Medicare Supplement Plan F or Plan G

“That is the real question, which Medicare Supplement Plan do I go with?” Bob said. “Plan F or Plan G? They both look the same.” “Good question.” I told him. Then I began to explain as I do to all the folks I talk to who ask this same question. It’s funny how in the end, they always seem to agree and make the same decision because it just makes $ense.

Here is the deal. Plan F has been the most popular plan in the Medicare Supplement Market for years. Mainly because it is simple to understand; most people have almost no out of pocket costs other than what they pay each month for the plan. If Medicare pays, then the Medicare Supplement pays. Some people even say the “F” stands for “Full coverage”. However, “Full coverage” as we all know, comes at a price, and sometimes it isn’t the best “bang for your buck”.

Plan F and Plan G are identical, the ONLY difference is, on Plan G you have to pay for the Medicare Part B deductible. Therefore, Plan G is becoming more and more popular, mainly because of the cost. If you look at the graph below, the Part B deductible has not changed in the past 3 years.

PART B DEDUCTIBLE HISTORY

In 2010 Part B deductible was $155
In 2011 Part B deductible was $162
In 2012 Part B deductible was $140
In 2013 Part B deductible was $147
In 2014 Part B deductible was $147
In 2015 Part B deductible was $147

Even though the Part B deductible hasn’t changed much in the past 5 years (in fact it’s lower than it was in 2011), Plan F prices have steadily been increasing every year. Basically, for 4 years people with Plan F have been paying more for a benefit that hasn’t changed.

When you look at the actual numbers, the Medicare Part B deductible breaks down to around $12 per month ($147 / 12 months). So if a Plan F costs $12 more than a Plan G per month for you, then you are paying too much!!! Make $ense??

In some areas, we see a Plan F for a customer and a Plan G be as much as $40 difference! So tell me, if Progressive or Geico told you that you could save $480 per year in premium and only add $147 in your deductible, would you be willing to make that change? Of course you would, because it makes $ense.

So after quoting Bob Plan F @ $187.39 per month and Plan G @ $157.35 per month … I said to Bob … “I always give folks the choice by showing them the price difference and let them make the decision … which plan do YOU think you should go with?” Without hesitation Bob blurted “Well I would be dumb to not go with Plan G!” Bob is a smart man. Over 90% of our customers go with Plan G, however if you are willing to give an insurance company $200-$400 in trade for $147, then we won’t mind helping you do that.

Medigap Continues to Grow

Recent studies shoe that Medicare Supplement, or Medigap, policies continue to grow in popularity. With over 10.5 million people enrolled in Medigap as of 12-31-2013, that represents a 3.8% growth over the previous year. People are also overwhelmingly satisfied with their Medigap coverage. 94% are satisfied with their coverage, 95% consider it a good value, and more than 9 out of 10 would recommend Medigap to their friends and family. You just don’t see that level of satisfaction with under 65 Health InsurancePlan F continues to be the most popular choice, with 52% of plans purchased. Plan G, our pick for best value, and Plan N are growing in market share. One of the only complaints a person can have with Medigap is the price. While rates do go up, you are always able to change to a new Medigap policy at any time. Medigap policies are not subject to the lock in period that Medicare Advantage has. If you are turning 65, or new to Medicare, give us a call at 877-740-8683, and we will help you find the best rate. If you have a current plan, and would like to make sure you have the lowest price, you can also call, or visit www.emedigap411.com , for a free personalized price comparison.

Medigap Plan G for the Future

For years we have beleived that Plan F was “the choice” for a Medicare Supplement, or Medigap, plan. There have been several changes in recent years, though,  that have made the Plan G Medigap policy more attractive. When Modernized Medicare Supplement plans were introduced in June 2010, that made the coverage gap narrower between the Plan F and Plan G. Now, the only difference between the two plans is that with Plan G you are responsible for your Part B Deductible. In 2012, the Part B Deductible was $140, and in 2013 it is $147. It really makes sense to choose Plan G, if there is ever an annual price difference that is greater than the Part B Deductible. Another factor that is becoming more important is Guaranteed Issue. In a Guaranteed Issue situation, an unhealthy person, with pre-existing conditions, can purchase a Plan F Medicare Supplement, but would have to qualify for a Plan G. That means there are potentially more sick people, with higher claims, enrolled in the Plan F. That has caused many carriers to have steep rate increases for their Plan F policies, while keeping the Plan G premiums more stable. The Affordable Care Act also spawned a recent move to either impose cost sharing on plans that have 1st dollar coverage, like the Plan F, or to place a surcharge on these plans. While these changes haven’t happened yet, we have encouraged our current Plan F customers, to look at changing to a Plan G. If you have a current Plan F Medicare Supplement, and are in good health, you owe it to yourself to take a look at the Plan G. We consider it the wave of the future.

For more information, or a free, no obligation quote, please visit www.emedigap411.com , or call 877-740-8683, to speak to a licensed agent.

Medicare Disability-Turning 65

We recently wrote about Medigap Policies for people on Medicare Disability. While some states have under 65 requirements, it is important to remember that each person, regardless of where they live, will have a new Open Enrollment Period the first month that they are both 65 and older, and on Medicare Part B. For people that were unable to get a Medicare Supplement when they were on Medicare Disability, this is a unique opportunity. Perhaps even more important, is the chance for people that had a Medigap Policy under 65 to get a fresh start. When people are fortunate enough to have a Medigap Policy while they are on Disability, the premiums are generally much higher than they would be for someone over age 65, and the plan choices are often limited to Plan A only. While the Plan A can be a good value for many people on Medicare Disability, a Plan F or Plan G provides many more benefits.  We were recently able to help one of our current Plan A customers obtain a Plan G, when they turned 65. While their Plan A policy had gone down in price at their 65th birthday, they were able to get the much better Plan G, for about the same price, without having to answer any Health Questions. If you or someone you know has been on Medicare Disability, please call 877-740-8683, or visit www.freedomfreequote.com , for more information on this important time period.

Medigap Plan F for Convenience

While we as an agency have been gravitating toward Plan G for our Medicare Supplement (or Medigap) customers, there is still a strong case to be made for the Plan F. For years the Plan F has been the most popular choice among seniors, for good reason. With Original Medicare and a Plan F Medicare Supplement, you have virtually no out-of-pocket costs for Medicare Services. There are no deductibles, no co-pays, and no co-insurance. It is a great feeling to know you can go to the doctor and walk out without paying a cent. You don’t even have to ask if the doctor accepts Assignment. As long as he accepts Medicare, you are good to go. There are also times that a Plan F Medigap policy is the best choice for a Guaranteed Issue situation. If you are the kind of person that really likes convenience, the Plan F may be the way to. To find out if you have the best price for your current Medicare Supplement, please give us a call at 877-740-8683, or visit www.emedigap411.com , for a no obligation comparison.