In order for you to join either a Medicare Advantage plan or a Medicare Supplement plan you are required to enroll into both Part A and Part B of Original Medicare. If you need help to learn how to enroll into Part A and Part B of Original Medicare please click the following link: Start Here.
Once you have received your Part A and Part B enrollment effective date then you are eligible to purchase a Medigap policy.
That being said depending on when you want to sign up for a Medigap plan you may be required to answer some health related questions in order to qualify for a Medigap plan. Please check out our page dedicated to Medicare Eligibility.
If you are within 6 months of initially enrolling into Medicare Part B coverage, or you are about to turn age 65, you will be able to enroll into a Medigap plan on a guaranteed issue basis. Please check out our link for Medicare Enrollment Periods to learn more about the different time periods to enroll.
Also, if you are losing group health insurance, or a similar situation, you may also be guaranteed acceptance into a Medicare Supplement Plan. In other situations, you may be required to answer health questions.
In order to determine what you are eligible for, we advise to give us a call and we can explain your options. Call today at (562) 735-3553.
Where Do I Purchase Medicare Supplement Insurance?
Medicare Beneficiaries have a variety of option when it comes to purchasing Medicare Supplement Insurance. With the advent of the internet, most consumers will initially begin their research with a basic internet search.
Once a Medicare Beneficiaries feel more comfortable about the basics of Medicare, most individuals reach out to a independent Medicare insurance Agent. This allows you the ability to talk with a Medicare Insurance expert to ask any questions that have come up as part of your research. In additional, the Medicare insurance agent has the tools in place, to quickly narrow down some of the best medicare insurance plans to meet your individual needs.
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As your Independent Medicare Agent, we can shop the entire Medicare market and find the Medicare Insurance Company that is most suited for your needs at the best price. We work with all of the top Medicare insurance companies across the country and can help assist you in purchasing almost any Medigap Policy that you desire.
There are a few Medicare insurance companies we will not work with. We have found some companies to not be a good option for our clients due to the following reasons:
- Their financial size being to small
- Lack of staff to manage our clients needs
- Many times they simply don’t pick up the phone.
Because we are reasoned and others not mentioned we do our best to only work with those Medicare Insurance Companies that we can personally trust.
The quickest way to compare plans & prices, and/or sign up is to fill out our online quote form or give us a call at (562) 735-3553 and one of our Medicare Insurance Agents will assist you.
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What Is The Difference Between Medicare Supplement & Medicare Advantage?
A Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan aka: Medigap Plan and a Medicare Advantage Plan function completely different from each other. Unfortunately, many Medicare Beneficiaries confuse these two Medicare options as being one in the same.
Your initial decision on which Medicare plan option is best for you can have a lasting impact on your healthcare coverage. As your Medicare Insurance Agent we are here to help you understand how each of these two options work.
Medicare Supplement plans are also standardized. This means they do not change from year to year. The coverage within a Medigap plan remains the same each year. This is a major difference between an Advantage plan and a Medigap plan.
Medicare Supplement Plans
A Medicare Supplement Insurance plan does not replace Original Medicare but rather works alongside with Original Medicare. It does this by providing additional Medicare benefits offered by private Medicare insurance companies. The Medicare supplement policy fill in the “gaps” not covered by Original Medicare Part A & Part B.
Original Medicare without a Medigap policy, does not cover 100% of your medical bills. The Medigap policy you purchase as a secondary insurance policy can either take care of most if not all of the cost not covered by Original Medicare. Depending on the Medigap plan you obtain will determine the level of additional coverages that are included.
Medicare Part D
With a Medicare Supplement aka: Medigap plan you will also need to obtain a Part D prescription drug coverage. Many people prefer this option as you can have 30 plus drug plans to pick from that best suit your needs.
Medicare Advantage Plans
While you are required to sign up for both Part A and Part B of Original Medicare, when you sign up for a Medicare Advantage Plan, this action will completely replace your Original Medicare rights.
Because you signed up for Part A and Part B of Original Medicare, most Medicare Beneficiaries do not realize that by signing up for a Medicare Advantage plan, they are agreeing to leave Original Medicare.
When the Medicare Beneficiary leaves Original Medicare they are now under a new set of rules and regulations that are established by the Medicare Advantage Company, not Original Medicare.
Most Medicare Advantage Plans are HMO style plans. These HMO plans only cover In-Network Doctors, Hospitals & Cancer Facilities. These plans are designed as a pay as you go style plan as they include copays, deductibles, Max Out of Pocket cost, coinsurance up to 20% of the cost for service and more.
In additional the Medicare Advantage plan will include a single Part D prescription drug plan that is included as part of your plan. You are not allowed to obtain an outside Part D plan when you join a Medicare Advantage plan in most cases.
It is important to mention that Medicare Supplement Plans typically have a low to zero out of pocket costs (Depending on the plan you select) other than the monthly premium and a Part B annual deductible (2022 equals $233). See the below chart for your review of available plans.
In 2022 we have found that most people are selecting Plan G as their go to Medigap plan. Plan names are listed on the top line from Plan A-Plan N. For Plan G the check mark means the insurance company is covering 100% of the cost.
For those individuals who turned 65 after Jan 1, 2020 Plan F is no longer a plan option.
When Can I Sign Up For Medicare Supplement Insurance?
With all of the enrollment periods and dates you sign up for different things, many people are under the misperception that you can only sign up for a Medicare Supplemental Insurance plan at certain times throughout the year–when in fact this is not true.
You can actually sign up for a Medicare Supplement Plan at any time throughout the year. However, there are some timeframes to be aware of.
- First you are required to be enrolled into Original Medicare Part A and Part B
- There is the “Initial Enrollment Period” which is a one time only opportunity lasting 6 months from when you initially get Medicare Part A and Part B. During this 6 months, you can purchase any Medicare Supplement Plan through any company with guaranteed acceptance–regardless of your current health conditions.
- If you are losing insurance coverage through an employer or in a similar situation, you may be eligible for a “Guaranteed Issue” period lasting 63 days, in which you can purchase a Medicare Supplement Insurance–again with no health questions asked.
- The final way to purchase a Medicare Supplement Policy is simply to answer the health questions and go through medical underwriting.
Call us today to learn more and get the process started at: (562) 735-3553.
How Can I Learn More About Medicare Supplement Insurance?
The best thing to do if you are looking to learn more about Medicare (Medigap Policies) Plans; is to submit a Compare Medicare Quote request form or by calling us directly. Once we receive the request form we will call you to go over your plan options. Most importantly we will answer any questions you may still have.
Our goal is to be your expert and advisor so that we can help you simplify the process and make sure you do not make any mistakes. We have found that people who try to sign up for Medicare all by themselves will either forget to sign up for a coverage Part or pick a plan that was not best for their current situation. If you forgot to sign up for everything this can equal lifetime penalties that you will have to pay.
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Our services will cost you nothing, so you have nothing to lose. With your free rate quote and plan comparisons, you will be able to easily see the differences in coverage and monthly price between the varying plans offered in your area.
We have done our best to provide you with our comprehensive website in order to provide you access and information to get you off and running in the right direction in your Medicare plan research. Of course, if you have any questions, you can call our Medicare Supplement specialists directly by calling (562) 735-3553
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