*IMPORTANT UPDATE*
The information in this article will not be relevant after 2019. Plan F will no longer be available to people who are new to Medicare. The changes will also affect Plan G and other plans. To see how this change affects you and what our recommended Medigap plans are going forward, be sure to check out this article – Why We Are No Longer Recommending Plan F (click)

Plan F is the Best Selling Plan, But Is It the Best Plan?

For many years now, the Plan F Medicare Supplement plan has been the top selling plan. The reason is very simple – it covers all the deductibles and co-pays for Medicare-approved procedures. Remember -Medicare won’t pay for cosmetic procedures like most dental work, hearing and vision services, etc. It looks like a great deal at first glance. You pay a monthly premium and your Plan F covers all the gaps in Medicare. But don’t overlook Plan G. You could be overpaying the insurance company!

Say Goodbye To Plan F After 2019

There has been a shift recently. The claims paid out for coverage under Plan G have been significantly lower than for Plan F nearly industry wide the last few years, which I will get into in a moment. More importantly, because of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, the Plan F will no longer be available for sale for people who turn 65  in 2020 and thereafter. People who have a Plan F in force at that time can keep their current plan. They can even switch to another Plan F with a different company, but they may not want to. Here’s why:

As history has shown with other plans that have been eliminated in the past, Medigap Plan F enrollees can likely expect their premiums to rise significantly if younger and healthier seniors are prevented from enrolling in their plan. It is important for new, healthy people to be coming into any health insurance plan for the rates to stay low.

Rates Will Very Likely Go Higher on Plan F

The rates are not likely to stabilize or remain low if there are no new policies being sold to new, healthy enrollees. History has already proven that when Medicare did away with the Plan J in 2010. Those who stayed on that plan either by choice or because they had pre-existing conditions that prevented them from changing plans saw significant rate increases.

If a plan is no longer for sale to people who turn 65 starting in 2020, the average age of people that stay on the plan will only get higher. And as we get older, we can expect to have higher healthcare costs.

This means the insurance company is paying out more and more in claims to cover those costs. Higher claims equate to higher premiums. Rate stability depends on new, healthy enrollees coming onto the plan. Without these new enrollees, rate stability is more unlikely.

Let Me Introduce You to Plan G

Plan G is a better a value even for those that believe that they are limiting their out-of-pocket costs by enrolling in the Plan F because it has no deductibles or co-pays for any Medicare-approved healthcare. There is only one difference between the Plan F and Plan G. That difference is that the Plan G does not cover the annual Part B deductible (see the Medicare supplement plan chart on our comparison page). Part B of Medicare is the part that is paid to physicians and outpatient services for your care.

So with a Plan G, you would be responsible for the annual Part B deductible – which is $240 in 2024. That is the only difference between the two plans; the coverage is identical except for that one deductible.

Pay Your Part B Deductible, Save BIG!

Today, more and more seniors are finding that they can save on out-of-pocket costs by choosing Plan G. It also provides a way to keep a much more comprehensive health plan in place without the network limitations and high out-of-pocket expenses of a Medicare Advantage plan. After all, unlike with a Medicare Advantage plan, a Medicare supplement plan, or Medigap plan, allows you to go to ANY doctor, specialist, or hospital that accepts Medicare anywhere in the country without worrying about networks.

If you would be willing to pay that Part B deductible yourself, you could keep more money in your pocket. The Part B deductible will get paid to Medicare whether you pay directly with a Plan G or by letting the insurance company pay it through a Plan F with a convenience fee tacked on. There is no need to donate it to the insurance company’s coffers.

Why The Big Difference In Premium?

There are many theories as to why there is a big difference. One school of thought attributes it to the fact that Plan G does not accept Guaranteed Issue enrollees. These are typically enrollees who are leaving an employer or union plan to go on Medicare.

This allows the premiums on Plan G to maintain more stability by keeping the less healthy individuals off of the plan. However, Plan F policies must accept all Guaranteed Issue enrollees without any underwriting. Therefore there are more people with pre-existing health issues coming into the Plan F with various companies. UPDATE: Starting in 2020, the Plan F will no longer be offered to new Medicare enrollees. Plan G will be one of three available plans for Guaranteed Issue enrollees (Plan D and High Deductible Plan G are the other two). Keep this in mind as you make your decisions for coverage beyond 2019.

Another school of thought blames the higher claims (and thus higher premiums) under Plan F on the fact that many people will be more apt to see a doctor for minor issues as they have no deductibles or co-pays under the Plan F for doctor or emergency room visits. However, that theory has been shown through studies to be incorrect. It is offset by the fact that by not going to a doctor at initial symptoms of a problem, many people have higher medical expenses because a condition was not caught earlier when it could have been more controlled.

The Best Plan Today and Tomorrow

Either way, the better option is to go ahead and look at the Plan G (or Plan N). This way you will not have to make a change down the road. If rates do rise significantly on Plan F after 2019, it won’t affect you.

The good news is that Plan G is already a better deal today as I demonstrated above. So, making a change could actually be beneficial now. There’s no need to wait and see what happens to Plan F premiums down the road.

Please keep this in mind – as an independent agent, I contract with the different companies to work for you. There is no charge for my service to you. I do not work for the insurance companies – I work for YOU. Therefore, I am always on the lookout for these pitfalls to help my clients avoid them.

I want to help you to make the best decisions by having as much information as possible. Please call if you have any questions. I have over 25 years of experience dealing with Medicare insurance. I would love the opportunity to work for you, as well.

888-228-6119

VIDEO – Plan G vs Plan F Comparison

Here is one of our most popular videos on YouTube. It shows a side by side comparison of the Plan F and Plan G and why the Plan G is a better value today and into the future: