Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement Comparison Connecticut

Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement Comparison Connecticut

In this post we will give you Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement Comparison Connecticut.  Medicare Advantage plans and Medicare Supplement plans (also called Medigap plans) are very different.  There are positives and negatives of each depending on an individuals medical needs.  This post will provide a description of both and compare them in order to make an educated decision when choosing a plan.  The plans outlined in this post are applicable to Connecticut and may not be available in other states.

Medicare Advantage Plans  (CLICK HERE FOR MEDICARE ADVANTAGE APPLICATIONS)

Medicare Advantage Plans are offered by private insurance companies.   They offer medical and Rx benefits in one plan and act as the primary insurance instead of original Medicare.  There are 5 companies offering Medicare Advantage plans in Connecticut.  The companies are Connecticare, United Healthcare (with and without AARP logo), Aetna, Anthem BCBS and Wellcare.

Positives:

• Many have $0 monthly premium.   You will still pay your part B premium to Medicare however.
• They include the medical and Rx benefit in one package.  You do not need/cannot purchase a separate Part D Rx drug plan when you have a Medicare Advantage plan.  The Medicare Advantage plans include the Part D Rx coverage in the benefits.
• Extra benefits- some Medicare Advantage Plans provide for extra benefits such as dental, visions, podiatry visits, gym memberships, etc….

Negatives:

• Medicare Advantage plans have networks. Since the Advantage plan is your primary insurance, the provider must be in network in order for his servicesnto be covered by the plan. There are a limited number of Medicare Advantage Plans in Ct that provide out of network coverage as well.
• Copays-  You do not pay a monthly premium with Advantage plans but you do pay copays for medical services such as doctors visits, lab work, inpatient stays, etc….
• The last negative is that Medicare Advantage plans are able to make benefit changes every January.  This means that they may have a major increase in co-pays and cost share on renewal in January.  You are able to make a plan change every January.  Although, you cannot change your plan after February 14th.

CLICK HERE IF YOU WANT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ADVANTAGE PLANS

CLICK HERE FOR MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLAN APPLICATIONS

Medicare Supplements (Also called Medigap Plans)    (CLICK HERE FOR SUPPLEMENT APPLICATIONS)

Medicare Supplement plans are secondary to Original Medicare.  When someone purchases a supplement, the provider will bill Medicare first and then the supplement will cover a portion or all (depending on the supplement you choose) of the remaining costs.  Medicare Supplement plans cover Medical services only and do not include Rx coverage.  Those that want Rx coverage purchase a stand along Part D drug plan.   Supplements are standardized in Connecticut.  This means that there is no variance in benefits from insurance carrier to insurance carrier.  In Connecticut there are 10 supplement plan options with plans F, N and L being the most popular.

Due to the fact that the benefits are standardized, purchasing a supplement usually comes down to who has the best rates.   Currently in Connecticut the United Healthcare AARP branded Medicare Supplements have a large rate advantage over all the other companies.   In other words, it really doesn’t make sense to purchase a Medicare supplement through a different company.

Positives:

• Medicare Supplement plans are secondary to Medicare.  This allows you to see any doctor that accepts Medicare.  There is not a network to follow.  As a result, Medicare supplements are very convenient for people that travel.
• You can determine how much coverage you want. For example, if you want 100% medical coverage, Plan F supplement would provide it or for 75% coverage you could use a plan L.
• Medicare supplement do not have prior authorization requirements

Negatives:

• Medicare Supplement plans have monthly premiums in addition to the Part B premium.  For example, the lowest cost plan F in Connecticut is $220 a month.  (cost is per person)
• Medicare Supplements do not include Rx coverage.  You must purchase Rx coverage separately with a Part D Rx plan.  Part D plans range in monthly price from $14 a month to $100 a month depending on the plan chosen.
• Medicare Supplements will only cover a procedure that is covered by Original Medicare.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MEDICARE SUPPLEMENTS

 FOR MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT APPLICATIONS – CLICK HERE

Please contact us if you have any questions.  You can either call Crowe and Associates at 203 796 5403 or email  us at Edward@Croweandassociates.com.