Comparing Medicare Supplement rates and plans in your particular State is not as difficult as you may think.
If you are turning 65, I’m sure your kitchen table is three feet high with brochures, pamphlets and marketing material from every Medicare Supplement company in your area.
A good place to start is with websites which provide easy access to rates and plan information to several Medicare Supplement companies which do business in your state. This will allow you to review the and shorten your list of companies to compare.
So many Medicare beneficiaries simply want to look at the rates for themselves. They don’t need to, or are not ready to speak with an agent or company rep regarding different Medicare Supplement Plans in their area, county or state.
If you want to look through all of the company brochures which have been mailed to you, be sure to take your time, and make sure the current rates are provides.
This website allows you to click on a company and state, then look for your county or zip code and there is the monthly premium. I don’t need your name and email address or phone number just so you can look at the rates. Use this site as a resource, feel free to look around.
So, when looking for rates in your area, feel free to use this site or any other website which offers easy access to multiple company rates for your review.
Some websites will actually sell your contact info to agents and companies, who will call you several times on the phone trying to sell you a policy. If you have ever entered your name, email address and phone number onto a website, and received dozens of calls, that is where all the phone calls came from. The site owner is selling your name to boiler rooms and agencies who call all day long to folks like yourself.
Do a little research for yourself and ask a few questions to narrow down the list of Medicare options for your unique needs.
I’ve had hundreds of Medicare shoppers call me and say; “John, where do I start?” I’ve had traditional employer health insurance for many years and now that Medicare has started, or about to start, everything seem to have turned upside down.
Step by Step …
- First you need Medicare A (Hospital) and B (Outpatient), before you can enroll into any Medicare plan or Part D Rx coverage.
- Second you need to decide if Medicare by itself is your choice, or to enroll into a Medicare Supplement or Medicare Advantage plan.
- Third, is Medicare Part D Rx coverage. If you are in a Medicare Supplement, a separate Part D plan will help you pay your prescription costs. Part D plans never came with Medicare Supplements. Some Medicare Advantage plans will include the Part D coverage with their medical plan. (View the Part D info here).
- Medicare Part B premium. There is no getting around paying for this one, only if you are receiving financial assistance from your state. For most people, the 2022 Medicare Part B premium for most medicare members is $170.10.
Medicare Supplement Rates … Most shoppers will first look at what the premium is, then the financial strength and brand name, then lastly, but still very important, how are they going to treat you. How is their customer service. Doctors and hospitals are not too concerned with who the insurance company you are with, because Medicare is considered “Primary coverage” which means all claims go to Medicare first, then Medicare notifies the insurance company of their portion they are responsible for. Also, when seeing a doctor, make sure they accept Medicare. Some physicians have “opted-out” of the Medicare system and have become “cash-only” doctors. This number seems to be around 1% from CMS (Center of Medicare and Medicaid Services) studies.
How to Choose … If you are new to Medicare or are looking to change Medicare Supplement companies, first compare prices in your area. This will give you a good start as to which companies to consider. Remember, the coverage is the same regardless of the company offering the plan. If you are looking at a Plan F, all plan F’s are federally standardized, which means whoever offers a plan F, the coverage is going to be the same across company lines.
Feel free to contact me anytime with questions
John Conner
916-682-1117
