Medicare
Medicare Supplement
Medigap policies that pay the gaps Original Medicare leaves, with any provider that accepts Medicare and no network to check.
- Who it suits
- Individuals
- Carriers shopped
- The whole panel
- Cost to you
- $0
Overview
What this line actually does
A Medicare Supplement sits behind Original Medicare and pays some or all of what Medicare does not. Plan letters are standardised by federal law, so a Plan G from one carrier covers exactly what a Plan G from another covers. What differs is the premium, the rate history and how the carrier prices increases over time.
The appeal is freedom and predictability: any provider in the country that accepts Medicare, no referrals, no prior authorisation for covered services, and a bill you can forecast. You add a separate Part D drug plan, because a Supplement does not include drug coverage.
The catch is timing. During your six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period that starts when your Part B begins at 65 or later, you cannot be turned down or surcharged for health. Outside that window, in Ohio, carriers can underwrite.
How it works
From first call to in force
Fix your window
Six months from your Part B effective date is the guaranteed-issue period. We work backwards from it.
Pick the plan letter
G, N or High-Deductible G covers most cases. We show what each leaves you to pay.
Compare carriers
Same benefits, different price and different increase history. We show both.
Add Part D
A standalone drug plan chosen against your prescriptions, not against the premium alone.
Review annually
If your health allows underwriting, a Supplement can often be re-shopped for the same benefits at a lower rate.
What moves the number
Cost factors
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Plan letter | Plan G leaves you the Part B deductible. Plan N adds small office and emergency copays for a lower premium. |
| Age and tobacco | Most Ohio carriers use attained-age rating, so premiums rise as you age. Issue-age and community-rated policies exist and behave differently. |
| Rate history | A low first-year premium from a carrier with steep annual increases is not a bargain by year five. |
| Underwriting | Outside guaranteed-issue windows, health questions apply. This is the single biggest reason to get the timing right. |
| Household discount | Several carriers reduce the premium when two adults in a household both hold a policy. |
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
Related lines
Often looked at alongside this
Before you decide
Medigap questions we hear most
If your question is not here, call the desk. Nobody will put you on a list for asking.
Neither in the abstract. A Supplement suits people who travel, want provider freedom and can budget a monthly premium. An Advantage plan suits people who stay local, want a lower fixed cost and accept a network. We walk the trade-offs with your own situation.
Yes. A Medicare Supplement does not include prescription drug coverage. Going without creditable drug coverage also triggers a lifetime Part D late enrollment penalty.
During your six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period, no. After that, in Ohio, carriers may ask health questions unless a guaranteed-issue right applies, such as losing employer coverage.
Almost certainly, most years. Ask about the carrier's increase history rather than only the first-year rate, and expect to review the policy annually.
Bring us the file. We will bring the market.
Send a census or ask one question. Either way it costs you nothing and nobody will chase you.
Independent and multi-carrier. $0 cost to work with us. No pressure scripts.