Medicare Supplements in Connecticut

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   ●  If only original Medicare is used when going to a MD or other outpatient provider they would just be paid 80% for their services!  Thus, you pay 20%. 

   ●  To avoid this buy a Supplement. Taking action means your plan will pay MDs and other treatment or service providers the part of their "fee" MediCare did not pay! 

How they work: 

   ● The MediCare system reviews all medical treatment and services and "assigns" an amount * * to pay for each! 

     **  Discounted, often deeply, from retail! 

   ● MDs and other providers who sign up to participate with MediCare agree to accept just 80% the approved amount. This requirement is called accept "assignment".

  ● Receive any Outpatient treatment or service — MediCare sends a quarterly statement which will indicate the amount for the 20% you have to pay the provider.

    Note:Original MediCare has an annual deductible on all Part B services, which has to be paid at he beginning of each year. It's $233 during 2022.

   ● Are "admitted" to a hospital  — MediCare coverage when an inpatient is quite good! The approved amount for all medically necessary treatment & services is paid — you just pay Part A's deductible, which is  $1,556 in 2022, each time you are admitted. 

    Bottom line — if you have to pay 20% of the many outpatient treatments you might receive it could quickly be a Big Risk to income & savings! 

   ● Buying protects you from spending income & savings to pay what MediCare did not! 

   ● Your Supplement company:

       - >  Works with MediCare's system and pays providers for you the part of the outpatient treatment or service invoices MediCare did not pay. 

             Note: The amount the company pays and what you pay varies based on coverage in the Supplement you select. For example, in Plan N you pay a $20 co-pay for each MD office visit.

       - > Pays Part A's deductible each time "admitted to a hospital.

   ● Will be able, when needed, to see any provider here in CT or in another state who accepts MediCare. The is important to many

   ● Will no longer pay 20% of a lot of treatment bills coming in the mail following unexpected medical situations! 

   ● Now have a company to pay providers for you thus protecting your income & savings!.  

      [Supplements are often called MediGap Plans.] 

Note: 9 out of 10 people with a Medicare Supplement say they are happy! 

   ● When you go to a MD's office or other provider you show them your Supplement plan ID card and Medicare ID card. They usually scan them. 

   ● The provider submits their charges for your treatment/service to a MediCare claims administrator. 

   ● Your Supplement company can access your expenses in the Medicare claim administrator's system based on the approval provided in your plan's application. 

        -> the company then pays your provider, based on coverage in your plan, the part MediCare did not.

   ● The Supplement company sends an explanation of their payments, which shows the amount to pay a provider.  

Notes: 

   # 1 -Medical treatment providers often send an invoices right after your visit. Do not pay the amount on provider invoices. Wait to see the actual amount you are responsible for, if any, on the statement from your supplement ccomapny.

    # 2 - When making an appointment with a new provider, whether in CT or any state, tell them you have MediCare. Providers do not have to know what Supplement company you have. Nor, since they accept MediCare, can they say they do not take plans from your Supplement company.

No!  Supplements were developed to pay the 20% of MediCare's allowed amount for any treatment and service determined to be medically necessary. 

   Bottom line: If MediCare pays the supplement plan will pay.

The Supplement plan pays the provider, based on your plans coverage. For example, in Plan G & Plan N they do not pay Part B's deductible at the beginning of each year. It's $233 in 2022. 

 ● Federal regulations authorized the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) to develop the coverage in each Supplement plan. 

●  When initially developed plans were given "lettered' names". A has the least coverage, B, C. etc. have more. 

      [Confusing since the parts of MediCare also have letter names. ] 

 ● Over time the NAIC has made coverage updates. In 2010 several coverage changes were made.

● Federal regulations instruct each state legislative body to approve the plan coverage the NAIC recommends. This means coverage in a specific letter Supplements in CT will generally be the same as that lettered plan in most states. 

 ● State legislature's generally incorporate NAIC coverage recommendation in their legislature regulations. They do however add their specific eligibility requirements. 

   Note: CT is one of a few states that does not use medically underwriting at 65 or older.

● In 2019 federal regulation restricted the availability, to certain individuals, of any plan with full coverage of Part B's annual deductible: 

     ->  Anyone who turned 65 in January 2020 or after, called newly eligible, can not buy a plan, which pays Part B's deductible, such as Plan F. 

     Note: Individuals who were 65, prior to Jan. 2020, are not restricted. 

Here in Connecticut state legislation and regulations authorized the CT Insurance Dept. (CID) to ensure all Supplement companies: 

●  Offering Supplements follow the following state and CID requirements: 

     -> a person enrolling, whether male or female who is 65 or 95, will be charged the same monthly cost.

     -> any offered plan is available to individuals living in any CT County.

     -> questions about a person's health history can not be asked.

     -> proposed monthly increases are submitted to the CID.  When approved, increases become effective. Often January 1st.

     Note: Communications about Medicare Supplements from CID, on Medicare.gov, and from federal agencies often refers to them as MediGap plans.

●  Must offer at least Plan A to under age 65 individuals who qualified for Social Security disability after 24 months and become eligible for MediCare.

●  Permit individuals who sign up for a Medicare Supplement to: 

     -> receive their new coverage the 1st of the next month after applying.

     -> be able to change (normally) to another plan with their company at any time or to another company. 

Note - Coverage in any specific lettered plan in CT from any company is the same  - but: 

      ->  the monthly cost a company charges for a plan can vary considerably from what another company charges for that same plan .

   ● First  —   Plan N - One companies N is over $100 a month less than their full coverage Plan F.  

     Why is N less?  You share, with the supplement company, in paying the provider the 20% MediCare did not pay for treatment by paying Plan N's:

       -> Part B's annual deductible  [$233 for 2022];  

       -> a $20 co-pay for each MD office visit; 

       -> a $50 co-pay if any emergency room visits.

   ● Second  —   High Deductible (HD) Plans. HD Plan F & HD Plan G are only available from a few companies in CT.  How are they are the lowest monthly cost Supplements?

       -> Coverage is the same as Plan F or G but you pay the first $2,490 (deductible for 2022) of any Part B medical treatment or services received each calendar year. 

       -> Any additional Part B medical related expenses are paid by he company.

       -> High deductible plans are a good option for someone who was using a high deductible plan when under 65.

   ● Note:  High F is not available to newly eligible individuals [65 in Jan 2020 or later]  However, they can buy the new HD Plan G with the same deductible.