pb4uski
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
I'm impressed by Boomer Benefits as well and don't want to pick nits, but to be clear, they are NOT an insurance company.... they are an insurance agency.
Medigap Questions
- Thread starter joesxm3
- Start date
I'm impressed by Boomer Benefits as well and don't want to pick nits, but to be clear, they are NOT an insurance company.... they are an insurance agency.
I was referring to California, which was what was quoted in the comment.
I think it's interesting that you can get a plan G supplement in CA for less than the one I am looking at in Michigan. I would think that the ability to switch would have a negative impact on costs. I am hesitant to count on insurance companies that currently allow switching w/o underwriting.
The extra cost for G is small for me. I am looking at this an an irrevocable choice. I am currently helping an octogenarian with bill paying with her Advantage plan. Although pretty sharp she finds the co-pays baffling. The providers don't help by failing to post payments and billing her before the insurance payment is received (i.e. guessing at her copay.) One deductible and done would be easier for her at this point. I understand why some people prefer N.
The extra cost for G is small for me. I am looking at this an an irrevocable choice. I am currently helping an octogenarian with bill paying with her Advantage plan. Although pretty sharp she finds the co-pays baffling. The providers don't help by failing to post payments and billing her before the insurance payment is received (i.e. guessing at her copay.) One deductible and done would be easier for her at this point. I understand why some people prefer N.
harllee
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Why is it some states allow a person to switch Medicare supplements without underwriting and others do not? I am in NC which requires underwriting to switch plans and I was wondering how to get that rule changed here in NC. Would it require legislation or could it be done through the NC Health Insurance Dept?
I would imagine legislation.
FWIW I stumbled across a page about high cost medigap states that explains some of the reasons https://www.medicarefaq.com/faqs/most-expensive-states-for-medigap/
Doesn't seem very well researched. California definitely doesn't have sky high Medigap rates for 65 year olds.
Moving to another state ... triggers underwriting?
My (birth month-3) is March 2022, so I've been doing research (ie, hours reading the numerous informative threads here) and have decided my most likely course is:
What is not clear is whether that change -- from Medigap Plan G in state #1 to Medigap Plan G in state #2 -- will trigger underwriting in state #2, even if I have had continuous Plan G coverage from the get-go.
I've asked a couple of Medicare specialist agents in Texas: one said "triggers underwriting" and the other said not ....
Has anyone here had experience with changing states while enrolled in Medigap?
My (birth month-3) is March 2022, so I've been doing research (ie, hours reading the numerous informative threads here) and have decided my most likely course is:
- Plan G (I don't use much medical care, I want to keep things simple for my dotage, and I travel all over the US)
- Plan D (my last Rx was a decade ago, so I'll find the cheapest plan to tick the initial enrollment box)
What is not clear is whether that change -- from Medigap Plan G in state #1 to Medigap Plan G in state #2 -- will trigger underwriting in state #2, even if I have had continuous Plan G coverage from the get-go.
I've asked a couple of Medicare specialist agents in Texas: one said "triggers underwriting" and the other said not ....
Has anyone here had experience with changing states while enrolled in Medigap?
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audreyh1
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
No, you keep your old Medigap plan when you move. No underwriting required.
REWahoo
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give
I think that is true when moving to the vast majority of states, but there are a handful that don't use the standard alphabet soup list of supplements, creating their own specialized plans - Minnesota is an example. Moving there you would probably have to change to one of their plans, but would not have to go through underwriting.
Not sure what other states have similar specialize supplements, but there aren't many who do.
EDIT:
FWIW, here is what Medicare.gov says about the subject:
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It's not specific to age 65. Do you have a better list? It seems like there would be one on the web.
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it's up to each state to provide numbers. Some are not so easy to find. California's are easily available.
I think the others are available as well. Most comparison lists show CA as expensive but since you can change to a lower cost plan in CA why would you care about the average
CRLLS
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
To add to the confusion, in some states some companies also offer a "Medigap SELECT" policies which have the same letter designations but has "in network" providers. For a lower premium than the standard of course. From medicare.gov:
I would guess that if a person chooses a Medigap select policy the network might end at the state line. I have no experience with them other than seeing them when signing up a few years back. I chose not to be limited to an insurance company's list of Hospitals and/or Drs. Been there, done that when I was on ACA.
I would guess that if a person chooses a Medigap select policy the network might end at the state line. I have no experience with them other than seeing them when signing up a few years back. I chose not to be limited to an insurance company's list of Hospitals and/or Drs. Been there, done that when I was on ACA.
For Hawaii and Arizona, i could only see a list of providers, but not prices, although one can fidn some using automated broker sites like ehealthmedicare, I don't think it will show every provider though.
It's unfortunate that Medicare.gov doesn't show such info, only the range for each plan in a given zip code.
Indeed - I would hope people don't cheap out on those SELECT plans. Seems to have major long term consequences.
buzzro
Confused about dryer sheets
Rate Increases?
Can anyone give an example of the rate increases they've experienced over the years? Its impossible to guesstimate the future without some historical data and in todays world that might even prove irrelevant.
Can anyone give an example of the rate increases they've experienced over the years? Its impossible to guesstimate the future without some historical data and in todays world that might even prove irrelevant.
CardsFan
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
DW and I have only been on Medicare just over a year. First rate increase was 2.5%, or $7.21, for both of us (UHC/AARP plan G)
harllee
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
My DH and I have a G plans. I am with AARP/UHC and my rate increases have been low--maybe 3-5% per year for the last 5 years. DH is with Mutual of Omaha and to start with he had about 3% increases but last year had a 30% increase. DH tried to switch to AARP/UHC but was declined due to his health.
Cat-tirement
Recycles dryer sheets
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2013
- Messages
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MIL has been with Omaha plan G for 5 years. Similar experience, initial increases were relatively low, but last two years have been around 15% and 18% increase. No complaints about their service, but I'm shopping around for cheaper companies for her.
buzzro
Confused about dryer sheets
Increases
UHC being issue aged looks like it proves to be more stable but the numbers I'm seeing for it are so much higher that it seems like it would take years for the other premiums to catch up. I was quoted $116.45 for G from USAA which is age attained compared to $204.49 for the AARP/UHC G. That's almost double. I tried to do some estimated inreases over several years using what I thought would be a reasonable % but I had no idea it might increase as much as 30% in 1 year. How are we supposed to predict the future.
They scare you into thinking you better choose right the first time because you may not be able to change down the road.
UHC being issue aged looks like it proves to be more stable but the numbers I'm seeing for it are so much higher that it seems like it would take years for the other premiums to catch up. I was quoted $116.45 for G from USAA which is age attained compared to $204.49 for the AARP/UHC G. That's almost double. I tried to do some estimated inreases over several years using what I thought would be a reasonable % but I had no idea it might increase as much as 30% in 1 year. How are we supposed to predict the future.
They scare you into thinking you better choose right the first time because you may not be able to change down the road.
harllee
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Wow, that"s a big difference. For me the UHC was closer in price to start off with compared to Mutual of Omaha and then became much cheaper than MofO over the years. If I remember correctly, when I switched to UHC plan G at age 67 the monthly premium was $105 here in NC. At the same time Mutual of Omaha plan G was about $150.
fosterscik
Full time employment: Posting here.
Are you sure you are using the age 65 rates for AARP/UHC G?
I'm in TN and the UHC g rate for an 81 y.o. male is $208, but discounted to $127 when 65 - much closer to your USAA number.
