Are you enrolled in Medigap? Do you turn 65 soon and know you will be applying for Medicare and enrolling in a Medigap policy? If so it is important to note that two of the most popular Medicare Supplemental Plans will no longer be available to enroll in. Medigap Plans F and Plans C are being discontinued as an enrollment option as of 2020.
Medigap insurance is purchased to cover the medical expenses that are not covered under Original Medicare. Believe it or not Medicare Insurance doesn’t cover 100% of copayments or deductibles and also has limitations to what it will cover. Private insurance companies offer Medigap plans, also known as Medicare Supplemental Insurance Plans, were created to fill in these voids. Currently in 2018 there are 10 different Medigap plans available. Each of the ten plans offers a different combination of insurance benefits. This allows participants to decide the combination of benefits that is right for their health needs and budget.
Two Most Popular Plans
Medigap Plans F and Plan C remain the most popular plans offered because they both cover the full deductible of Medicare Part B. This means that if enrollees participate in Medigap Plan F or C they do not have to pay the Medicare Part B deductible. In fact, Medigap Plan F is the most complete Medigap coverage available to participants including: doctors fees, medical tests, and hospital fees. Medigap Plan C is very similar to Plan F however does not cover extra fees that doctors charge over what Medicare allows. These two plans, Medigap Plan F and Medigap Plan C are the most enrolled in plans available, more than 53% of enrollees have coverage under one of these two plans.
Litigation was passed by Congress in 2015 that states in 2020 private Medigap insurers are no longer going to be allowed to offer any Medigap plans that cover the Original Medicare Part B deductible. Participants that enroll in either Medigap Plans F or C will be allowed to keep their coverage for the rest of their lives, but no new enrollees will be allowed to enroll in either of these plans. Critics believe Medigap Plan F makes it too easy for Medicare enrollees to see a doctor without considering the cost.
The Future Of these Two Plans
For participants that are able to enroll in Medigap Plan F and Plan C before they no longer exist may seem like a no brainer. While it appears that you would want to lock in the coverage while you still can participants should note that premiums could increase over time as there would be no new enrollees. This occurs because the participants enrolled in these plans will continue to age without the younger, healthier participants enrolling to offset the expense. As premiums rise participants enrolled in these Medigap plans may no longer be able to afford to stay enrolled.
Choosing a Medigap plan is crucial as it is difficult to switch once you are enrolled. During your open enrollment plan, companies cannot consider pre-existing conditions in deny coverage or set the costs of premiums. After this six-month period which begins on the 1st day of the month you turn 65 because there is not a guarantee that you won’t be charged more based on your health.
While Medigap Plans F and Plans C are being phased out there are still an abundance of Medigap coverage to choose from when picking a plan that will help participants fill in the health care gaps left from Original Medicare.
The experts at eMedigap Plans, powered by Omega, have all the answers you are looking for when it comes to your Medigap Supplemental Insurance needs. More information can be found at http://emedigap-plans.com.