Hawaii Medigap Plans HI Medicare Supplements

Hawaii Medigap Plans are Standardized Medicare Supplements

All Medicare Supplement insurance carriers in Hawaii are required to follow both federal and state laws designed to protect you. All Medigap plans must be clearly identified as Medicare Supplement Insurance. Insurance companies must offer the standardized Medicare Plans identified by letters A through N.

NOTE: Medigap, Medicare Supplements and Medicare Plans are all names used interchangeably for supplemental insurance that fill the gaps in Original Medicare coverage.

Each Medicare supplement insurance policy sold in Hawaii offers the basic benefits of Plan A. All other lettered plans after A feature additional levels of coverage. This allows you to choose the amount of liability coverage you need.

Each insurance company decides which policies it wants to sell, although state laws might affect which ones they offer. Insurance companies that sell Medicare supplemental insurance:

• Are not required to offer every Medigap plan
• Must offer Medigap Plan A (basic benefits)
• Must also offer Plan C or Plan F

For more information, visit the Hawaii Department of Insurance website at http://cca.hawaii.gov/ins.

Medicare Supplement Plan F: Is it the Best Plan in Hawaii?

Even though Medicare Plan F is the most costly, it is the overwhelming favorite. More than 50 percent of all seniors with a Medigap policy in Hawaii choose Plan F. The reason is simple. It offers complete gap coverage.

IMPORTANT: If you want the gap protection of Medicare Supplement Plan F, you must get enrolled before January 2020. Congress voted to abolish Plan F. Starting January 2020 carrier are no longer able to sell these polices.

RELATED: Medicare Plan F: What Does this Medicare Supplement Offer?

Is AARP's Medicare Supplement the Best Medigap Plan?

AARP sell more Medicare Supplements in Hawaii than any other carrier. AARP Medicare Supplement plans, by United Healthcare (UHC), provide the same coverage as the standardized Medigap plans from other carriers. The most significant difference is the cost and financial stability of the carrier.

Our research shows that AARP Medigap Plans are usually more expensive than competing plans. That said, in many areas UHC has hospitals under contract, allowing them to offer Medicare SELECT plans at favorable rates. This allows them to be more competitive on monthly premiums, but you must agree to use one of their contracted hospitals.

The three most popular AARP supplements are Plan F, Plan G and Plan N. You can see the difference between these plans on the comparison chart below.

Hawaii Medicare Supplement Plans Comparison Chart

The following Medicare Supplement Plans Comparison Chart offers a quick look at the benefits provided by each Medigap policies.

Medigap Benefits	A	B	C	D	F*	G	K	L	M	N
Medicare Part A Coinsurance and hospital costs up to an additional 365 days after Medicare benefifits are used up	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Medicare Part B Coinsurance or Copayment	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	50%	75%	Yes	Yes**
Blood (First 3 Pints)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	50%	75%	Yes	Yes
Part A Hospice Care Coinsurance or Copayment	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	50%	75%	Yes	Yes
Skilled Nursing Facility Care Coinsurance	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	50%	75%	Yes	Yes
Medicare Part A Deductible	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	50%	75%	50%	Yes
Medicare Part B Deductible	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
Medicare Part B Excess Charges	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
Foreign Travel Emergency (Up to Plan Limits)	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes
Out-of-Pocket Limit***	None	None	None	None	None	None	$5,240	$2,620	None	None

^* Medicare Plan F also offers a high-deductible plan. If you choose this option, this means you must pay for Medicare-covered costs up to the deductible amount of $2,240 before your Medigap plan pays anything.

^** Medicare Plan N pays 100% of the Part B coinsurance, except for a copayment of up to $20 for some office visits and up to $50 copayment for emergency room visits that don't result in an inpatient admission.

^*** After you meet your out-of-pocket yearly limit and your yearly Part B deductible, the Medigap plan pays 100% of covered services for the rest of the calendar year.

Medigap vs Medicare Advantage

Still wondering if a Medigap plan is right for you? Considering Medicare Advantage as an alternative? For many seniors it's a difficult decision. Here's our advice.

First, understand the difference between Medigap and Medicare Advantage plans available in Hawaii. Medicare Supplement insurance fills gaps in your Original Medicare benefits. Medicare Advantage replaces your Original Medicare benefits with managed care.

Second, if you want the most choices and flexibility, Original Medicare combined with a Medigap plan and a Hawaii Medicare Part D plan is the way to go.

RELATED: Medicare Advantage vs. Medigap: Which Is Best?