Other videos to watch: How to decide between Plan G and Plan N: th-cam.com/video/q7_Adr2LDwA/w-d-xo.htmlsi=BSH223tpM3cQjsZ_ See more of my important Medicare videos here: www.youtube.com/@Medigapseminars?sub_confirmation=1
For an extra $20/month I get dental, vision, and silver sneakers. I took it for the dental and vision. Those two paid for the $240 annual premium addition with my first dental visit. My optician visit was completely covered and the Silver Sneakers is just part of the triple play and I have used my local fitness center but, that's a bonus I would not have paid for. It was the dental I really wanted. That has been costly in the past without coverage. The dental has covered the majority of my dental bills last year. It's BCBS...great value with in network providers.
I've and will continue to share your info with everyone arriving at the threshold of Medicare. I explain how important it is to research and understand medicare aside from the blasting for advantage. This video provides a value, with, more importantly, understanding of Medicare and supplements - aside from any benefits.
I used a dental discount plan included with my Plan G Supplement plan just last week and it saved me $86 on an exam, xrays & cleaning. I thought that was a pretty good deal.
Thank you for your informative videos. I have been watching you for several years. I was not aware of the benefit of moving up and down w/o underwriting and it's good information to know. I watched a lot of your Medigap videos and they were extremely helpful! Thank you for being concise and timely. I don't think the eyeglass discount plan provided very much coverage at all.
My rep chose my suppl. plan based on price. I then found that Silver Sneakers was included. I get a full gym membership that I use regularly. I'm 76, an avid cyclist and weight train once or twice a week. Having access to machines @ the gym has been wonderful. If we use the gym membership, the added cost is a bargain.
@@LoriFenza I am not a fan of BCBS Medigap plans. BCBS is not some big company. It is an association of 36 individual and seperate organizations that pay a fee to use the BCBS name and log to make them look big. many only work in one state. www.bcbs.com/bcbs-companies-and-licensees
My husband went to the ER very ill. He was not “Admitted” in the usual fashion. He was taken to “Observational Care” (you can google it). He was in a hospital room that looked conventional. He shared a room. Had a typical hospital bed. I would not have realized the difference if my husband hadn’t signed a form. Observational Care is paid for under part B. You have to be “admitted” for your care to be part A. I didn’t worry about it because he had supplement G.
@@rebeccam6128 great comments. The people that would be hurt most by something like this. Are those with a high deductible plan or any plan with minimal coverage? It’s awesome how much peace of mind a Plan G. can buy you
I got UHC, and I’ve got some exposed bone I discovered at the back roof, left side. One part of the insurance pays something, the other one does nothing. We would have to pay about 710.00.
Very informative! I have read that Louisiana's birthday rule allows an annual change to an equal or lesser plan (must be with the same insurance carrier) without going through underwriting. You mentioned the carrier offering the extra benefit of changing plans while avoiding underwriting may be result in a higher premium compared to going through their underwriting. Would this also be the case if changing during the birthday rule period? Would changing during the birthday rule open you to a possibility of paying a higher premium compared to going through underwriting? Thank you in advance for your assistance.
I don’t think changing using the birthday rule would open you up to the possibility of a higher premium than going through underwriting because that rule is regulated by the state. The option Matthew cited was in relation to a specific insurance carrier, and most likely, they can make their own rules on pricing.
Good question! There are two parts to this answer. First, changing plans during the birthday rule would not put you in a rated plan. It will be the same price as if you were underwritten. However, Birthday Rule applications are considered Guaranteed Issue. Insurance companies do not compensate agents for Birthday Rule applications. Thus, you will not find an experienced, knowledgabe agent to help you with a birthday rule application. You will be on your own.
Regarding discount dental plans, I think they could be a good deal for some people, who don't have access to a group dental plan, or reasonably-priced individual plan. But check with your provider, before enrolling. Ask if they offer a discount to cash patients who would pay in full at the time of service. Some will do this, others won't. If they do, why pay for a discount plan?
MN is one of three states that opted out of standardized Medicare supplement plans because they already had plans that were as good or better than the standardized plans launched in 2010. It is easily one of the more expensive states for Medicare at age 65, in part because the plans are all Community Rated.
