Pre-standardized Medigap plans
Pre-standardized Medigap plans are plans sold before July 1992. Before 1980, Medigap plans (also called Medicare Supplement Insurance) were regulated solely by individual states, according to a report by the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The...
Read MoreMedicare Supplement Insurance Plan Pricing
Insurance companies price Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policies based on three main things: your plan choice, your personal factors, and their pricing systems. Because of these factors, monthly Medicare Supplement insurance plan costs can vary widely. One thing that will greatly affect t...
Read MoreWhat is first-dollar Medigap coverage?
First-dollar Medigap coverage is when a Medicare Supplement insurance plan covers both the Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B deductible. With first-dollar coverage Medigap plans, policyholders don’t have to pay these deductibles before their Medicare health insurance benefits kick in. Medigap P...
Read MoreWhat is a guaranteed issue right?
Medigap guaranteed issue rights allow you to purchase a Medicare Supplement insurance policy from any company without regard to your health condition. You only have a guaranteed issue right in certain situations. When you have a Medicare Supplement Insurance guaranteed issue right, insurance compan...
Read More2017 Medicare costs
Medicare Part B premiums and deductibles in 2017 increased from those in 2016, while Medicare Part A costs changed moderately, according to an announcement from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS). The table below shows how Medicare out-of-pocket costs will change between 201...
Read MoreACA saves Medicare beneficiaries billions in drug costs
Medicare beneficiaries saved billions of dollars on prescription drugs due to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), according to 2014 data from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).From 2010 to 2014, the Medicare Part D changes included in the ACA (also known as Obamacare) helped 7.9 millio...
Read MoreCan I change my Medicare Supplement insurance plan?
You can change your Medicare Supplement insurance plan any time of the year. But if you do consider changing Medicare Supplement insurance plans or providers, you should switch during your 6-month Medigap open enrollment period.If you don’t change Medicare Supplement insurance plans during your ...
Read MoreInternational Medicare and Medigap coverage
Clothing — check. Passport — check. Medical coverage?If you are enrolled in Medicare and planning a vacation abroad, you should review what international medical services are covered under Medicare and Medigap.Original Medicare health insurance provides limited international medical coverage. If...
Read MoreWhat are cost-sharing plans?
Unlike other Medigap plans that provide 100% coverage for certain benefits, cost-sharing Medicare Supplement Insurance plans provide only partial coverage for some specific benefits. There are two cost-sharing plans currently available: Medigap Plan K and Medigap Plan L.Both cost-sharing Medigap p...
Read MoreWhat is long-term care insurance?
Long-term care insurance* is an optional form of insurance that provides extended coverage for health care services and support systems you may need after reaching a point when you can no longer care for yourself. Long-term care can be provided in your home, a community organization, or other facili...
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