Original Medicare provides excellent healthcare coverage and has been very effective in keeping older adults like you healthy and financially stable. However, it doesn’t cover everything. In fact, some beneficiaries find it difficult to afford certain aspects of it. Such as the 20% Medicare Part B coinsurance, as well as other out-of-pocket costs, so they turn to Arizona Medicare Supplement Plans for additional coverage.
Private insurance companies sell Medicare Supplement Plans to help bridge the gaps in Medicare Parts A and B. These plans frequently cover both your Part A deductible and your Part B 20% coinsurance. However, not every plan covers every out-of-pocket expense.
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The good news, though, is that there is no guesswork when it comes to these plans. Private insurance companies sell them, but the government standardizes them. In fact, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) oversees Medicare Supplement Plans. They also mandate that all plans with the same letter name offer the same benefits no matter where and from what insurer you purchase them.
With that being said, premiums can vary based on the insurance company you choose. So, it’s important to compare both different Arizona Medicare Supplement Plans and different insurers to find the best plan for you. EZ can help you with comparing both. First, though, take a look at our guide to how Medicare Supplement Plans work in Arizona.
Arizona Medicare Supplement Plans
If you require additional coverage to fill in any gaps in Original Medicare, especially the 20% coinsurance that you have to pay each time you access Medicare Part B services, an Arizona Medicare Supplement Plan will be your best choice.
In Arizona, there are 10 standardized Medicare Supplement Plans that are each labeled with a different letter of the alphabet: A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N. While not every insurance company will offer every plan in Arizona, be aware that all insurers must offer Plan A. Another thing to keep in mind is that Plans C and F can only be purchased by people who became Medicare eligible before January 1, 2020.
To help get you started, we’ve broken down all 10 plans below with what they cover and an average range of premium costs in Arizona.
Plan A
Plan A, the one plan that all insurers have to offer, is also the most basic plan available. It’s basic, but it does cover one of the most important things you’ll need coverage for: the 20% of outpatient services that Medicare Part B requires you to pay. And while Plan A has to be offered to all Medicare beneficiaries over the age of 65, certain states do not mandate that insurers offer this plan to beneficiaries of Medicare disability who are under the age of 65.
In Arizona, Plan A premiums range from $90 to $416 per month.
Plan B
Medicare Supplement Plan B covers all the basics that Plan A does, including:
- Medicare Part A coinsurance and hospital costs – Medicare Part A only fully covers your first 60 days of inpatient hospital stays in a benefit period; after that, you are required to pay coinsurance for each day after your initial 60 days. Days 61-90 have a coinsurance of $400 a day, days 91-150 (after you use your Lifetime Reserve days) have a coinsurance of $800 a day. Plan B covers 100% of these costs.
- Medicare Part B coinsurance or copay – You’ll typically have to pay Medicare Part B coinsurance for doctor visits and other outpatient care. That means Medicare Part B pays 80% of the Medicare-approved amount for covered services, leaving you to pay the remaining 20%. Plan B covers 100% of this.
- First 3 pints of blood – Original Medicare only pays for the fourth and subsequent pints of blood if you need blood during treatment. Plan B will pay for the first three pints.
- Part A hospice care and coinsurance – Hospice care is for patients who are nearing the end of their lives. These services are covered by Medicare, but copayments are required. These copayments include $5 for each symptom and pain relief medication prescription, as well as 5% of the Medicare-approved amount for inpatient assisted living. Plan B covers all expenses related to hospice care.
Plan B also covers the Medicare Part A deductible, but it is not covered by Plan A, making Plan B a step up from Plan A. The Medicare Part A deductible for each benefit period in 2023 is $1,600, and you might have to pay this deductible more than once in a single year because it is not an annual deductible but is based on 60-day benefit periods. That means that having a plan that covers this could be quite helpful.
In Arizona, your premiums for Plan B will most likely be between $132 and $329 a month.
Plan C
Part C is one of the most complete Medicare Supplement Plans available, although it is not available to all beneficiaries. It covers all out-of-pocket expenses except for Medicare Part B excess charges. This means that Plan C pays the 20% coinsurance you would typically be required to pay for all outpatient services, as well as your Parts A and B deductibles.
Coverage includes the following:
- Part A hospital deductible and coinsurance
- Hospital costs up to an additional 365 days after Medicare benefits are exhausted
- Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment
- Blood (the first 3 pints)
- Other Medicare-approved expenses associated with Part A hospitalization
- Medicare Part B coinsurance and copayments
- Part B deductible
- Other Medicare-approved expenses associated with Part B coverage
Sadly, Plan C is no longer available to Medicare enrollees who became eligible for the program after January 1, 2020. You can keep your Plan C if you had it before that date, and if you were eligible for Medicare before Jan. 1, 2020, but haven’t yet signed up, you might still be able to purchase it.