@@MedigapSeminars Thank you (belated) for this information. I'm planning to claim residency in Florida for tax purposes. Maybe I'll get a break on my supp plan price there?
You can cut your premium by about 70% to around $65 with the High Deductible Plan G. If you are relatively healthy you will cut your outofpocket spending and never reach the $2800 deductible until you have a major health incident.
I've had Plan HDG ($34) since 2022. The incentive to stay healthy is worth it as a catastrophic health plan. Plan G, for me, has zero incentive to be mindful of doing the things each day to maintain good health.
My wife and I have Plan N through your office. Even as an employee I did not find dental plans very advantageous unless heavily subsidized by the company. The annual limit is pretty low, so basically the insurance company is just a middle man between your payments and the dentist for routine care. Plus at least in our area it is rare for a dentist to sign up with popular insurance carriers to accept it as payment in full. We have never had a health club membership but manage to maintain a pretty healthy life style. For example I just spent the day mowing our acre of grass. My wife is much better then I and typically walks several miles a day on one of the myriad of hiking trails we have in the area.
I used to agree with you on dental plans, but there has been a lot of changes in just the past three years. Now, you can get a plan with unlimited coverage, or $10,000 of annual coverage, that includes many more services and procedures than the old plans. As far as staying healthy, nothing beats getting outside and being active!
@@MedigapSeminars I had the Manhattan Life Dental/Vision/Hearing plan for 3 years but cancelled it because it covered so few services. Even though I had a set amount of dollars each year that could be allocated toward services, it just always seemed to work out that most of the time, I was paying much more in premiums and deductibles on a yearly basis and was not able to access enough of the benefits, even though I only got routine and inexpensive basic services you would think would be covered. I cancelled because I did the math and determined that I was paying 3 times more in premiums and deductibles the last year I had the policy compared to the benefits I received by keeping it. Paying cash out of pocket for services just made makes more sense in my situation.
So if silver sneakers is such a bad choice, why did your agent include it for me when I started some years ago, or at least not warn me about the negatives? I used it only for a while but mostly not as the facility I want to use close by isn't part of the plan.
Much depends on the state and the company and what the consumer asks for. We help people make an informed decision. We do not promote. I can't speak to your specific situation, but I train every licensed agent personally and teach them to show the positive and negatives of every choice. As aI said, Silver Sneakers are my "least favorite", I didn't say they are a bad choice. Just not my favorite. Call us if you want to see if there is a more competitively plan at your age. 800-847-9680
@@MedigapSeminars Understood. I have already spoken to one of your agents and I'm just waiting for an outstanding medical follow-up to be completed so that I can pass the underwriting.
I process millions in insurance claims monthly... Advantage policies are so poorly managed and they deny far more than conventional medicare... I am 65 and swear by Conventional MC and a supplemental plan (I chose G, your mileage may vary)
i’m guessing with my paid amount to have the G plan and their paid for amount for my 2024 costs, the G plan has been very good for me. $3557 paid by supplement plan thru 9/19/24. $1336 premiums paid thru 9/2024. your opinion? thanks for your videos.
@ price increases since 2021 have been much higher than historical norms for Medicare supplements. That is due to a higher loss ratios, they are spending more for medical care because of more claims.
@@MedigapSeminars yeah, tell me about it! i chose aarp/uhc for a supplement G because it’s past 10 years average premium increase was 3%. my first renewal with them was 9%!!
@@nerkymusselman8843 When UHC advertises a 3% annual increase in premiums, they do not include the annual 3% price increase they call a "reversal of a discount". The end result is you are paying 6% more, but UHC says you only got a 3% rate increase. Many people with UHC plans have at east two price increases per year.
I looked up your issue. My office manager is waiting on the MSN from you so we can help. This is likley a billing issue from your medical provider. Keep in mind, the supplement companies have no say in what is or is not covered. In fact, over 90% of claims with Allstate are paid automatically with no human intervention. If something is not getting paid that should be it is very likely an error that occured before reaching Allstate.
@@MedigapSeminarsthis has been going on since January. ALLSTATE had wrong Medicare number. (I believe it was the last digit). I’ve sent in MSN to Allstate, they did not response or return calls so, escalated to Deb, sent her all of the same info. She did call back and asked me to call my doctor to rebill Medicare again. I have not checked to see if that has been done. I do have all my documentation, notes and emails.
