What are some of the top Medicare supplement (Medigap) providers?
Private insurance companies, such as Cigna and Aetna, offer supplement policies, called Medigap, to help cover some Medicare out-of-pocket costs.
People choose a supplement company for various factors, including coverage, costs, and effective customer service. The preferred supplier in one state may not be the same across all states.
In this article, we look at Medigap and the various policies. Then we examine how the Medicare supplement plan works. We also discuss costs and list some Medicare supplement companies.
Glossary of Medicare terms
We may use a few terms in this article that can be helpful to understand when selecting the best insurance plan:
Out-of-pocket costs: An out-of-pocket cost is the amount a person must pay for medical care when Medicare does not pay the total cost or offer coverage. These costs can include deductibles, coinsurance, copayments, and premiums.
Deductible: This is an annual amount a person must spend out of pocket within a certain period before an insurer starts to fund their treatments.
Coinsurance: This is the percentage of treatment costs that a person must self-fund. For Medicare Part B, this is 20%.
Copayment: This is a fixed dollar amount a person with insurance pays when receiving certain treatments. For Medicare, this usually applies to prescription drugs.
What is Medigap?
This article originally appeared on Medical News Today
Some healthcare costs are not covered by Original Medicare. These gaps in coverage include out-of-pocket expenses such as coinsurance, copays, and deductibles.
Medicare offers supplemental health insurance policies, or Medigap, through private insurance companies. The policies are intended to fill the coverage gaps left by Original Medicare.
There are 10 different Medigap policies. When someone visits the doctor, Medicare covers the eligible amount, and the Medigap plan covers other included costs. Some Medigap plans also cover other healthcare costs, such as travel health coverage outside the United States.
Medicare standardizes the policies offered by insurance companies. However, as some companies may not offer all plans, a person can use this tool to check what plans are available in their area.
How does Medicare supplement insurance work?
Medigap supplement insurance policies offer standardized benefits to people with Medicare Part A and Part B. They are optional policies, and a person will pay a monthly premium in addition to the Medicare Part B premium, which is $185 in 2025.
Medicare uses the letters A through N to refer to the 10 available Medigap plans. However, a person who is new to Medicare cannot get Plan C or Plan F because new Medigap plans are not allowed to cover the Part B deductible. This change was effective from January 1, 2020.
Each insurance provider can choose which plans to offer and may not carry all 10 plans. A person can choose the plan that best suits their needs.
However, Medigap policies in Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Wisconsin are different because of state legal requirements.
Medigap provider overview
Private insurance companies that sell Medigap plans have to follow Medicare state and federal regulations.
For example, a person who chooses a certain plan from one company, such as Plan N, will get the same coverage as another person who bought Plan N from a different company. The plan would also be identical in different states.
Medigap suppliers may use attained-age pricing. This means the insurance company bases its prices on the age of an individual when they start or attain the policy. The price of the premium increases as someone gets older.
This article offers some examples but does not cover all companies selling Medigap policies. People can use this search tool to find Medigap suppliers in their area.
Cigna
Based in Bloomfield, CT, Cigna offers other health and dental insurance besides Medigap policies. The company has more than 178 million clients globally.
Coverage
Cigna offers plans A, F, F with a high deductible (HD), G, G with an HD, and N. It has plans in most states, except New York and Massachusetts. In Wisconsin and Minnesota, the plans are standardized differently.
Other Cigna companies, such as American Retirement Life Insurance, may provide coverage depending on location.
Cigna offers many customer benefits, including foreign travel emergency coverage through Plan N and skilled nursing facility coinsurance.
The plans provide access to the Cigna Healthy Rewards program, which offers discounts on health and wellness products.
Cigna offers additional coverage options, including cancer treatments, accident expenses, heart attacks, and strokes.
Pricing structure and discounts
Cigna Medigap policy pricing depends on state laws. It offers a household premium discount when at least two people enroll in a Medigap plan.
Aetna
Aetna offers health insurance, Medigap plans, dental plans, and prescription drug plans to nearly 40 million customers in the United States.
Coverage
Aetna offers plans A, B, C, D, F, F with an HD, G, G with an HD, and N.
Plans are available in every state except the following:
Alaska
Connecticut
District of Columbia
Hawaii
Maine
Massachusetts
Washington
Wisconsin
Aetna plans are portable throughout the United States, so if someone moves, their coverage remains the same. The company offers flexible coverage and does not cancel policies because of health conditions.
Pricing structure and discounts
Aetna Medigap policy pricing depends on state laws. It also offers a household discount for clients who live with at least one other Aetna Medigap insurance policy.
People can cancel their policy for any reason within the first 30 days and receive a refund.
Mutual of Omaha
Mutual of Omaha offers various insurance plans, including Medigap, and also banking and financial products.
The policyholders own Mututal of Omaha. They value good service, stating they pay 99% of all Medicare claims within 24 hours.
Coverage
Mutual Of Omaha offers Plans A, B, C, D, F, F with an HD, G, G with an HD, M, and N.
The high deductible Plan G offers coverage after an individual meets the annual out-of-pocket limit.
Depending on where someone lives, a company with a different name could issue the policy, such as United of Omaha.
Pricing structure and discounts
Mutual of Omaha offers limited online policy quoting. The company uses local insurance agents to gather client information and provide them with quotes for coverage.
Mutual of Omaha uses attained-age rated pricing if possible. Mutual Of Omaha offers a household discount if more than one person joins a Medigap plan.
Humana
Humana offers health insurance and Medigap plans to around 9 million customers nationwide.
Coverage
Humana offers plans A, B, C, F, F with an HD, G, G with an HD, K, L, M, and N. Some states have limited plan availability.
Plans may include healthy living options such as vision and dental care.
People who purchase Medigap through Humana receive additional member perks, which may include access to a Humana transplant center and other healthcare services.
Pricing structure and discounts
Humana Medigap plans vary in price according to the state. The cost of the premium depends on an individual’s location, age, gender and history of tobacco use.
If someone purchases Humana coverage from its website, there may be a small discount.
Summary
Medigap is Medicare supplement insurance that provides coverage for some medical expenses that Medicare does not cover.
If someone is eligible for Medicare, they should also be able to enroll in one of the 10 Medigap plans, unless they already have a Medicare Advantage plan.
Many companies offer Medigap plans. Medicare standardizes these plans in most states so the plans of the same letter provide coverage no matter which company sells them. Some states may have limited coverage.
People should choose their Medigap plan depending on their personal circumstances, coverage needs, and which company offers the most potential savings on healthcare expenses.
View the original article on Medical News Today