In Arizona, Plan C premiums for Plan C range from $142 to $373 per month.
Plan D
Plan D covers the majority of out-of-pocket expenses associated with Original Medicare including:
- Part A hospital coinsurance and hospital costs up to an extra 365 days after Original Medicare benefits are exhausted
- Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment
- Part B coinsurance
- First 3 pints of blood
- Skilled nursing facility (SNF) care coinsurance – After the 20th day of your stay as an inpatient in a skilled nursing facility, Medicare Part A requires you to pay coinsurance. Part A coinsurance for skilled nursing facility care is $200 per day in 2023. Part D covers this coinsurance.
- Part A deductible
- 80% of foreign travel emergency costs (up to plan limits)
Both Medicare Part B deductibles and excess charges are not covered by Plan D. You will be responsible for Part B excess charges if your doctor declines to accept Medicare assignment and chooses to bill you for more than what Medicare would cover. Any doctor who refuses to accept Medicare assignment can charge up to 15% more than the Medicare-approved rate for a healthcare service. The difference between what your doctor bills and the Medicare-approved amount is your excess charge.
Medicare Supplement Plan D premiums can cost between $134 and $290 a month in Arizona.
Plan F
Plan F has been the most popular Medicare Supplement Plan on the market for a long time because of its comprehensive coverage, but it is not available to all beneficiaries. With this plan, you only have to pay your monthly Plan F premium; all other out-of-pocket expenses will be covered. Plan F covers the following:
- Part A hospital deductible and coinsurance
- Hospital costs up to an additional 365 days after Medicare benefits are exhausted
- Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment
- Blood (the first 3 pints)
- Other Medicare-approved expenses associated with Part A hospitalization
- Medicare Part B 20% coinsurance and copayments
- Medicare-approved doctor’s office fees
- Part B deductible
- Medicare Part B excess charges
- Other Medicare-approved expenses associated with Part B coverage
The one caveat is that anyone who became or becomes eligible for Medicare after 2020 is not eligible to purchase Plan F. You can buy one of these plans if you were eligible for Medicare before 2020. Additionally, if you already have Plan F and are grandfathered in, you can keep it for as long as you like.
In Arizona, you can expect premiums for Plan F to run between $125 and $464 a month.
Plan G
If you like the sound of Plan F, but are not eligible to purchase one of these plans, look into Plan G. This plan covers almost everything that Plan F does, including:
- Part A coinsurance and hospital costs up to an additional 365 days after Medicare benefits are used up
- Part A deductible
- Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment
- Part B coinsurance or copayment
- Part B excess charges (if a provider is permitted to charge more than Medicare’s approved amount and does so)
- Blood transfusion (first 3 pints)
The only thing that Plan G doesn’t cover is the Medicare Part B deductible. So, it is a very comprehensive plan, as well as a more affordable one.
Premiums for Plan G typically range between $110 and $427 a month, making it generally more affordable than Plan F.
Plan K
Medicare Supplement Plan K reduces your Original Medicare out-of-pocket expenses, but it does not completely fill the gaps. Plan K only covers 50% of some costs, including:
- Medicare Part B coinsurance – Plan K covers half of these costs, so you will be responsible for 50% of your 20% coinsurance. For example, if your doctor charges $100 for a service, Medicare Part B will cover $80, Plan K will cover $10, and you will pay the remaining $10.
- First 3 pints of blood
- Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment – Plan K will pay for half of these costs.
- Skilled nursing facility care coinsurance – Plan K pays half of the coinsurance for medical care in skilled nursing care facilities.
- Medicare Part A deductible – Medicare Supplement Plan K will pay half of these deductibles, or $800. Plan K requires you to pay the Medicare Part B deductible, which is $226 in 2023.
Although Plan K has higher out-of-pocket costs at the point of service, it does have an out-of-pocket maximum. That means the most you’ll have to pay for Plan K in a single year is $6,620 (as of 2023). Once you’ve paid this much in out-of-pocket medical expenses, Medicare Supplement Plan K will pay the remaining approved costs for the rest of the calendar year. Your maximum will reset at the beginning of the next calendar year.
In addition, while Plan K only covers many out-of-pocket expenses at 50%, it fully covers the Medicare Part A coinsurance.
Plan K’s premiums are lower than those of most plans, costing between $37 and $127 per month in Arizona.
