Indiana Medicare Supplements: What Do They Cover and How Do They Work

Indiana Medicare Supplement plans fill in the “gaps” in Medicare, just as any Medigap plan nationwide would do. All companies that offer these plans must offer the same Federally-standardized coverage plans and go by the Federal Medigap chart. You can view the chart here Medigap coverage chart.

In total, there are 10 different standardized plans. However, some of the plans are more common and advantageous than others: Medigap Plan F, Plan G, and Plan N are the most common plans (and the plans offered by most insurance companies). With all of these options, the companies provide comprehensive coverage on filling in the “gaps” in “original” Medicare (Medicare Parts A & B). First and foremost, Plan F is the most comprehensive option and is often viewed as the most advantageous – it pays both Medicare deductibles (Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B), as well as the 20% that Medicare itself doesn’t cover at the doctor and hospital. With that said, it is our belief that Plan G is sometimes, depending on the premium where you live, a better option and a better value.

No matter what company/agent sells you your Medigap plan, the plan will work the same way:

  • First of all, and most importantly, there are no networks that you must stay within when using a Medigap plan. You can go to any doctor/hospital nationwide, and there are no restrictions as long as the facility takes Medicare. In short, all doctors/hospitals that take Medicare are required to take the standardized Medicare Supplement plans that are sold in Indiana.
  • Second of all, you are not involved in any way in the claims process. All claims that you have are paid/processed through the Medicare “crossover” system. This system is in place so that you do not have to file claims yourself or do anything to ensure timely payment of the claims.

Indiana Medigap Comparison

Because of the aforementioned facts that coverage, doctor acceptance, and claims payments are standardized with all Medicare Supplement companies, there are two things that are the most important when comparing the plans: price and company reputation. These two factors can both vary greatly from company to company and they should be the basis for your decision on a company, when dealing with Medicare Supplement insurance.

Obviously, it would be next to impossible to contact all of the companies (about 35!) that offer Medicare Supplements in Indiana; however, you can easily obtain a chart showing rates from an independent brokerage/agent. This allows you to compare all of the plans in a centralized, unbiased place. An independent agent can also give you information that you can not get from the companies themselves – i.e. plan customer service, rate increase history, and other factors that you are not able to obtain from the companies themselves.

Medicare-Supplement.US can help you compare plans by providing a customized rate quote analysis by email. This allows you to see rates and company ratings in a centralized place and will greatly assist in your understanding of the options. To have a rate quote analysis emailed to you, just request a Indiana Medigap quote.

Special State-Specific Implications for Indiana

Although, as we’ve established that coverage is the same with all companies offering Medigap insurance nationwide, there are some specific guidelines that you should be familiar with regarding Medicare Supplement plans in Indiana:

  • Indiana DOES use tobacco usage as an underwriting criteria when you are turning 65 or in open enrollment or “guaranteed issue” period (many states do). There are higher rates (with nearly all companies) based on tobacco use, even when you are in open enrollment or “guaranteed issue”.
  • Most companies have gender-specific rates. In this case, female rates are typically 5-10% lower than the male rates.
  • Indiana Medicare Supplements do permit household discounts to be applied on the plans. This is something to consider, if you are applying with a Medicare-eligible spouse. There are some companies (Mutual of Omaha, Family Life, to name a few) that do offer household discounts. This can definitely mean the difference in one company over another when comparing costs.
  • There are several rating areas in Indiana, with most companies. Your rate is always determined by your zip code, so you don’t just pay the statewide rate – there are rates specific to your zip code. Typically, rates are higher in urban areas but this is not always the case.

Obtaining a Indiana Medigap Plan

Getting your Indiana Medicare Supplement plan lined up is easy to do, particularly if you are in a special enrollment period, such as open enrollment (turning 65 or signing up for Medicare Part B) or “guaranteed issue” (losing employer coverage, losing Advantage plan coverage, moving to a new state, etc.)

If you are ready to sign up for a plan, simply compare the options, including rates and company ratings, select a plan and sign up. To get a rate quote comparison from us, which will include the top-priced options for your age and zip code and company ratings, simply request the information online using: Indiana Medicare Supplement Quotes. We can provide the information you are seeking so you can compare multiple quotes in a centralized place and make an informed decision.

Indiana Medigap: Top Companies Available Here

NOTE: There are many more companies that offer plans in Indiana. This is simply a representative list of the companies that are currently competitively priced here in IN.