Maryland Medigap Plans MD Medicare Supplements

Maryland Medigap Plans are Standardized Medicare Supplements

All Medicare Supplement insurance carriers in Maryland 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 of the lettered Medicare supplement insurance plans offer the core coverage provided by Plan A. Plans B through N have a varying range of additional coverage. This way you can choose an appropriate policy based on the amount of insurance you need.

Insurance companies are free to choose the policies they offer, although Maryland state laws might affect which ones they can offer. Carriers offering Medicare Plans:

• Don't have to offer every Medigap plan
• Must offer Medigap Plan A if they offer any Medigap policy
• Must also offer Plan C or Plan F if they offer any plan

For more information, visit the Maryland Department of Insurance website at http://www.mdinsurance.state.md.us/.

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

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 Maryland 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?

What About the AARP Medicare Supplement: Is it the Best Maryland Medigap Plan?

Best is a relative term. To be sure, AARP sell more Medicare Supplements than any other insurance carrier. That said, AARP Medigap Plans, underwritten by United Healthcare, have the same benefits and features as all other standardized supplements. The real difference is the monthly premium, how often rates increase, and the financial stability of the insurance carrier.

In our experience, AARP Medicare Supplement premiums are frequently more than competing carrier in the same area. However, in many areas UHC has a competitive advantage with their Medicare SELECT plans. Ask your agent about Medicare SELECT options in your area.

AARP sells a range of Medicare supplements, however, Plan F, Plan G and Plan N are the most popular. You can quickly see the coverage differences between these plans using the comparison chart below.

Maryland 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 Maryland. 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 Maryland Medicare Part D plan is the way to go.

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