Plan L
Medicare Supplement Plan L covers the majority, but not all, of Original Medicare’s expenses. Also, like Plan K, it has an out-of-pocket maximum ($3,310 in 2023). So, once you meet this amount, your insurance company will pay for all of your expenses for the rest of the year.
Medicare Supplement Plan L covers all of Medicare Part A coinsurance and hospital costs. It also covers a percentage of:
- Medicare Part B coinsurance – Plan L covers 75% of your Part B coinsurance.
- Blood – If you require blood while in the hospital, Plan L will cover 75% of the cost of the first three pints.
- Part A hospice care copayments – Plan L pays 75% of your Part A copays for hospice care.
- Skilled nursing facility care coinsurance – Plan L pays 75% of the $200 per day (after the 20th day of your stay) coinsurance for medical care in skilled nursing care facilities.
- Part A deductible – Medicare Supplement Plan L will cover 75% of your Part A deductibles for each 60-day benefit period.
Plan L premiums cost between $76 and $233 a month in Arizona.
Plan M
Medicare Supplement Plan M covers the majority of your Original Medicare out-of-pocket expenses, but not all. It covers:
- Medicare Part B coinsurance – Plan M pays your Part B coinsurance and/or copayments in full.
- Blood – If you require blood while in the hospital, Medicare Supplement Plan M will cover the first three pints of blood in full.
- Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment – Plan M will cover all of your hospice care coinsurance and copays in full.
- Skilled nursing facility care coinsurance – Plan M covers the entire cost of Part A skilled nursing facility coinsurance.
- Part A hospital expenses and coinsurance
- Part A deductible – While Medicare Supplement Plan M covers most Part A costs, it will only cover half of your Medicare Part A deductible. If you have Plan M, you will have to pay half of the $1,600 deductible.
The cost of plan M premiums in Arizona ranges from $85 to $258 per month.
Plan N
Plan N is another highly comprehensive Medicare Supplement option. There are only two things that Plan N doesn’t cover: the Medicare Part B deductible ($226 in 2023) and any Medicare Part B excess charges, or any portion of medical bills that go over the Medicare-approved amount. Medicare Supplement Plan N provides almost full coverage for all of the following:
- Medicare Part B coinsurance – Plan N will cover your Part B coinsurance costs in full, with the exception of a copayment of up to $20 for some office visits. For emergency room visits that do not result in an inpatient admission, a second copayment of up to $50 may be required.
- Blood – If you require blood while in the hospital, Medicare Supplement Plan N will cover the first three pints.
- Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment – Plan N pays your hospice care coinsurance and copayments in full.
- Skilled nursing facility care coinsurance – Your skilled nursing facility coinsurance will be fully covered by Medicare Supplement Plan N.
- Part A deductible – Medicare Supplement Plan N pays your $1,600 deductible in full for each 60-day benefit period.
- Foreign travel emergency care – Original Medicare typically does not cover medical care received outside of the United States. If you need emergency care while traveling outside of the United States, Medicare Supplement Plan N will cover 80% of the costs of qualified emergency medical care.
The price for Plan N can range from $90 to $314 a month in Arizona.
When to Enroll
While there are technically multiple times when you can choose to enroll in a Medicare Supplement Plan, there is one time that will be most beneficial to you. This is your Medicare Supplement Open Enrollment Period. Which is the 6-month window that opens up to you when you turn 65 and enroll in Original Medicare.
The reason that you should purchase during this time is that you will be given “guaranteed issue rights”. This means that insurers cannot use medical underwriting to determine eligibility or premiums. In other words, insurance companies will not be able to deny you coverage or charge you more because of health conditions. So, it’s important to take advantage of your Medicare Supplement Open Enrollment Period.
It’s important to note that federal regulations do not guarantee access to a Medicare Supplement Plan if you are under 65 and eligible for Medicare due to a disability. The majority of states have adopted rules to ensure that enrollees under 65 have at least some access to Medicare Supplement Plans. However, Arizona is not one of them. Medicare beneficiaries under 65 can apply for a Medicare Supplement Plan. But coverage is not guaranteed, and insurers can use medical underwriting to determine whether to issue a policy and at what price.
How To Choose
When it comes to Medicare coverage, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Speak to an EZ agent who can explain everything to you and tell you what you need to do to sign up. EZ can assist you in enrolling in Medicare, looking for an Arizona Medicare Supplement Plan, or simply weighing your options. Our agents work with the best insurance companies in the country. They can provide you with a free comparison of all available plans in your area. We will go over your medical and financial needs with you and help you find a plan that works for you. To get started, simply enter your zip code in the bar below or give one of our licensed agents a call at 877-670-3602.
