Medigap Rates Online – Can You Get Them and How?

June 18, 2015 by · Leave a Comment

A common question is whether you can get Medigap rates online. Many people are surprised to learn that it is not as easy as you think it should be. In general, you can get some Medigap rates online; however, you don’t always get complete or accurate information. This article explains why and gives you options for obtaining a Medigap comparison.

First of all, as a preface, while you may not get complete or accurate Medigap rates online, you certainly can easily get a complete, unbiased Medigap comparison by email. As far as getting a listing on a website of all plans available to you, with rates customized to your age, gender, zip code, situation, etc., it’s not that easy.

There are three main factors that make it difficult to get Medigap rates online. First, some companies do not allow their rates to be published online by agents. This greatly inhibits your ability to get an accurate picture of the plans available in your area. Second, some Medigap companies only deal with “captive” agents that only represent/sell plans for that one company. “Captive” agents wouldn’t be able to give you rates for other companies besides their company, while independent brokers wouldn’t have rates for “captive”-agent companies. Lastly, companies have different rates for each zip code and age and are changing rates all the time, making Medigap rates online possibly unreliable/out of date.

So, with the unavailability and unreliability of Medigap rates online, what are the other options? The good news for the Medigap consumer is that you don’t have to have a pushy agent come to your house or spend hours on the phone with companies or insurance agents. The easiest way to get Medigap rates online is via email. You can easily get rates delivered directly to your inbox that are both customized to your age, gender, zip code, situation, as well as accurate, reliable and prompt.

Secure Medicare Solutions can provide that service – Medigap rates by email. The important thing here is to make sure you are requesting the information from an independent broker/agent. This way, you can compare all options in a centralized place. There are likely other companies that will provide similar information as well, but most or all require a phone number and address as well in order to contact you with phone calls, mail, etc. Particularly if you are someone turning 65 or ‘shopping’ for a Medigap plan, the last thing you want to do is give someone ELSE permission to call you endlessly. Getting Medigap rates by email solves that problem – gather the information, read at your leisure, compare plans and make a sound, unbiased decision.

If you have questions about this process or want to speak with someone directly, you can contact us using the form here or by phone at 877.506.3378.

Filed Under: Medigap Plans, Rate Changes, Uncategorized · Tagged: , , , , , , ,

The Future of Medigap Plan F

June 10, 2015 by · Leave a Comment

The future of Medigap Plan F was recently called into question with the recent passage of the “doc fix” bill, H.R. 2 – the Medicare and CHIP Reauthorization Act. The headline-stealer of this legislation was the stabilization of physician payments through the repeal of the sustainable growth rate model for Medicare payments to physicians. However, one of the lesser-known provisions could impact future Medicare beneficiaries who purchase Medigap insurance.

Specifically, the bill sets forth surcharges for Medicare beneficiaries that choose to purchase either Medigap Plan F or Medigap Plan C, the two Medigap plans that cover the Medicare Part B (doctor/outpatient) deductible. This deductible currently stands at $147/year, but it is projected to increase to $185/year in 2020 and $217/year in 2023. The idea is that these surcharges offset the higher “use rate” on Medicare from people that have Medigap Plan F. Although this has not necessarily been proven to be the case, the idea is that Medigap Plan F policyholders have no “skin in the game” since it doesn’t cost them anything to see a doctor.

Now, it is important to note that the bill specifies “future” beneficiaries (starting in 2020) as the ones who would be subject to the surcharges on Plan F and C premiums. So, at least on the surface, current Plan F or C policyholders would not be affected. However, a deeper look may foretell some consequences on existing policyholders.

To explain, the surcharges will likely greatly reduce the number of new policyholders into those two plans. Once it is understood that the choice to enroll in Plan F or Plan C equals surcharges on top of premium charges, many beneficiaries will pick a different plan. Hypothetically, this would cause upward pressure on Medigap Plan F and C rates, as there would be fewer new policyholders on those plans. So, long term, the outlook for price stability on those plans is not as great as it would be on other plans.

To editorialize a little here, the “overuse” of Medicare by people on Plan F has not been proven. And, although it does make sense in a vacuum, people that have Plan G, for example, have very little “skin in the game” either ($147/year). So, there is not that big of a difference. Also, since the Federal Government has very limited oversight over the Medigap plans – they are to supplement the Federal program, Medicare – it is hard to see how they should be involved in deciding how people choose to cover their “gaps” in Medicare.