Here in NJ there could be a price difference on suppliments with perks. For Plan N it was about $30 a month, plan G was about $1 a month which is no big deal. Paying a lot more for perks that may go away at any time wasn't worth it for us. Going to Planet Fitness for $11 (or $$15 for new people) a month is cheaper than the cost of a supplement with perks. We know we wouldn't use the dentists listed in the perks, so no savings there.
In most states there is a 300% price differential between the lowest premium Medigap plan and the highest premium plan at age 65. That differential narrows considerably, and companies change positions on the scale as you reach your mid 70s.
@MatthewClaassenCMT my sister is on a Medigap Plan N in NJ. She is 75 YO and I think she pays about $210 a month which is about 2x what I pay. When I was researching Medigap plans I saw the prices and yes they are sometimes not competitive. Paying that $30 a month extra could have been a good deal if dentists that we may use were available. But if they get rid of any of the perks then we would be stuck paying more for nothing. I think bringing the perks to people's attention is great. I was fortunate to find a $30 cheaper plan without perks ... I can't say what the cost will be when or if I turn 75.
Other videos to watch: How to decide between Plan G and Plan N: th-cam.com/video/q7_Adr2LDwA/w-d-xo.htmlsi=BSH223tpM3cQjsZ_
See more of my important Medicare videos here: www.youtube.com/@Medigapseminars?sub_confirmation=1
For an extra $20/month I get dental, vision, and silver sneakers.
I took it for the dental and vision. Those two paid for the $240 annual premium addition with my first dental visit. My optician visit was completely covered and the Silver Sneakers is just part of the triple play and I have used my local fitness center but, that's a bonus I would not have paid for. It was the dental I really wanted. That has been costly in the past without coverage. The dental has covered the majority of my dental bills last year. It's BCBS...great value with in network providers.
Are you syre you have a Medigap plan? Medicare supplements and Original Medicare are not limited by networks.
I've and will continue to share your info with everyone arriving at the threshold of Medicare. I explain how important it is to research and understand medicare aside from the blasting for advantage. This video provides a value, with, more importantly, understanding of Medicare and supplements - aside from any benefits.
Thank you!
I used a dental discount plan included with my Plan G Supplement plan just last week and it saved me $86 on an exam, xrays & cleaning. I thought that was a pretty good deal.
Thank you for your informative videos. I have been watching you for several years. I was not aware of the benefit of moving up and down w/o underwriting and it's good information to know. I watched a lot of your Medigap videos and they were extremely helpful! Thank you for being concise and timely.
I don't think the eyeglass discount plan provided very much coverage at all.
My rep chose my suppl. plan based on price. I then found that Silver Sneakers was included. I get a full gym membership that I use regularly. I'm 76, an avid cyclist and weight train once or twice a week. Having access to machines @ the gym has been wonderful. If we use the gym membership, the added cost is a bargain.
Thank you for sharing!
Is your plan BCBS. May I ask what state you live in. Thank you
@@LoriFenza I'm in New York with Humana.
@@LoriFenza I am not a fan of BCBS Medigap plans. BCBS is not some big company. It is an association of 36 individual and seperate organizations that pay a fee to use the BCBS name and log to make them look big. many only work in one state. www.bcbs.com/bcbs-companies-and-licensees
@@LoriFenza I am in Florida
My husband went to the ER very ill. He was not “Admitted” in the usual fashion. He was taken to “Observational Care” (you can google it). He was in a hospital room that looked conventional. He shared a room. Had a typical hospital bed. I would not have realized the difference if my husband hadn’t signed a form.
Observational Care is paid for under part B. You have to be “admitted” for your care to be part A. I didn’t worry about it because he had supplement G.
@@rebeccam6128 great comments. The people that would be hurt most by something like this. Are those with a high deductible plan or any plan with minimal coverage? It’s awesome how much peace of mind a Plan G. can buy you
Thank you Matt! Always useful information.
You are vry welcome.
Very good information to keep in mind. Any thing that improves Medicare supplements is good news ! Thanks Mat. 12:26
You bet!
Thank you for your channel!!!
