What Do Medigap Plans in Tennessee Cover and How Do They Work with Medicare?

Tennessee Medicare Supplement plans are a supplement to “original” Medicare, which is Parts A & B of the Federal Medicare program. The plans are standardized by the Federal government and all companies are required to go by the Federal Medigap chart. You can view the chart here Medigap coverage chart.

There are a total of ten different plans that companies can choose from. Not all companies offer all plans, but they cannot offer plans that are not on the Federal standardized plans chart. There are some plans that are more advantageous and common than others. Some of these plans are: Medigap Plan F, Plan G, and Plan N. Regardless of which plan you get, the “gaps” in “original” Medicare (Medicare Parts A & B) are filled in by the plans. Depending on the plan you select, a different amount of the Medicare “gaps” are eliminated. Plan F is, by far, the most comprehensive of the available plans 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, in nearly all cases, Plan G is a better value and thus a better option.

The most important thing to remember is that it does not matter which company you purchase your Medigap plan from – the plan will work the same way:

  • First of all, there are no networks with Medigap plans. You do not have to review a provider directory to see the doctors that are “in the plan”. All doctors/hospitals that take Medicare are required to take the standardized Medicare Supplement plans that are sold in Tennessee.
  • Secondly, there is no customer involvement in the claims process. All claims, regardless of company, are processed through the automated Medicare “crossover” system. This allows for freedom from dealing with the insurance companies on specific claim issues.

Tennessee Medigap Comparison

Because of all of these things, coverage, doctor acceptance, and claims payments, are standardized with all Medicare Supplement companies, the fact is that there are only two significant things to compare when looking at a Medigap insurance: price and company reputation. Both of these factors can 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 you could certainly do it this way, it would be virtually impossible to contact all 40+ companies that offer Medicare Supplements in TN to obtain quotes. Also, and more importantly, many companies don’t give rates over the phone, only in person (and no one wants to meet with 40 insurance agents!). That said, you can easily obtain a chart showing rates from an independent brokerage/agent. In doing so, you can easily compare all of the plans in a centralized, unbiased place. Moreover, an independent agent can give you detailed information, that you can’t get from the companies themselves, about plan customer service, rate increase history, and other factors. Regardless of whether it is Medicare-Supplement.US or someone else, it is advisable to use an independent agent in your comparison and plan selection process.

Medicare-Supplement.US can help you compare plans by providing a customized rate quote analysis by email per your request. You will not be contacted by phone. This analysis will allow you to see rates and company ratings, all together in a centralized place, and this should help in your understanding of all the plan options. In order to obtain a Medigap rate comparison by email, just go to our page to request a Tennessee Medigap quote.

Special State-Specific Implications for Tennessee

As we’ve discussed above, coverage is the same with all companies offering Medigap insurance nationwide. However, there are some specific guidelines and things to know that pertain specifically to Medicare Supplement plans in Tennessee:

  • Tennessee 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”.
  • Almost all companies that do business in TN have gender-specific rates (XXX is an exception). In the case of gender-specific rates, female rates are typically 5-10% lower than the male rates, with very few exceptions.
  • Tennessee Medicare Supplements do permit household discounts on the plans. Many companies offer this, and it 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 that are significant enough to make a difference when comparing options. This can definitely mean the difference in one company over another when looking at annual costs.
  • There are several rate pricing areas in the state of Tennessee, with most companies. Your rate is always determined by your zip code, so you don’t just pay the “Tennessee rate” – there are rates specific to your zip code.

Obtaining a Tennessee Medigap Plan

Getting a Medicare Supplement plan for Tennessee lined up is very 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.). Although many people mistakenly believe that there is, there is NOT an annual enrollment period for Medicare Supplements (this only applies to Medicare Advantage and Part D plans). You can actually change, or sign up for, a Medicare Supplement plan at any time of the year.

If you are ready to sign up for a plan, you can simply compare the options, including rates and company ratings, select a plan and sign up. To get a rate quote comparison, including top-priced options for your age and zip code and company ratings, please go to the folloiwng page and request the information by eamil: Tennessee 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.

Tennessee Medigap Plans: Companies To Consider

NOTE: There are many other options for Tennessee Medigap insurance; however, these are the ones that are currently competitively-priced and highly rated.