gomedigap.com to find the best advice on a plan for you.