You are welcome
I got UHC, and I’ve got some exposed bone I discovered at the back roof, left side. One part of the insurance pays something, the other one does nothing. We would have to pay about 710.00.
Great video - helpful as always
Thanks
So which insurance company offers to cover Wellness Visits Medicare does not, such as annual cardiovascular screenings? I live in Florida
Very informative! I have read that Louisiana's birthday rule allows an annual change to an equal or lesser plan (must be with the same insurance carrier) without going through underwriting. You mentioned the carrier offering the extra benefit of changing plans while avoiding underwriting may be result in a higher premium compared to going through their underwriting. Would this also be the case if changing during the birthday rule period? Would changing during the birthday rule open you to a possibility of paying a higher premium compared to going through underwriting? Thank you in advance for your assistance.
I’d like to know this as well!
I don’t think changing using the birthday rule would open you up to the possibility of a higher premium than going through underwriting because that rule is regulated by the state. The option Matthew cited was in relation to a specific insurance carrier, and most likely, they can make their own rules on pricing.
turning 65 on election day.planning on getting a G plan in my state La.
Good question! There are two parts to this answer. First, changing plans during the birthday rule would not put you in a rated plan. It will be the same price as if you were underwritten. However, Birthday Rule applications are considered Guaranteed Issue. Insurance companies do not compensate agents for Birthday Rule applications. Thus, you will not find an experienced, knowledgabe agent to help you with a birthday rule application. You will be on your own.
@@mmane257 medigapseminars.org/contact-us/ if you would like to know my recommendations. PS I have a Nov 01 Medicare start date myself.
Regarding discount dental plans, I think they could be a good deal for some people, who don't have access to a group dental plan, or reasonably-priced individual plan. But check with your provider, before enrolling. Ask if they offer a discount to cash patients who would pay in full at the time of service. Some will do this, others won't. If they do, why pay for a discount plan?
These are the dental discount plans referred to: www.dpbrokers.com/100218.dp
Whoa! I turned 65 a year ago, best price I got for a supp in MN is $225 - NO perks whatsoever! 😐
Hmmm
MN is one of three states that opted out of standardized Medicare supplement plans because they already had plans that were as good or better than the standardized plans launched in 2010. It is easily one of the more expensive states for Medicare at age 65, in part because the plans are all Community Rated.
@@MedigapSeminars Thank you (belated) for this information. I'm planning to claim residency in Florida for tax purposes. Maybe I'll get a break on my supp plan price there?
You can cut your premium by about 70% to around $65 with the High Deductible Plan G. If you are relatively healthy you will cut your outofpocket spending and never reach the $2800 deductible until you have a major health incident.
Thanks!
😄 You're welcome
What are silver sneakers?
gym membership - for example 10 per month to join a limited choice of gyms in your area, in my area YMCA
Silver = age 65 and older. Sneakers = Gym memebership. They often have seniot only activity programs as well.
@@MedigapSeminars thank you! Now I know!
Great information
thank you
I've had Plan HDG ($34) since 2022.
The incentive to stay healthy is worth it as a catastrophic health plan.
Plan G, for me, has zero incentive to be mindful of doing the things each day to maintain good health.
For me, just holding back father time is my motivation to stay healthy.
My wife and I have Plan N through your office. Even as an employee I did not find dental plans very advantageous unless heavily subsidized by the company. The annual limit is pretty low, so basically the insurance company is just a middle man between your payments and the dentist for routine care. Plus at least in our area it is rare for a dentist to sign up with popular insurance carriers to accept it as payment in full.
We have never had a health club membership but manage to maintain a pretty healthy life style. For example I just spent the day mowing our acre of grass. My wife is much better then I and typically walks several miles a day on one of the myriad of hiking trails we have in the area.
I used to agree with you on dental plans, but there has been a lot of changes in just the past three years. Now, you can get a plan with unlimited coverage, or $10,000 of annual coverage, that includes many more services and procedures than the old plans. As far as staying healthy, nothing beats getting outside and being active!
