Medicare Supplement Plans, which are offered by private insurance companies, fill the coverage gaps left by Medicare Parts A and B. In most cases, this will include both your Part A deductible and your 20% Part B coinsurance. The government regulates these plans through the Centers for Medicare and Medicare Services (CMS); CMS requires that every plan with the same letter name provides the same benefit coverage across the country.
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Yet, despite the fact that benefits are standardized, insurance companies are free to set their own rates for premiums. So, in order to find the Georgia Medicare Supplement Plan and insurer that is best for you, it is essential to compare a wide range of options. EZ can help you by comparing all plans and insurers available to you; but first, have a look at our guide to how Medicare Supplement Plans operate in Georgia.
Georgia Medicare Supplement Plans
A Medicare Supplement Plan is your best option if you want additional coverage to fill any coverage gaps left by Original Medicare, particularly the 20% coinsurance that you have to pay each time you use Medicare Part B outpatient services.
There are 10 different standardized Medicare Supplement Plans available in the state of Georgia, with each one labeled with a different letter of the alphabet (A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N). It is important to note that not every insurer will offer every plan, but CMS mandates that every insurance company make Plan A available to their customers. In addition, only people who became eligible for Medicare prior to January 1, 2020 will be able to purchase Plans C and F.
You will be required to pay a monthly premium for these plans, but in exchange, they will cover part or practically all of your out-of-pocket costs. Monthly premiums for Medicare Supplement Plans in Georgia can cost anywhere from $40 to $214, depending on the region you live in and the plan that you select.
Because there are so many different options to look into, it can be difficult to keep everything straight. To assist you in getting started, we have provided an overview of the coverage and cost of each plan available in Georgia.
Plan A
Medicare Supplement Plan A is the most basic plan available. But even though it’s basic, it will cover what is perhaps the most essential thing that Medicare Supplement Plans cover, which is the 20% of outpatient services that Original Medicare does not pay for. Plan A must be made available by all Medicare insurance carriers, but in some areas, insurers are not obligated to make it available to Medicare beneficiaries under the age of 65 who are receiving disability benefits.
In the state of Georgia, monthly premiums for Plan A start at $120.
Plan B
Medicare Supplement Plan B covers all the basics that Plan A does, including:
- Medicare Part A coinsurance and hospital costs – Part A only fully covers your first 60 days of inpatient hospital stays in a benefit period, after that you are required to pay a portion of your bills for each day after. Days 61-90 have a coinsurance of $400 a day. For days 91 through 150, and you use your Lifetime Reserve days, your coinsurance will be $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 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 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 only covers the Medicare Part A Deductible Plan B. Medicare Part A’s 2023 benefit period deductible is $1,600. Because the deductible is based on 60-day benefit periods rather than annual benefit periods, you may have to pay your Part A deductible multiple times in a year.
Monthly premiums for Plan B in Georgia start at $118.
Plan C
Medicare Supplement Plan C is one of the most comprehensive Medicare Supplement Plans out there, but it is not available to all beneficiaries. Plan C will cover all of your out-of-pocket expenses, with the exception of Medicare Part B excess charges. This means that Plan C will cover your Parts A and B deductibles, as well as the 20% coinsurance that you would normally pay for all outpatient services.
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
Unfortunately, Medicare recipients who became eligible for the program on or after January 1, 2020 cannot purchase Plan C. If you had Plan C before that date, you can keep it, and if you were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020 but didn’t enroll then, you may still be able to buy it. If you had Plan C before that date, you can keep it.
In the state of Georgia, monthly premiums for Plan C start at $216.
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 A deductible
- 80% of foreign travel emergency costs (up to plan limits)
Medicare Part B excess charges and deductibles are not covered by Plan D. If your doctor refuses to accept Medicare assignment, they can charge you more than Medicare would cover for the service, and you will be responsible for the difference. The difference between your doctor’s bill and the Medicare-approved amount is called an “excess charge”; you will be responsible for these charges with Plan D.
