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

Kentucky Medicare Supplement plans are plans that are designed to fill in the “gaps” in Medicare. All companies must offer the same Federally-standardized coverage plans and go by the Federal Medigap chart. You can view the chart here Medigap coverage chart.

There are a total of 10 different plan designs; 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). 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. However, Plan G is sometimes, depending on the premium where you live, a better option and a better value.

Regardless of who you buy your Medigap plan from, the plan will work the same way:

  • First of all, you will not have any restrictive networks that you must go to in order to receive coverage. All doctors/hospitals that take Medicare are required to take the standardized Medicare Supplement plans that are sold in Kentucky and elsewhere.
  • Secondly, there is no involvement by the insured in the claims process. All claims 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.

Kentucky Medigap Comparison

Because coverage, doctor acceptance, and claims payments are standardized with all Medicare Supplement companies, the two things of utmost importance to compare when looking at a Medigap insurance are: price and company reputation. These 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.

While it would be very difficult on your own to contact all 40+ companies that offer Medicare Supplements in Kentucky (and many companies don’t give rates over the phone, only in person), 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 about 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 Kentucky Medigap quote.

Special State-Specific Implications for Kentucky

While coverage is the same with all companies offering Medigap insurance nationwide, there are some specific guidelines and things to know that pertain specifically to Medicare Supplement plans in Kentucky:

  • Kentucky DOES NOT 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 no limitations, or higher rates, based on any pre-existing conditions or factors like tobacco use, 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.
  • Kentucky 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 Kentucky, with most companies. Your rate is always determined by your zip code, so you don’t just pay the Kentucky statewide rate – there are rates specific to your zip code.

Obtaining a Kentucky Medigap Plan

Getting your Kentucky 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: Kentucky 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.

Kentucky Medigap: Competitively-Priced Companies Available Here

NOTE: There are many more companies that offer plans in KY. This is a partial list of some of the companies that are currently priced competitively here.