@@MedigapSeminars I had the Manhattan Life Dental/Vision/Hearing plan for 3 years but cancelled it because it covered so few services. Even though I had a set amount of dollars each year that could be allocated toward services, it just always seemed to work out that most of the time, I was paying much more in premiums and deductibles on a yearly basis and was not able to access enough of the benefits, even though I only got routine and inexpensive basic services you would think would be covered. I cancelled because I did the math and determined that I was paying 3 times more in premiums and deductibles the last year I had the policy compared to the benefits I received by keeping it. Paying cash out of pocket for services just made makes more sense in my situation.
What insurance company are you signed with ?
So if silver sneakers is such a bad choice, why did your agent include it for me when I started some years ago, or at least not warn me about the negatives? I used it only for a while but mostly not as the facility I want to use close by isn't part of the plan.
Much depends on the state and the company and what the consumer asks for. We help people make an informed decision. We do not promote. I can't speak to your specific situation, but I train every licensed agent personally and teach them to show the positive and negatives of every choice. As aI said, Silver Sneakers are my "least favorite", I didn't say they are a bad choice. Just not my favorite. Call us if you want to see if there is a more competitively plan at your age. 800-847-9680
@@MedigapSeminars Understood. I have already spoken to one of your agents and I'm just waiting for an outstanding medical follow-up to be completed so that I can pass the underwriting.
I process millions in insurance claims monthly... Advantage policies are so poorly managed and they deny far more than conventional medicare... I am 65 and swear by Conventional MC and a supplemental plan (I chose G, your mileage may vary)
Very true Thank you for sharing.
i’m guessing with my paid amount to have the G plan and their paid for amount for my 2024 costs, the G plan has been very good for me. $3557 paid by supplement plan thru 9/19/24. $1336 premiums paid thru 9/2024. your opinion? thanks for your videos.
Based on what you’re saying, you’re in a great spot! I do not know if you are overpaying for your Plan G because prices vary wildly by area.
@@MedigapSeminars $162/mo, up from the first year at $148/mo.
@ price increases since 2021 have been much higher than historical norms for Medicare supplements. That is due to a higher loss ratios, they are spending more for medical care because of more claims.
@@MedigapSeminars yeah, tell me about it! i chose aarp/uhc for a supplement G because it’s past 10 years average premium increase was 3%. my first renewal with them was 9%!!
@@nerkymusselman8843 When UHC advertises a 3% annual increase in premiums, they do not include the annual 3% price increase they call a "reversal of a discount". The end result is you are paying 6% more, but UHC says you only got a 3% rate increase. Many people with UHC plans have at east two price increases per year.
I certainly haven’t been happy with Allstate :/
Why? I would like to know.
I looked up your issue. My office manager is waiting on the MSN from you so we can help. This is likley a billing issue from your medical provider. Keep in mind, the supplement companies have no say in what is or is not covered. In fact, over 90% of claims with Allstate are paid automatically with no human intervention. If something is not getting paid that should be it is very likely an error that occured before reaching Allstate.
@@MedigapSeminarsthis has been going on since January. ALLSTATE had wrong Medicare number. (I believe it was the last digit). I’ve sent in MSN to Allstate, they did not response or return calls so, escalated to Deb, sent her all of the same info. She did call back and asked me to call my doctor to rebill Medicare again. I have not checked to see if that has been done. I do have all my documentation, notes and emails.
Here in NJ there could be a price difference on suppliments with perks. For Plan N it was about $30 a month, plan G was about $1 a month which is no big deal.
Paying a lot more for perks that may go away at any time wasn't worth it for us. Going to Planet Fitness for $11 (or $$15 for new people) a month is cheaper than the cost of a supplement with perks. We know we wouldn't use the dentists listed in the perks, so no savings there.
In most states there is a 300% price differential between the lowest premium Medigap plan and the highest premium plan at age 65. That differential narrows considerably, and companies change positions on the scale as you reach your mid 70s.
@MatthewClaassenCMT my sister is on a Medigap Plan N in NJ. She is 75 YO and I think she pays about $210 a month which is about 2x what I pay. When I was researching Medigap plans I saw the prices and yes they are sometimes not competitive. Paying that $30 a month extra could have been a good deal if dentists that we may use were available. But if they get rid of any of the perks then we would be stuck paying more for nothing. I think bringing the perks to people's attention is great. I was fortunate to find a $30 cheaper plan without perks ... I can't say what the cost will be when or if I turn 75.
Please talk apples to apples
I did