Private insurance companies sell Medicare Supplement Plans to bridge the coverage gaps left by Original Medicare (Parts A and B). They do this, in most cases, by paying the Part A deductible and the 20% of Part B coinsurance.
Additionally, while Medicare Supplement Plans are offered by commercial insurance companies, they are governed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Which guarantees that all Medicare Supplement Plans sharing the same letter name provide the same benefit package throughout the country. Meaning, with one of these plans, you’ll know exactly what to expect.
Jump To:
But with that being said, premiums can differ depending on the insurance company you choose to purchase from. So, it’s important to shop around for both Medicare Supplement Plans and insurance carriers to find the best fit for you. Check out our Illinois Medicare Supplement Plans guide first. So, we can help you make an informed decision after you’ve reviewed all your options.
Illinois Medicare Supplement Plans
Medicare Supplement Plans are designed to fill the gaps left by Original Medicare. Especially the 20% coinsurance required whenever you use Medicare Part B-covered services.
If you live in Illinois and are in need of a Medicare Supplement Plan, you should know that there are 10 different plans on offer in Illinois, each of which is labeled with a letter of the alphabet (A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N). All insurance companies that sell Medicare Supplement Plans must at least offer Plan A to all customers. And those who became/become Medicare-eligible after January 1, 2020 will not be able to purchase either Plan C or Plan F.
Monthly rates for Medicare Supplement Plans in Illinois range from $92 to $251; for this price, you will get excellent coverage, and will often be left with very few out-of-pocket expenses.
The many options available to you can make it difficult to know where to begin. So, to get you off to a good start, we have explained below each plan’s coverage and price point in Illinois.
Plan A
Plan A is fairly basic in terms of its coverage. But even though it’s basic, it will cover the 20% of outpatient treatment that Medicare Part B requires you to pay, which is possibly the single most important thing that Medicare Supplement Plans cover. All Medicare insurance carriers are required to offer Plan A, but in some places insurers are not required to offer it to Medicare beneficiaries under the age of 65 who are receiving disability benefits.
Premiums for Plan A in Illinois range from $79 to $446 per month.
Plan B
Medicare Supplement Plan B covers everything 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.
Plan B is slightly more comprehensive than Plan A, since it includes coverage for the Medicare Part A hospital deductible, which Plan A does not. Medicare Part A has a deductible of $1,600 for each 60-day benefit period in 2023. This deductible applies for each benefit period, as opposed to annually, so you could be required to meet it more than once in a year. That’s why it could be a good idea for you to invest in a policy that provides coverage for this expense.
Plan B premiums in Illinois range from $109 to $407 per month.
Plan C
It’s unfortunate that not all Medicare recipients are eligible to sign up for this Medicare Supplement Plan, because it’s one of the most comprehensive options out there. Part C covers everything except Medicare Part B excess charges. You will be billed for excess charges if you go to a doctor who does not accept Medicare and they bill you more than Medicare allows. A few select plans will cover the difference between what your doctor charges and the Medicare-approved amount, but with Plan C you would be responsible for paying this difference.
Part B excess charges would be the only out-of-pocket expense you would have with Plan C, meaning the 20% coinsurance you would normally be responsible for paying for all outpatient services, as well as your Parts A and B deductibles, are all covered.
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
Medicare recipients who first become/became eligible for Medicare after January 1, 2020 cannot enroll in Plan C. If you had Plan C prior to January 1, 2020, you can keep it, and if you were Medicare-eligible but did not enroll then, you might be able to purchase this plan now.
In the state of Illinois, monthly Plan C premiums might set you back anywhere from $116 to $453.
Plan D
Plan D covers the majority of out-of-pocket medical expenses 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 only things that Plan D doesn’t cover are Medicare Part B deductibles and excess charges, as explained above.
In Illinois, monthly Plan D premiums can range from $100 to $396.
