Medicare Supplement Plan Comparison

Medicare Supplement plans can be compared by reviewing the benefits they have to offer and their costs. To compare supplement plans in your area, call Medicare Detectives.

Plans with the Lowest Coverage

Supplement Plans A and B (not to be confused with Original Medicare Part A and Part B) provide a small amount of benefits at a low cost. You won’t pay a very high premium or deductible for these plans—however, you will pay more out-of-pocket for services as you need them, as opposed to a higher-coverage plan.

Supplement Plan A does not offer much coverage, and is only beneficial to those who want minimal benefits. Both plans A and B do not cover skilled nursing facility coinsurance, Medicare Part B additional costs, or foreign travel care.

Plan A covers your Part A coinsurance and hospital costs, Part B coinsurance or copayment, your first 3 pints of blood for transfusions, and Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment. Part B covers all of the same benefits, as well as your Part A deductible.

Highest Coverage Plans

Plan G, as opposed to Plans A and B, offers the highest possible coverage at a higher premium. You’ll pay more on a monthly basis, but significantly less out-of-pocket as you use the plan’s benefits.

Plan G covers 100% of your Part A coinsurance and hospital costs, Part B coinsurance or copayment, your first 3 pints of blood for transfusions, Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment, skilled nursing care facility coinsurance, Part A deductible, Part B excess charges, and 80% of foreign travel emergency care.

Cost-Sharing Options

Plan K and Plan L have lower monthly premiums while still offering a variety of benefits. Rather than paying the entirety of the cost of a service, these supplements use cost-sharing to only pay a portion of it, the rest coming out of your pocket.

On its surface this may sound like a bad thing, but for many beneficiaries, this system allows for a broader scope of coverage while still avoiding high premiums. And, when you reach the plan’s out-of-pocket cap (i.e. you used enough of your benefits and paid a certain amount out-of-pocket), these policies pay all of the services covered for the remainder of the calendar year.

Other Supplement Options

Plan M does not cover the Medicare Part B’s deductible and excess charges, however, it does cover 100% of coinsurance and copayments. Like Plans K and L, it utilizes some cost-sharing, paying 50% of the Medicare Part A deductible.

Plans D and N provide identical benefits, but with different payment methods. For Plan D, your copayments are included in the premium. For Plan N, you must pay these out-of-pocket. Plan N will cover 100% of your coinsurance for Part B, but you will be responsible for up to a $50 copayment for emergency room visits, and up to a $20 copayment for a doctor’s visit.

Another important factor to note about Plan N is that while similar to Plan D, it’s also comparable to Plan G, which is the most comprehensive plan. Plan N is much less expensive than Plan G and can be considered a much more cost-effective plan compared to Plan G.

Find Out Which Supplement is Right for You By Calling Medicare Detectives

Considering a supplement plan? Need some help getting started? We’re here for you. Call Medicare Detectives today.

Disclaimer: We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1–800–MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.