Medicare Supplements
Looking for the Best San Diego Medicare Supplement for your situation?
Medicare Supplements are one way to go with your secondary coverage. They work in tandem with original Medicare, or they “supplement” it. This is another instance where one thing has two names as a Medicare Supplement is also known as a Medi Gap plan or Medigap insurance. Don’t get confused as these are the exact same thing!!
Since Original Medicare pays 80% of most costs, a Medicare Supplement will fill in that 20% and cover some other things as well. A lot of folks get a Medicare Supplement confused with a PPO. A Medicare Supplement is similar to a traditional PPO style insurance plan in that you have a lot more freedom to see Doctors and other healthcare professionals. The biggest difference in being that with a Medicare Supplement plan, there is NO network whatsoever. As long as your Doctor takes Original Medicare also known as Medicare Assignment, they will take your Medicare Supplement. Unlike a PPO where you are able to go outside of the network, but you generally have higher co-pays and or deductibles.
Read more below about the different plans, the nuances between them and what separates one insurance carrier from another how to find the Best San Diego Medicare Supplement for your situation and more important information.
Medicare Supplements, general information
Starting off in Medicare and looking at Medicare Supplement Plan options, it can become overwhelming! Want the Best San Diego Medicare Supplement for your situation? Read on!
The purpose of this page and really this whole site, is to simplify Medicare itself and cut through all the excess noise. First off, Medicare Supplements are “standardized” by the Federal entity of Medicare. You can read about standardization on the Medicare website HERE!
What does that mean to you?
It means that because Medicare designs the plans, the only difference between the insurance carriers offering the plan, is how much you pay in premium*.
So, a Plan F from “AABC Insurance” and a Plan F from “Everest Insurance”, by law must cover the same basic benefits and any Doctor or Medical facility that accepts Medicare assignment, will accept your insurance regardless of who the insurance company is. There are a dozen or so Insurance companies who offer Medicare Supplements in San Diego County and finding the Best San Diego Medicare Supplement is dependent upon your age and which Plan you decide upon.
If you decide that a Medicare Supplement Plan is the way you want to go it is important to understand that you MUST purchase a separate Part D prescription drug plan even if you take zero medications. A Medicare Supplement only covers the Medical portion of your coverage, not medications. You can read more about why this is so important and how to go about choosing a great plan for your prescriptions HERE.
*some plans offer extras like Vision, Hearing and more
Medicare Supplement Plan Chart
* Plans F and G also offer a high-deductible plan in some states. With this option, you must pay for Medicare-covered costs (coinsurance, copayments, and deductibles) up to the deductible amount of $2,340 in 2020 before your policy pays anything. (Plans C and F aren’t available to people who are newly eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020.)
** For Plans K and L, after you meet your out-of-pocket yearly limit and your yearly Part B deductible ($198 in 2020), the Medigap plan pays 100% of covered services for the rest of the calendar year.
*** Plan N pays 100% of the Part B coinsurance, except for a copayment of up to $20 for some office visits and up to a $50 copayment for emergency room visits that don’t result in inpatient admission.
How to pick a Medicare Supplement
So you’ve come to the decision that paying a little extra monthly premium is worth it to have the freedom to choose your Doctors and other Medical professionals without a referral. Now what? You may be asking yourself:
- Which plan do I choose?
- What Company?
- Which Company offers the “extras”?
- How often will my premium increase?
This is where we can help. We can help you find the Best San Diego Medicare Supplement for your unique situation! With so many companies offering these plans, we can help you find the one that fits your goals! For free, no obligation quote and information, fill out the Contact form and you will hear from us soon!
You can also read below on the 3 most popular Medicare Supplement Plans!
Medicare Supplement Plan F
Medicare Supplement Plan F is the most complete of all available Medicare Supplement plans. With Plan F, you pay a monthly premium and that is it. There are no copay’s or deductible to be concerned about.
Plan F, regardless of which carrier you choose from will enable you to choose your Doctors and other medical professionals without a referral as log as they accept Medicare Assignment, which most do.
Plan F is the simplest plan in that there really are no other “moving parts”. Just pay your premium and your healthcare decisions are between you and your Doctor, no insurance company approvals needed, that’s it!
The Best San Diego Medicare Supplement Plan F is going to be dependent upon your age and whether you would like the “extras” like Gym, Vision and Hearing coverage. Contact us for FREE advice and guidance from a pro!
Medicare Supplement Plan G
Medicare Supplement Plan G is my personal favorite for most Medicare beneficiaries. The reason being that I believe it gives the most value for the dollar. If you joined Medicare for the first time after January 1, 2020 Medicare Supplement Plan G is going to be the highest benefit plan available to you. The law changed and for new Medicare enrollees, the Part B deductible is no longer covered by your Medicare Supplement, you have to pay that deductible.
For 2023, that deductible is $226. The deductible amount is set by Medicare and does go up every few years. More on that in another post.
With a Medicare Supplement Plan G, you will pay a premium, the Part B deductible and that is it. I describe it like once you pay your Part B deductible, Plan G turns into Plan F. That deductible is the ONLY difference.
The premium difference between Plan F and Plan G usually points to Plan G being the better value. With some folks, you may not even pay your full Part B deductible if your the type who doesn’t go to the Doctor often.
Just like all Medicare Supplements, Plan G regardless of carrier gives you the freedom to see any Doctor who accepts Medicare Assignment and there is no network whatsoever. You can see your primary care Doctor here in San Diego and if you are on a trip and need to see a Cardiologist in Tulsa, you can call and make an appointment, no referral needed.
If you think Plan G is for you, Contact us and we can find the best carrier for your situation!
Medicare Supplement Plan N
Medicare Supplement Plan N is another great option.
It has the same Part B deductible that Plan G has along with a few other notable differences. Plan N has copays of up to $20 for some office visits and up to a $50 copayment for emergency room visits that don’t result in inpatient admission.
The other difference is that with Plan N, if you go to Doctor who doesn’t accept Medicare assignment, they may charge you up to 15 percent more than the Medicare-approved amount. This overage is known as a Part B excess charge. With a Plan N, that amount is not covered and you would be responsible for that charge.
Once again, regardless of the insurance company, you have no network and the freedom to see any Doctor that accepts Medicare assignment.
Which one is right for me?
Which one is the right one for you depends on budget, your health and how often you go to the Doctor and other healthcare professionals. A FREE no obligation consultation is only a click or call away! Whether you prefer in person, over the phone or a tel-conferrence like Zoom, after a short meeting you will have a clear picture on the coverage and costs associated with all of the plans available to you!