Medicare is a government funded health insurance program that is available to a few different categories of people. Those that are eligible include seniors aged 65 or older, some people under the age of 65 with certain disabilities and anyone suffering from end-stage kidney disease. The program can cover a variety of healthcare costs, but is not all encompassing. Medicare gap insurance is therefore offered by a number of private insurance companies as a means of covering the costs not included in Medicare. A number of standard supplemental plans are available and the following six companies are some of those that offer these.
Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
Anthem offer a range of Medicare supplement plans in a few different states. In all, the company provides Medicare gap insurance in 11 different states, with the majority of these being located from the mid-west to the east coast. The plans on offer typically vary depending on location, with the options for many of the states include Plans A, F, G and N. However, the Anthem website has a brochure for each individual state that they cover, which shows the choices someone eligible for Medicare can choose from. They also have a simple search feature which enables someone searching for gap insurance to see the exact options available, along with the likely monthly premium costs.
Aetna
Of the Medicare supplement plans that are available, Aetna offers the chance to purchase Plan A, Plan B or Plan F. However, these are typically only available in certain states and details of the locations where the insurance can be purchased are shown on the Aetna website. Aetna also have a range of documents available on their website that show what is covered by each of the plans, with Plan F typically offering the most extensive coverage. Aetna also provides details of the rates of their plans on their website and this will typically vary by state and age. Aetna does not restrict the doctors that can be used with their plans, and an individual is typically free to visit any doctor that accepts Medicare gap insurance.
Mutual of Omaha
Mutual of Omaha is one of the companies that offer access to most of the standard supplemental plans available. However the actual plans that an individual can choose from will depend to a large extent on the state in which they live. Each state typically has a few options available and the United of Omaha website has a simple search feature, which by entering a few basic details will show the plans available and the typical monthly cost of premiums. United of Omaha offer Medicare gap insurance in many states and cover much of the country, which can make them a good insurer to look to for this type of insurance.
State Farm
State Farm is another company that covers much of the country in terms of Medicare supplemental insurance, although the plans they have on offer are more limited. They operate in all but nine states, with the Medicare insurance options available to residents including Plans A, C and F. The company has an online quote service which can be used to find the typical costs of premiums where you live and as one of the biggest insurers in the US they can be worth having a looking at to see the offers available.
Conseco
Conseco is an insurer that operates country wide and they offer Medicare gap insurance products in most of the states in which they operate. As with most companies, the actual plans on offer will vary from state to state and the Conseco website has a feature where you can select the state in which you live to see the options available to you. Many of the standard supplemental plans are offered and this can provide a good selection of options for individuals to choose a plan that best suits their needs.
American Family Insurance
American Family Insurance offers a range of insurance products, with Medicare gap insurance being only one of these. Choosing them can provide a range of benefits including the freedom to stick with your own doctor if they accept Medicare coverage, a wide choice of plans and an online quote service. The company operates in many states and contacting a representative or using their online service will show the options available to you, depending on the state in which you live.
For those that are eligible, Medicare can be a cost effective way to get access to medical services. However, it does not cover every eventuality, and consideration should be given to Medicare gap insurance to ensure that costs not covered by Medicare can be borne without it causing problems. The companies shown above are some of those to consider for this type of insurance.