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AARP has released the average rate changes for 2013 in the State of New York.   This includes rate increases for current and grandfathered plans such as Plan J supplement.  Rates have been maintained well by AARP/United Healthcare which has resulted in very low increases for some plans and no increases for others.   AARP Rates 2013 New York

Medicare Supplement plans are standardized in New York which means that there are no variations in benefits in a supplement regardless of the company offering it.  The only difference is the premium of the plan.  If a consumer is looking to purchase a plan F supplement, the only thing they need to be concerned with is the price.  The benefits are identical from company to company.

I would like to dispel some common misconceptions with Medicare supplement plans (Also called Medigap) Medicare supplement plans DO NOT have a network.  You may go to any doctor that accepts Medicare.   Medicare supplement do not have drug coverage, you need to purchase a part D plan in order to obtain drug coverage.   Medicare Supplements are secondary to Medicare.  When you go to the doctor or hospital, you show them your original Medicare card and that is what they will bill.  The supplement will pick up the costs that original Medicare does not cover.  There is not any Medical underwriting in the state of Connecticut if you are turning 65 or if you have had continuous coverage for a retirement plan, a different supplement or a Medicare Advantage plan.

Please feel free to call or email with any questions.

AARP has released the average rate changes for 2013 in the State of New York.   This includes rate increases for current and grandfathered plans such as Plan J supplement.  Rates have been maintained well by AARP/United Healthcare which has resulted in very low increases for some plans and no increases for others.   AARP Rates 2013 New York

Medicare Supplement plans are standardized in New York which means that there are no variations in benefits in a supplement regardless of the company offering it.  The only difference is the premium of the plan.  If a consumer is looking to purchase a plan F supplement, the only thing they need to be concerned with is the price.  The benefits are identical from company to company.

I would like to dispel some common misconceptions with Medicare supplement plans (Also called Medigap) Medicare supplement plans DO NOT have a network.  You may go to any doctor that accepts Medicare.   Medicare supplement do not have drug coverage, you need to purchase a part D plan in order to obtain drug coverage.   Medicare Supplements are secondary to Medicare.  When you go to the doctor or hospital, you show them your original Medicare card and that is what they will bill.  The supplement will pick up the costs that original Medicare does not cover.  There is not any Medical underwriting in the state of Connecticut if you are turning 65 or if you have had continuous coverage for a retirement plan, a different supplement or a Medicare Advantage plan.

Please feel free to call or email with any questions.

AARP has released the average rate changes for 2013 in the State of Connecticut.   This includes rate increases for current and grandfathered plans such as Plan J supplement.  Rates have been maintained well by AARP/United Healthcare which has resulted in very low increases for some plans and no increases for others. AARP Rates 2013 Connecticut

Medicare Supplement plans are standardized in Connecticut which means that there are no variations in benefits in a supplement regardless of the company offering it.  The only difference is the premium of the plan.  If a consumer is looking to purchase a plan F supplement, the only thing they need to be concerned with is the price.  The benefits are identical from company to company.

I would like to dispel some common misconceptions with Medicare supplement plans (Also called Medigap) Medicare supplement plans DO NOT have a network.  You may go to any doctor that accepts Medicare.   Medicare supplement do not have drug coverage, you need to purchase a part D plan in order to obtain drug coverage.   Medicare Supplements are secondary to Medicare.  When you go to the doctor or hospital, you show them your original Medicare card and that is what they will bill.  The supplement will pick up the costs that original Medicare does not cover.  There is not any Medical underwriting in the state of Connecticut if you are turning 65 or if you have had continuous coverage for a retirement plan, a different supplement or a Medicare Advantage plan.

Please feel free to call or email with any questions.

The high F Medicare supplement plan is not well understood by consumers and insurance brokers.  In the state of Connecticut this is a shame because if  people did understand it well, about 90% of those with a Medicare Supplement plan would have it.

The plan is priced tremendously well in CT at $35.00 a month.  With this price point, the math on the High F plan comes out better than the math on any other supplement including the AARP Plan F supplement priced at $214 a month.

Here is how High Deductible F works-(This is a very simplified version but you will get the point):   Medicare Part A covers hospital costs after a $1,200 deductible and Medicare Part B covers 80% of doctors and testing costs.  The anthem High F, will cover 100% of costs once a consumer spends $2,070. out of pocket in a year.  At $35 a month, the math can not be beat.  Try the math versus any other Medicare Supplement plan on the market and see how it comes out.    Keep in mind that only 1% of Medicare consumers with a high deductible F plan every actually hit their deductible.

There are very few situations when a person should have a Medicare supplement plan other than Anthem High F supplement in Connecticut.  Unfortunately,a lack of understanding from Medicare recipients and the low commission paid to brokers will limit the number of people that have this plan

Medicare supplement plan benefit are standardized in NY. This list shows all the plans offering plans in NY for 2012 and the rates for them. Please note that rates change by region. Supplements do not have Networks which means you can go to any doctor or facility that takes medicare. The company offering the supplement does not make a difference as benefits are standardized. The only difference is in the price they are charging for the supplement plan.

If you have additional questions or need benefit summaries and applications please contact Edward Crowe at Edward@Croweandassociates.com or by phone at 203-796-5403.

Medicare Supplement Rates NY 2012

Medicare Supplement plans are standardized in Connecticut which makes comparing plans very easy. The link below contains the standardized plans for 2012. This represents all companies offering Medicare Supplement plans in Connecticut for 2012.

If you have questions about which supplement to choose or need additional information of any type, you may contact Edward Crowe at Edward@croweandassociates.com or by phone at 203-796-5403.

