Medicare is a health insurance program provided by the federal government. Did you know that there are a number of different Medicare Supplement Plan coverage levels available, some of which are provided without a need to pay premiums or with premiums taken out of your tax payments. Please check your eligibility for these plans!
Outside of this coverage, you can also choose to add on Medicare supplements. These provide insurance coverage for things not covered under a standard Medicare plan, such as deductibles, and these supplements are generally sold by private insurers. Signing up for supplements is a good idea for many people, as the supplement covers costs which would otherwise have to be paid out of pocket during an insurance claim – already a stressful time without needing to pay out even more money!
-
Be Specific About Your Medicare Supplement Plan Coverage Needs
Think carefully about what type or level of coverage you need before committing. Obviously a supplement adds on to coverage that you already have, but do you really need what is provided in the supplement?
Many people will go straight to the highest level of coverage possible, which could mean paying for coverage which you are very unlikely to ever use. The best thing to do is first figure out whether you even need Medicare supplements. Find out what situations you might need coverage for and discuss these with your agent to see if there is a different level of cover you might benefit more from, and save money with.
-
Ask About Family Discounts for Your Medicare Supplement Plan
Medical insurance can be similar to other insurance types in a lot of ways. One of these is offering discounts to partners, immediate family members and people who live in the same household. Frankly, all insurers do not offer reductions, and even those who offer them don’t always provide them as an easily obtainable option, but it’s still best to check.
Generally you and the other insured party will both receive anywhere from 5%-25% off your insurance premiums and total cost. Also check the requirements carefully as some insurers only discount to married couples, while others have much more relaxed requirements.
-
Don’t Let Your Medicare Supplement Plan Auto Renew – Always Shop Around!
This might feel like an obvious point to you, but many people forget that shopping around and comparing providers isn’t only for when you first sign up. Getting quotes from as many agents as possible informs you on what the expected amount should be. You can now use this as a base to compare agent quotes against. Different agents are able to provide coverage at different prices. You can get quotes in many places, for example at https://www.gomedigap.com/quote/
However, many insurance providers will increase the premiums when it comes to renewal time. This way the auto-renewals bring in a bigger profit. People are unlikely to compare each time renewal comes around. In fact, most will simply trust their agent is still the cheapest around. Obviously that isn’t always the case – most things tend to change over time.