In the state of Georgia, monthly Plan D premiums start at around $309.
Plan F
Medicare Supplement Plan F has long been the best-selling plan on the market, but it is not currently available to all beneficiaries. It covers all of your out-of-pocket expenses, meaning you’ll only pay your monthly Plan F premium if you have this plan. The covered expenses include:
- 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
Anyone who became or becomes Medicare-eligible after 2020 will not be able to enroll in Plan F. You can enroll in one of these plans if you first became eligible for Medicare before 2020, and you can keep your Plan F indefinitely if you have already purchased it.
Plan F premiums start at around $159 a month in Georgia.
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)
Plan G covers everything except the Part B deductible, and the good news is that Plan G premiums are typically lower than those of Plan F. In Georgia, for example, Medicare Supplement Plan G premiums start at just $131 per month.
Plan K
Medicare Supplement Plan K helps pay for some of the costs not covered by Original Medicare. To keep your out-of-pocket costs down, Plan K covers 50% of some expenses. This plan covers:
- Medicare Part B coinsurance – Plan K covers half of these costs, so you will be responsible for 50% of your 20% Part B coinsurance. For example, if your doctor charges $100 for a service, Medicare will cover $80, Plan K will cover $1. You will cover 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.
Plan K has higher costs at the point of service than other plans do. But it also has something other plans (and Original Medicare) do not: an annual out-of-pocket maximum. This ensures that with Plan K, your out-of-pocket costs will be capped at $6,620 (as of 2023) for the year. Once you reach that amount, Medicare Supplement Plan K will pay 100% of your approved costs. At the start of each new year, your limit will be reset.
In addition, while Plan K only pays for half of some of your expenses, it pays for 100% of your Medicare Part A coinsurance. Medicare Part A mandates you to pay coinsurance if you have an inpatient hospital stay that lasts more than 60 days. This is the only basic benefit that Plan K covers in full.
Plan K has higher out-of-pocket expenses, but premiums start as low as $67 per month in Georgia.
Plan L
The bulk, but not all, of the costs associated with Original Medicare are covered by Medicare Supplement Plan L. And, like Plan K, Plan L has an annual out-of-pocket maximum ($3,310 in 2023). After which your insurance carrier will pay 100% of your medical costs.
Your Medicare Part A copayments and hospitalization charges will all be covered in full by Medicare Supplement Plan L. It also provides partial coverage for:
- 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. You must still meet your Medicare Part B deductible, which is $226 per year in 2023, if you choose Plan L.
Plan L premiums start at $125 a month in Georgia.
Plan M
Medicare Supplement Plan M is similar to Medicare Supplement Plans K and L in that it helps with some, but not all of the costs, that come with Original Medicare.
Medicare Supplement Plan M includes coverage for all Medicare Part A hospitalization costs and Part A copayments. It also 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.
- 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 deductible – Medicare Supplement Plan M will cover half of your Medicare Part A deductible. If you have Plan M, you will have to pay half of the $1,600 (or $800) deductible.
Plan M premiums start at $101 a month in Georgia.
Plan N
Medicare Plan N is a very comprehensive Medicare Supplement Plan. It covers almost everything except the Part B deductible ($226 in 2023) and any Part B excess charges. Unlike other plans, though, Plan N does have copays for some services.
Those who enroll in Medicare Supplement Plan N will have coverage for 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, you may have to pay a second copayment of up to $50.
- 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.
Plan N premiums start at $102 a month in Georgia.
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 your plan 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.
If you’re under 65 and on Medicare, you should know that, in Georgia, Medicare Supplement Plan insurers must offer their plans to anyone who enrolls in Medicare Part B, regardless of age. In addition, most Medicare Supplement Plans in Georgia use issue-age rating. Which means that premiums will not increase as you get older.
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 help you with signing up. EZ can assist you in enrolling in Medicare, comparing Medicare Supplement Plans, 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.
