Best medicare supplement plans in florida 2022

Summary:

Original Medicare in Florida, Part A and Part B, come with costs to you – like deductibles, copays or coinsurance. A Medicare Supplement insurance plan can pay some of these out-of-pocket costs.

Looking for a Medicare Supplement insurance plan in Florida? Also known as Medigap insurance, these plans help pay the difference between what Original Medicare covers and your out-of-pocket expenses. Medicare Supplement insurance may cover costs like deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance.

Quick Tips On Florida Medicare Supplement Insurance

Florida Medicare Supplement insurance plans are offered by private insurance companies. They are designed to cover some of the out-of-pocket expenses that Original Medicare (Medicare Parts A and B) does not.

Benefits offered by Medigap policies in Florida are the same across insurance companies. However, prices vary from carrier to carrier. As such, it’s quite important to compare prices when purchasing a Medicare Supplement insurance plan in FL.

It’s all about the Open Enrollment Period for Medigap. After you turn 65 and are enrolled in Medicare Part B, you have six months to enroll in a Medicare Supplement insurance plan. If you enroll during this six month window, the insurance company cannot refuse to cover you. However, if you have a pre-existing condition*, the insurance company may make you wait up to six months for coverage for your pre-existing condition* to begin (although your coverage through Original Medicare will be in effect).

What is the difference between Medicare Advantage and Medigap Insurance?

When it comes to comparing the two forms of Medicare coverage the best place to start is by comparing coverage between the two:

Primary Care Physicians and Hospitals:

• Medicare Advantage – Often Members are encouraged to use doctors and hospitals that are in network
• Medigap – Members often have the freedom to choose which doctors and hospitals they use

Specialist Referrals:

• Medicare Advantage – When seeing a specialist, members often may be required to first receive referrals
• Medigap – Members are not often prompted to receive referrals before seeing specialists

Enrollment and Signing Up:

• Medicare Advantage – Allotted enrollment periods for members to begin or switch plans. Preexisting health conditions do not factor into this process.
• Medigap – Once a prospective Medicare beneficiary becomes eligible at age 65, they can apply for coverage at any time. If the member is enrolling during the Open Enrollment Period, they will qualify for the best premiums and like Medicare Advantage, preexisting health conditions do not factor in.

Out of Pocket Costs:

• Medicare Advantage – While members must pay Part B premiums, there are options for $0 monthly plans. These plans involve copays, coinsurance and deductibles to establish and out-of-pocket limit.
• Medigap – Like Medicare Advantage, this requires that members pay Part B premiums, and involves copays, coinsurance and deductibles to establish and out-of-pocket limits.

Prescription Drug Coverage:

• Medicare Advantage – Most plans include Prescription Drug Coverage.
• Medigap – Plans do not include prescription drug coverage, and there are many options to purchase stand-alone Medicare Part D Prescription Drug coverage.

*Pre-existing conditions are generally health conditions that existed before the start of a policy. They may limit coverage, be excluded from coverage, or even prevent you from being approved for a policy; however, the exact definition and relevant limitations or exclusions of coverage will vary with each plan, so check a specific plan’s official plan documents to understand how that plan handles pre-existing conditions.

Additional Medicare Resources in Florida

Florida State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)

SHIP programs provide insurance counseling and assistance to Medicare-eligible persons, their families, and caregivers. Assistance can cover the following areas:

• Personal assistance with making policy changes during Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period
• Assistance to learn for help with out-of-pocket-costs
• Help with eligibility questions and concerns
• Clarity on coinsurance and deductible questions
• Contact SHIP at 1-877-839-2675.

Florida SHINE Program: The Florida SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) Program offers counseling to Medicare members. They assist with the following matters:

• Medicare Enrollment questions
• Medicare Savings program (MSP) questions
• Extra Help, low-income subsidy questions
• Contact a SHINE counselor toll-free at 1-800-963-5337 to speak to someone over the phone or schedule an in-person meeting.

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