All said though, the bill has become law and unless something changes between now and 2020, there will likely be a lot fewer people choosing Medigap Plans F and C at that point. We’ll stay on top of this and other developments, moving forward, and keep you apprised on how they may affect current Medicare beneficiaries.

Filed Under: Medigap Plans, Rate Changes · Tagged: , , , , , ,

2010 Medicare Changes – New Deductibles, Premium Increases Affect Everyone on Medicare

December 11, 2009 by · Leave a Comment

The Center for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) recently announced the 2010 Medicare changes, which will have some affect on all Medicare beneficiaries. Despite the fact that there is no cost-of-living adjustment for Social Security for 2010 (for the first time in 20+ years), there are some significant changes to Medicare deductibles, plan premiums, etc that you should be familiar with.

  1. New Medicare Deductibles
    This is the area that affects the largest number of Medicare beneficiaries. The Medicare Part A deductible is increasing from $1060 (2009) to $1100 (2010), and the Medicare Part B deductible is increasing from $135 (2009) to $155 (2010). For those that have Medigap policies, which cover these deductibles, you will not have increased out of pocket costs at the doctor or hospital, obviously. However, if you do not have a Medigap plan to fill in these Medicare deductibles, you will pay these higher amounts beginning in January 2010.
  2. Part B premium increase
    In many cases, the Medicare Part B premium is NOT increasing for 2010. If you currently are paying the standard Part B premium (in most cases, deducted from your SSI check) of $96.40, your premium will likely stay the same.
    However, if you are new Medicare Part B enrollee (as of 1/1/2010) OR if you have an income over $85,000 (individual) or $170,000 (married couple), you will likely pay a higher amount. For those new to Medicare Part B, the new standard premium is $110.50, which is a 15% increase from the 2009 Part B premium.
  3. Changes to Medicare Supplement plans
    The Medicare Supplement (Medigap) changes do not actually take effect until June 1, 2010; however, when they do, they will provide some new options and mark the end to some old options. Some plans, such as Plan J, will not be available to NEW applicants, whereas two new plans, M and N, will begin (Medicare Supplement Plans M and N). For a full outline of the new standardized plan chart, visit Medicare Supplements chart.
  4. Changes to Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage plans)
    As you have probably already seen, if you are on a Medicare Advantage plan currently, the MA plans have changed a good bit for 2010. In most cases, premiums have gone up and there have been some reduction in benefits with some plans. Additionally, some of the major players in the MA marketplace have pulled out of the MA market. This is plan-specific and does not apply to all plans, but it makes it more important than ever to know what you have and know what else is available in your county.
  5. Changes to Medicare Part D
    The Medicare Part D premiums have changed, in nearly all cases, for 2010. In doing so, the plan that was good for you in 2009, may not be as good for you in 2010. Again, this is plan-specific, and the only way to get an accurate picture of how this affects you individually is to do an analysis of your current plan against other options.

Overall, the changes to Medicare for 2010 will be disconcerting to some, causing an increase in out of pocket costs. However, for those with a Medigap plan and who stay on top of their Part D coverage to ensure they have the best possible plan for their unique situation, the impact of these changes can be minimized.

For a full analysis of options available to you, visit Medicare Insurance Quotes.

Filed Under: 2010 plans, Medicare News, Part D, Rate Changes · Tagged: , , , ,

South Carolina Medicare Supplement rate changes

July 1, 2009 by · Leave a Comment

Just like many other things in this time of economic downturn, some South Carolina Medicare Supplements are undergoing rate increases/changes during 2009.

With that said, it is more important than ever to have a South Carolina Medicare Insurance quote done to ensure that you are paying no more than you should for your South Carolina Medicare Supplement.

Since South Carolina Medicare Supplements are standardized, plans are the same from company to company. So, the primary factor in choosing a plan should be price and reputation of the company. That makes keeping an eye on your rates (and the rates of other South Carolina Medicare Supplement companies) essential.

You can view the South Carolina Medicare Supplement standardized chart at the following link: South Carolina Medicare Supplements Insurance and Plans.

You can have an updated South Carolina Medicare Supplement rate quote comparison emailed to you: South Carolina Medicare Insurance Supplement Quotes.

Filed Under: Medicare insurance news, Rate Changes, South Carolina Medicare Supplements · Tagged: ,