Idaho Medicare Supplement Plans are offered by private insurance companies to address the coverage gaps left by Original Medicare (Parts A and B). Medicare Supplement Plans, while offered by commercial insurance companies, are regulated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Which mandates that all Medicare Supplement Plans sharing a letter name provide the same benefit coverage throughout the country. That’s why one of these plans is risk-free: you’ll know exactly what to expect when you pick one.
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However, premiums can vary depending on the insurance carrier you choose. So, it’s important to look at multiple Idaho Medicare Supplement Plans and insurance companies before settling on the best one for your needs. Read our guide to Medicare Supplement Plans in Idaho first, and then speak to one of our agents, so we can help you make an informed decision.
Idaho Medicare Supplement Plans
When it comes to filling the gaps left by Original Medicare a Medicare Supplement Plan is your best bet.
The first thing you need to know if you live in Idaho and need a Medicare Supplement Plan is that there are 10 different plans available to you. Each is designated by letters of the alphabet (A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N). Additionally, every insurance company that sells Medicare Supplement Plans has to offer Plan A. Plans C and F are only available for purchase by those who became Medicare-eligible prior to January 1, 2020.
Premiums for these plans cost anywhere from $62 to $350 a month in Idaho, depending on the specifics of your plan and where you live. Additionally, for this low monthly price, you will have most, or almost all, of your out-of-pocket expenses covered.
With so many options available to you, it can be easy to get confused or frustrated trying to figure out which plan is best for you. To get you started, we’ve summarized each plan, including what it covers and how it operates in Idaho.
Plan A
Medicare Supplement Plan A is the most basic option on the market. But while it is a more bare bones plan, 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. All Medicare insurance carriers must make Plan A available, 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.
Monthly premiums for Plan A can range anywhere from $103 to $241 in the state of Idaho.
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 your initial 60 days. Days 61-90 have a coinsurance of $400 a day. Additionally, if your stay is between 91 and 150 days, 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 doctor visits and other outpatient care. So, 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.
The one thing that Plan B covers that Plan A does not, and which makes it a slightly more comprehensive plan, is the Medicare Part A hospital deductible. The deductible for Medicare Part A is $1,600 for each benefit period (in 2023), so this can be a major expense. This is especially true because you may be required to pay this deductible more than once in a single year, since this deductible is based on a 60-day benefit period, rather than on an annual basis. So if you think you might need hospitalization, Plan B is a better option for you than Plan A.
Monthly premiums for Plan B in Idaho can run anywhere from $148 to $195.
Plan C
This is one of the most comprehensive Medicare Supplement Plans on the market, although it is not available to every beneficiary. Plan C covers everything except for Medicare Part B excess charges, meaning it covers both your Parts A and B deductibles, as well as the 20% coinsurance you’d normally have to pay for all outpatient care.
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 enrollees who became eligible for Medicare after January 1, 2020 are not eligible to enroll in 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.
In Idaho, monthly premiums for Plan C range anywhere from $189 to $350.
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)
The deductibles and excess charges associated with Medicare Part B are not covered by Plan D. If your doctor refuses to accept Medicare assignment and charges you more than the Medicare-approved amount, you will be responsible for paying the difference, known as excess charges. A few select plans cover these excess charges, but Plan D is not one of them
In Idaho, monthly premiums for Plan D can be anywhere from $162 to $207.
Plan F
Medicare Supplement Plan F has long been the best-selling plan on the market. However, like Plan C, it is not 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
The only hitch is that anyone who became eligible for Medicare after 2020 will not be able to sign up for Plan F. You will only be able to purchase one of these plans if you became eligible for Medicare before 2020. If you already have Plan F you can keep it for as long as you wish.
In the state of Idaho,monthly premiums for Plan F range from $190 to $304.
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. And the good news is that premiums for Plan G are generally quite affordable. With premiums costing between $154 and $257 per month in Idaho. This plan’s competitive rates make it generally a better bargain 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 pays 50% of some expenses until you your out-of-pocket maximum. These expenses include:
- 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 $10, and 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.
With this plan, you will be responsible for higher out-of-pocket expenses. But Plan K offers something that most other plans do not: an out-of-pocket maximum. So, the most you’ll have to pay for Plan K in a given year is $6,620 (as of 2023). After you reach this threshold, Plan K will begin to pay for the remainder of the year’s costs. At the beginning of each new calendar year, your maximum will go back to its original balance.
In addition, even though Plan K pays for 50% of the majority of expenses, it covers all of your Medicare Part A coinsurance. This is the only basic benefit that Medicare Supplement Plan K will pay for in its entirety.
In Idaho, the premiums for Plan K are in the lower range, costing between $62 and $182 a month.
Plan L
Medicare Supplement Plan L also covers the majority, but not all, of the costs associated with Original Medicare. But it covers them at a higher rate than does Plan K. It also has an out-of-pocket maximum, which is lower than Plan K’s ($3,310 in 2023). Once you pay that amount in covered expenses for the year, your insurer will pay your bills in full.
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. You must still meet your Medicare Part B deductible, which is $226 per year in 2023, if you choose Plan L.
Plan L premiums cost between $123 and $152 a month in Idaho.
Plan M
Like Plan K and Plan L, Medicare Supplement Plan M covers the majority of the costs associated with Original Medicare, but not all of them.
Medicare Supplement Plan M covers all of Medicare Part A coinsurance and hospital costs. 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 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 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 cost between $180 and $200 a month in Idaho.
Plan N
Medicare Supplement Plan N fills the majority of the coverage gaps in Original Medicare. However, Medicare Part B deductible ($226 in 2023) and any Medicare Part B excess charges, which are portions of doctor bills that exceed the Medicare-approved amount, are not covered by Medicare. These are the only two exclusions. Although unlike with other plans, you might have to pay copayments for some services.
This means that Medicare Supplement Plan N provides coverage for everything listed below:
- 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.
Plan N generally costs between $111 and $196 a month in Idaho.
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, or 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.
But it’s important to note that you can also purchase a Medicare Supplement Plan in Idaho if you are a Medicare beneficiary who is under 65. Since 1995, state law has prohibited insurers from using attained-age rating in Medicare Supplement Plans. Which means that premiums cannot increase simply because your age increases. In most states, the most common type of pricing used by Medicare Supplement Plan insurers is attained-age rating, so Idaho is unusual in this respect.
How To Choose
When it comes to Medicare Supplement Plans, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Speak to an EZ agent who can explain everything to you and give you guidance on what you need to do to sign up. Additionally, EZ can assist you in enrolling in a Medicare Supplement Plan, or simply help you weigh your options. Our agents work with the best insurance companies in the country. They can also 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.
