The chances of having unforeseen medical expenses increases with age. Medical checkups and interventions can be quite expensive, and sooner rather than later, you will rummage through your nest egg to pay hospital bills.
Having a proper Medicare Supplement Plan in 2024 can cut your costs significantly. Even if your health becomes slightly worse, you will not have to stress over the financial part of it.
The original Medicare that includes Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B doesn’t cover everything that you need. Because of this, many people who already have Medicare and are over 65 years old apply for Medigap where they choose one of 12 Medicare Supplement Plans. Everything that isn’t covered in the original insurance can be patched up with one of these plans.
In the article below, you can read more about Medigap and who is eligible for the Medicare Supplement Plan. Furthermore, we will list three best plans to select in 2024.
What is Medigap?
We’ve already mentioned that Medigap will help you pay for what isn’t covered in the Original Medicare plans. This is a private insurance policy and a secondary coverage plan and it is up to you to select it or not.
Make sure not to confuse Medigap with Medicare Part D, which specifically covers prescription drugs or the Medicare Part C that serves as the bonus to Parts A and B.
You can always visit MedicareConsumer.com to find out more information about all these Medicare Plans that will help you choose the best one for you.
Eligibility for Medigap Plans
Not everyone can enroll in the Medicare Supplement Plans. Below, we listed the requirement that you need to check in order to apply and get the desired plan. You can apply:
- If you are 65 years of age or older;
- If you already have original Medicare Part A and Part B plans.
However, there are some exceptions and people who are under 65 can apply as well if:
- They are diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis);
- They are diagnosed with ESRD (end-stage renal disease);
- They receive disability benefits.
Now that you are familiar with the Medicare Supplement Plan and know that you can enroll in a program, it is time to present you with the best choices. Three out of 12 plans stand out and they are the following:
Medicare Supplement Plan F
If you want to have it all, Medicare Supplement Plan F is the best selection. This is a premium package after which you are 100% covered. What you get with this plan are Medicare Part A and Part B Coinsurance, Part A and Part B Deductibles, Part B Excess Charges and Foreign Travel Emergency.
Just like every other plan from the list, you pay for the premium plan monthly, but you can rest assured that you will not have any other expenses.
However, there are some restrictions and not everyone will be able to apply for Plan F. People who aren’t eligible are those who received the Part A after January 1, 2020, but anyone who’s got their Part A before that date can switch to Part F anytime.
Anyone who has frequent trips to the doctor’s office and plans to do a lot of checks in 2024 should opt for Plan F because you are fully covered. Furthermore, because of the travel emergency, if you are leaving the country a few times per year, Plan F is definitely for you to consider. However, as you will see, other plans have the travel part included as well so this should not be your ultimate deciding point.
Medicare Supplement Plan G
If the Medicare Supplement Plan F is the premium, Plan G is slightly below it (the only thing that isn’t included is the Medicare Part B deductible). Other than your monthly price, you will have to add $233 for the entire year, which is the Part B deductible sum, so that’s not a high price to pay.
Even though you will be paying an extra, the Plan G has a low annual rate increase and therefore it is a great option for those who want to save some money. However, just like the Plan F, this one too is great for those who travel a lot and live in a state that allows excess charges.
Last but not least, you are almost 100% covered and there won’t be any unforeseen hospital costs, which is the most important thing. For those who don’t want to go with the premium G package, there’s always an option to choose the high deductible plan that offers a lower monthly fee.
Medicare Supplement Plan N
Unlike the two plans mentioned above, Plan N doesn’t come with Part B excess charges and is deductible so it offers the least out of the three plans. However, that doesn’t mean that Plan N is the worst. Remember, there were 12 plans to start with and we’ve selected three of the best.
So, what does the Medicare Supplement Plan N offer that benefits the insured?
First of all, this is the least expensive. However, that can only mean one thing – more potential out-of-pocket costs.
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing because this plan is designed for healthier individuals who want to have some kind of insurance should something happen. If you don’t regularly visit the doctor’s office, Plan N is the perfect choice for you.
If you choose this plan, be prepared to pay for small copayments when you go to the doctor’s or in an emergency room. The prices are significantly smaller than they would be if you had no insurance at all. The Medicare Supplement Plan N is one of the most popular plans for a good reason. It is accessible and offers a lot of protection for anyone who has it.
Conclusion
With this article, choosing the right Medicare Supplement Plan (Medigap) for 2024 shouldn’t be a problem. We’ve covered three best and most popular plans – Plan F, Plan G and Plan N that offer the best price-coverage ratio. It is up to you to determine which one of these suits you best.