Medicare Supplement rates CT 2012

People that are about to turn 65 or are newly eligible for Medicare have choices about how they want to cover the gaps in Medicare. They can go with a Medicare Supplement plan, an Advantage plan, a part D plan or just Medicare A and B. This guide provides the basics on Medicare and the coverage choices available.

It may seem confusing at first but choosing the right option is not that difficult once you have a basic understanding of the programs. The attached document will certainly be a good start.

For more specific questions or information needs please email Edward Crowe at Edward@Croweandassociates.com or call at 203-796-5403.

Medicare Buyers Guide EC

If you are turning 65 or have recently become Medicare eligible, you have choices to make. Medicare and your choice of coverage does not need to be complicated. The link below contains a quick guide which will provide the basics of Medicare and explain the choices to make.

The guide is a basic overview but will clearly tell you the options available. Contact information is provided in the guide. You are welcome to call or email with any specific questions.

Medicare Buyers Guide EC

Getting a Medicare Supplement plan is difficult for someone on  under age 65 that is medicare eligible due disability.  Most of the supplement plans available are only offered to those on Medicare at age 65 and older.   Although the options are limited there are still some good choices.

If you are on Medicare A and B and under the age of 65 you can still obtain an Anthem Plan A supplement for about $190.00 a month.  The plan covers basic benefits and the 20% part B coinsurance.  It does not cover the hospital deductible however. Even without the Part A hospital deductible covered, this is a legitimate plan offering strong coverage.

United/AARP will offer plans to those under age 65 as well but only down to age 50. For those on Medicare age 50 to age 64, AARP will offer plan A, B and C.   Plan A has the exact same benefits as the Anthem plan A discussed above.  Plan B covers the same thing as plan A supplement but also will cover the Hospital Part A deductible.  Plan C covers Basic benefits, 20% coinsurance, Part A and B deductibles and skilled nursing facility.  With the extra coverage comes additional cost as plan C with AARP costs over $230.00 a month

For an Anthem BCBS Plan A supplement summary of benefits click here

For an Anthem BCBS Plan A supplement Application, click here

For an AARP Plan A-C application click here

For an AARP plan A-C summary of benefits click here

Applications may be printed out and sent into Anthem or United HealthCare directly or they may be sent to Crowe & Associates for processing. Crowe & Associates will review applications to ensure they are complete prior to submission to United HealthCare. Applications can be sent to Crowe & Associates by the following methods

Fax- (203)-567-6235

Email- Edward@CroweandAssociates.com

Mail- Crowe & Associates, 155 Main Street, Suite 205 Danbury, CT 06810

Additonal questions may be emailed to Edward Crowe at Edward@CroweandAssociates.com or by phone at (203)-796-5403

People choose medicare supplement plans for a variety of reasons.  Some people choose them based on the name of the company offering them, advice from family or neighbors, and advertising on TV. Others may go with advice from a local senior center or simply go with a Plan F because it offers the most coverage.  Whatever the reasons may be, they are usually not enrolling in the most financially sound option.

High Deductible plan F should be the choice for any  person over the age of 65 taking a Medicare Supplement Plan. ( I say over 65 because it is not usually available to those on Medicare under the age of 65) High deductible F is not as easy to understand as the more popular options such as Plan F,C,D or even plan N.  However, if people did take the time to understand the plan, they would see that it is by far the best option from a mathematical standpoint.

Plan F High Deductible works in the following manner:  It will cover the Medicare co insurance and cost share once a person spends $2,000 in any given year.  In general, this means that when a person goes to the doctor, Medicare will pay 80% of allowable charges and the patient will pay the 20% left over.  It works the same way with other services such as testing and physical therapy.  If they go to the hospital, they will pay the hospital deductible and then Medicare will pick up the rest.  If these expenses add up to $2,000 in any given year, the high deductible F plan will pick up the remaining charges just like a normal Plan F does from the start.

The reason that high F makes so much sense is the math.  In Connecticut, high F costs $33.06  a month.  The lowest cost standard Plan F is $214.50 a month.  Plan F covers all medical costs (Medicare allowable) so there is no out of pocket expense, but the premium totals up to $2,574.00 a year.  Even if someone uses little or no services for the year, they will still pay this amount.   High F has a total cost of  $396.72  annual premium ($33.06 x 12 months) and a max out of pocket of $2,000 for a total of $2,396.70.  The worst case scenario leaves the person with High F saving $177.00 for the year.

The reality is that few people experience the worst case scenario.  Very few will actually hit the $2,000 deductible for the year. Some estimates show that only 5% of people accumulate over $2,000 of utilization.  There are a number of sources that estimate how much the average senior actually accrues in part A and B coinsurance and deductibles for the year but the average seems to show it is about $900 a year. Given this estimate, the average senior would save about $1,277.00 a year on plan F high deductible.   If they have a very healthy year, they will save even more.  If they have a catastrophically bad year, they will only save $177 but there is no risk involved.  At the end of the day, they will save money period.

Due to a general lack of understanding, High F will never be as popular as plan F but it should be the overwhelming choice for anyone in a supplement.  The math behind it is undeniable.

Anthem Medicare Supplement Summary of Benefits

Anthem Medicare Supplement Application CT 2012 

Applications may be printed out and sent into United HealthCare directly or they may be sent to Crowe & Associates for processing. Crowe & Associates will review applications to ensure they are complete prior to submission to United HealthCare. Applications can be sent to Crowe & Associates by the following methods

Fax- (203)-567-6235

Email- Edward@CroweandAssociates.com

Mail- Crowe & Associates, 155 Main Street, Suite 205 Danbury, CT 06810

Additonal questions may be emailed to Edward Crowe at Edward@CroweandAssociates.com or by phone at (203)-796-5403