Plan F
Plan F has consistently been the bestselling Medicare Supplement Plan, but like Plan C, it is no longer available to all Medicare beneficiaries. If you have this plan, you’ll only have to worry about paying your monthly Plan F premiums; Plan F covers every other out-of-pocket expense associated with Original Medicare.
Plan F covers all of 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
But those who became or become Medicare-eligible after 2020 will no longer have access to Plan F. You can enroll in one of these plans if you became Medicare-eligible before 2020, and you can keep your Plan F indefinitely if you already have it.
For residents of Illinois, monthly premiums for Plan F range from $107 to $456.
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 Medicare Part B deductible is the only expense not covered by Plan G. And the good thing about Plan G is that rates in Illinois often cost less than Plan F premiums do, ranging from $95 to $414 per year.
Plan K
While Plan K helps you save money on some of your out-of-pocket costs for Original Medicare, it does not fill all the gaps. Plan K covers most expenses at 50% until you reach your out-of-pocket maximum, including:
- 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.
Plan K has higher out-of-pocket costs than other plans. However, it does have one very attractive feature that most plans do not: an out-of-pocket maximum. The maximum annual out-of-pocket expense for Plan K is $6,620 (as of 2023). So, after you spend this much, the rest of your approved Medicare costs for the year will be covered by Plan K. Your limit will be reset at the beginning of each calendar year.
And, while Plan K pays only half of most medical costs, it pays 100% of the coinsurance associated with Medicare Part A. So, without a Medicare Supplement Plan that covers this expense, you will have to pay daily coinsurance if your hospital stay is more than 60 days.
Plan K’s lower premiums of $48 to $162 per month in Illinois reflect its higher out-of-pocket costs.
Plan L
Like Plan K, Plan L helps pay for many, though not all, of the costs that Original Medicare does not. However, Plan L covers them at a higher percentage than does Plan K. Also like Plan K, Plan L has an annual out-of-pocket maximum, so there is a limit on how much you’ll have to pay each year for covered medical expenses before your insurance company takes over and pays the rest. Plan L’s maximum is lower than Plan K’s at $3,310 in 2023.
Plan L covers 100% of your Medicare Part A copayments and hospitalization costs. In addition, the following are partially covered:
- 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 $61 and $265 a month in Illinois.
Plan M
Medicare Supplement Plan M helps pay for some but not all of your Original Medicare costs.
Also, like Plans K and L, Plan M pays 100% of your Medicare Part A coinsurance and hospital expenses. Additionally, it includes coverage for:
- 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. So, if you have Plan M, you will have to pay half of the $1,600 (or $800) deductible.
Plan M premiums range from $68 to $311 per month in Illinois.
Plan N
Medicare Supplement Plan N helps pay for most of what isn’t covered by Original Medicare. Part B excess charges, or portions of doctor bills that exceed the Medicare-approved amount, and the Part B deductible ($226 in 2023) are the only exceptions. Unlike with other plans, though, you will have to pay copayments for some services with Plan N.
Since Plan K is so comprehensive, everything below is covered:
- 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. However, 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 can cost between $71 and $394 a month in Illinois.
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. This is a 6-month window that opens up to you when you turn 65 and enroll in Original Medicare.
The reason that you should purchase your Medicare Supplement 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 cannot 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.
In addition, if you are under the age of 65, are disabled, and have been receiving disability benefits for at least two years, you can enroll in Medicare, and in Illinois you will also be able to purchase a Medicare Supplement Plan. Federal regulations do not guarantee access to Medicare Supplement Plans for people under the age of 65. However the majority of states, including Illinois, have legislation to ensure at least some access to private Medicare Supplement Plans for disabled enrollees under the age of 65.
Additionally, Medicare Supplement insurers in Illinois can charge higher premiums if you are under 65. However, they cannot charge you more than the insurer’s highest on-file rate for people over the age of 65.
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 give you guidance every step of the way. 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. So, 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.
