Medicare Supplemental Insurance Options:

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Medicare Supplements

For the first time ever, everyone with Medicare, regardless of income, health status, or prescription drug usage, will have access to prescription drug coverage. The new coverage begins on January 1, 2006. Enrollment doesn't begin until November 15th.

Medicare Part D information - Click here for more information

Medicare Supplements (Medigap Policies) are available through out the State of Washington. Not all plans are available in all areas.

In Western Washington we offer Regence BlueShield, Premera BlueCross, KPS Health Plans. Medicare Advantage Plans are available in King, Pierce, Lewis, Thurston and Cowlitz counties from PacifiCare Secure Horizons and Options Plus from HealthNet in Clark County.

In Eastern Washington we offer Premera BlueCross, Asuris Health Northwest.

In Clark County we offer Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon and KPS Health Plans. Medicare Plus-Choice Plans are available in Clark county from PacifiCare Secure Horizons and HealthNet Options Plus.

MediGap Plans

• KPS Health Plans
• Regence BlueShield
• Premera Blue Cross
• Asuris Health Northwest
• Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon (Clark County only)
• Humana

Medicare Advantage Plans

• PacifiCare Secure Horizons
• HealthNet Options Plus (Clark County only)
  

Medicare supplement coverage can be sold in only ten standard plans. We feel that the best care is received when you have your choice of Doctors, and you and your Doctor make your medical decisions. Medicare Advantage Plans are also available. Medicare Supplements are available with no medical underwriting during your open enrollment period. This is the 6 months before and 6 months after your 65th birthday. The only other time for open enrollment is if you are disabled and put onto Medicare. Then the 6 months after going onto Medicare is an open enrollment period. You may however, apply to a company and fill out the medical underwriting questions after open enrollment.

Medicare Supplemental Insurance (Medigap) is specifically designed to supplement Medicare's benefits and is regulated by federal and state law, It must be clearly identified as Medicare supplemental insurance and it must provide specific benefits that help fill the gaps in your Medicare coverage. Other kinds of insurance may help you with out-of-pocket health care costs but they do not qualify as Medigap plans.

Standard Medigap Plans: To make it easier for you to compare Medigap insurance policies, all states (except Minnesota, Massachusetts and Wisconsin), U.S. territories and the District of Columbia limit the number of different Medigap policies that can be sold in any of those jurisdictions to no more than 10 standard Medigap plans. The plans were developed by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and incorporated into state and federal law. They have letter designations ranging from "A" through "J," with Plan A being the "basic" benefit package. Each of the other 9 plans includes the basic package plus a different combination of additional benefits. Plan J provides the most coverage of all the plans. The plans cover specific expenses either not covered or not fully covered by Medicare. Insurance companies are not permitted to change the combination of benefits or the letter designations of any of the plans.

There are only a few companies, in Washington, which offer Medicare Supplement Insurance Products. We offer the Traditional 10 plans as outlined in the Federal Medicare Brochure. The majority of our clients prefer the "F" plan.

The Traditional plans range in price from approximately $130 to $260 per month. The plans are the same, the difference is, the company behind them and the premium that they charge. The most expensive are not always the best. The rates have to do with reserves vs. claims from the prior 2 years.

Plan A provides coverage for basic benefits. This plan is available to Medicare-eligible people, including by reason of disability
Plan C adds coverage for skilled nursing, deductibles and foreign travel emergency
Plan F covers all that Plans A and C do plus 100% of Part B Excess
Plan I covers all that A, C and F do, with the exception of the Part B deductible, but adds preventive care.
Plan J covers all that I does, plus the Part B deductible.

What is Medicare?

Medicare is a national health insurance program for people 65 years of age and older, certain younger disabled people and people with permanent kidney failure. Medicare is run by the Health Care Financing Administration. The Social Security Administration helps HCFA by enrolling people in Medicare and by collecting Medicare premiums.

Medicare is divided into two parts: Hospital Insurance (Part A) and Medical Insurance (Part B). Part A helps pay for care in a hospital, skilled nursing facility, some home health care, and hospice care. Part B helps pay for doctor bills, outpatient hospital care and other medical services not covered by Part A. Your Medicare card shows the Medicare coverage you have--Hospital Insurance (Part A), Medical Insurance (Part B), or both--and the date your coverage started.

Enrollment in Medicare is handled in two ways: either you are automatically enrolled or you must apply. If you are getting Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board benefits before you turn 65, you are automatically enrolled and your Medicare card will be mailed to you about three months before your 65th birthday. If you are not receiving retirement benefits, you must apply by contacting a Social Security Administration office or, if appropriate, the Railroad Retirement Board. You should apply three months before your 65th birthday to avoid a possible delay in the start of your coverage. If you have been a disabled beneficiary under Social Security or Railroad Retirement for 24 months, you will automatically get a Medicare card in the mail.