Nov 012011
 

Updated 5/28/2012 — Medicare eligible seniors who reside in Florida should be aware that the current enrollment period is opened
for medigap plan enrollment for 2012. Seniors in Florida who are looking for Medigap coverage and want to check the rates for Anthem Medicare plans can find the most detailed information at floir.com, which is the site run by the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation.


This site has a searchable database, where seniors can search their county and zip code to compare plans. This makes it much easier to compare medicare supplement plans, as the letter value denotes which plans from different insurers have the same coverage. Only compare plans with the same letter, for instance check plan A among Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS), Hartford, Sterling, Mutual of Omaha, and other insurers listed. Then move on and look at what differences exist between the B plans, the C plans, etc.

For instance, if we search Medigap plans for Florida seniors for coverage for a 70 year old female non-smoker in Palm Beach County these are the results we find affordable Florida Medicare rates from $1700 to $3378 depending on the type of coverage desired. To contact BCBS, seniors can go to bsbsfl.com or call 1-800-876-2227.

Here is a sampling of 2012 Palm Beach Medicare Supplement Rates for a 65 year old Male in Palm Beach county zip code 33402:


Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida 

  • BCBS FL Medigap Plan B 2240.40
  • BCBS FL Medigap Plan C 2682.20
  • BCBS FL  Medigap Plan D 2414.40,
  • BCBS FL Medicare Supplement Plan M 2398.80
  • Columbian Medicare Plan F  3166.77
  • CMLF FL Medigap plan G 2948.18
  • Gerber Plan F (Also a high-deductible option) 2744.95
  • Gerber Plan G
  • Plan C  3613.37
  • Plan D 3225.35
  • Plan F 3364.64
What is the difference between standardized Medigap plans? 
In most states, plans are denoted a letter between A and N to differentiate between the different options that the plans offer — making it  easy to compare Medicare supplement plans between companies like Blue Cross Blue Shield, United Healthcare, Mutual of Omaha and Gerber.
Per Medicare’s publication on “Choosing a Medigap Policy,” :

Each standardized Medigap policy must offer
the same basic benefits, no matter which insurance company sells it.
Cost is usually the only difference between Medigap policies with the
same letter sold by different insurance companies.

This is CRUCIAL for seniors trying to shop for the best Medigap rates in their FL county!  The ONLY thing that matters when choosing the Medigap policy is the price and the “standardized” letter of the plan! This makes comparing plans much easier.

What is the difference between Medigap Plan A and Medicare Supplement Plan C?

What changes did Medicare make to Medigap Plans D and G ?

First of all, ALL insurance companies are required to offer a Medigap Plan A (ie the most simple and basic plan coverage for seniors).

What happened to Medigap Plans E, H, I and J? These plan offering were phased out in 2010 and will not be offered for the foreseeable future.  However, seniors that want to can keep Medigap plan E, H, I or J.

 

Many younger seniors may wish to compare plans that are “high-deductible.” High deductible medicare supplement plans are plans which are ideal for younger, healthier seniors. They have a lower up front cost, but expect seniors to pay more out of pocket when they do use medical care. If you are a healthy senior who has no history of medical problems, this type of plan can really allow you to save money. However, it is imperative that you have savings to draw from to cover the higher overall deductible, which can be several thousand dollars. Seniors that are trying to compare high deductible Medigap plans will want to look at Plan F options — this standardized Medigap plan always offers a high deductible option.