Original Medicare offers very good coverage for your basic medical needs and allows you to see any doctor in the country who accepts Medicare. Making it an indispensable program. But you might be finding it difficult to afford some of its out-of-pocket expenses. Like the 20% Medicare Part B coinsurance or the large Part A deductible. Meaning you probably need supplemental coverage through an Indiana Medicare Supplement Plan.
Private insurance companies offer Indiana Medicare Supplement Plans to fill the gaps left by Original Medicare (Parts A and B), such as the Part A deductible and the 20% coinsurance required by Part B. The good news is that these plans are regulated by the government, and so the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ensures that all Medicare Supplement Plans with the same letter name provide the same benefit coverage across the country.
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But while coverage is regulated, insurance companies can set their own premiums, so to find the best Indiana Medicare Supplement Plan for your needs and budget, it is important to shop around and compare plans and insurers. For more information on Medicare Supplement Plans and how EZ can help, check out our comprehensive guide to Medicare Supplement Plans in Indiana.
Indiana Medicare Supplement Plans
If you need more than the coverage offered by Original Medicare, particularly when it comes to the 20% coinsurance you must pay every time you use Medicare Part B services, a Medicare Supplement Plan is your best option.
First things first: in Indiana, you’ll be able to choose from 10 different Medicare Supplement Plans, labeled by letters of the alphabet (A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N). By law, all insurance carriers must offer Plan A to all customers . Plans C and F, on the other hand, are only available for purchase to those who first qualified for Medicare prior to January 1, 2020.
In Indiana, monthly premiums for Medicare Supplement Plans can cost anywhere from $48 to $390, depending on the specifics of your chosen plan. But for the price of these premiums, you will get excellent coverage for some, and in some cases, most of the out-of-pocket expenses associated with Medicare Parts A and B.
Given the variety of options available to you, it can be challenging to keep everything straight. In order to get you started, here is the breakdown of the different plans and the coverage they provide, as well as how much you can expect to pay in Indiana.
Plan A
Plan A is the most basic Medicare Supplement Plan on the market. However, it is available to all beneficiaries through all Medicare-approved insurance companies. But despite its simplicity, it will cover the 20% of outpatient services that Original Medicare does not. Which is a major selling point for any Medicare Supplement Plan.
Plan A monthly premiums in Indiana can cost anywhere from $81 to $376.
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. 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. 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 is a little less basic than Plan A, since it covers your Medicare Part A hospital deductibles, which Plan A does not. Having coverage for this $1,600 deductible could be very helpful, especially since it is not charged annually, but rather based on 60-day benefit periods. Meaning you might have to pay it more than once in a single year.
Premiums for Plan B in Indiana cost between $94 and $308 a month.
Plan C
Plan C is one of the most comprehensive options available, although not all beneficiaries can purchase it. This plan covers almost all Original Medicare out-of-pocket expenses, with the exception of Medicare Part B excess charges. This means that the 20% coinsurance for all outpatient care is covered by Plan C, and that your Parts A and B deductibles are also 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
Unfortunately, Plan C is no longer available to Medicare recipients who became eligible for Medicare after January 1, 2020. You can keep your Plan C coverage if you had it prior to January 1, 2020. Additionally, you might be able to enroll in this plan if you became eligible before that date but did not enroll.
Monthly premiums for Plan C range from $107 to $390.
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 Part B deductible, as well as Part B excess charges, are not covered by Plan D. If your doctor refuses to accept Medicare assignment, they can charge you more than Medicare will cover for the service, and you will be responsible for the difference (excess charges). Some plans cover this difference, but Plan D is not one of them.
Indiana residents can expect to pay between $101 and $237 per month for their Plan D premiums.
Plan F
Medicare Supplement Plan F has long been the best-selling plan on the market, although like Plan C, it is no longer available to everyone. 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
Those who became or become Medicare-eligible after 2020 no longer have access to Plan F. You can enroll in one of these plans if you become Medicare-eligible before 2020. Additionally, you can keep Plan F indefinitely if you’re grandfathered in.
In Indiana, Plan F monthly premiums typically range from $106 to $391.
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.
The good news is that Plan G premiums typically cost less than Plan F premiums. Plan G premiums in Indiana range from $94 to $341.
Plan K
Medicare Supplement Plan K reduces your Original Medicare out-of-pocket expenses. However, it doesn’t completely fill the gaps. Plan K only pays 50% of some expenses until you reach 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. Plan K requires you to pay the Medicare Part B deductible, which is $226 in 2023.
Even though you’ll have to pay more with Plan K, you’ll have an out-of-pocket maximum. The annual maximum out-of-pocket amount with Plan K is $6,620 (as of 2023). Once you reach that amount, your insurer will pay the rest of your Medicare-approved bills. At the beginning of each new year, your limit will reset.
Additionally, while Plan K only pays for half of most medical costs, it pays for all of the Medicare Part A coinsurance that you pay if your hospital stay lasts longer than 60 days. This is the only basic benefit that is fully covered by Medicare Supplement Plan K.
Plan K has lower premiums in Indiana, costing between $48 and $134 a month.
Plan L
Medicare Supplement Plan L also covers the majority, but not all, of the costs of Original Medicare. However, Plan L covers them at a higher percentage than does Plan K. It also has an out-of-pocket maximum of $3,310 in 2023. Which means that 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 $60 and $224 a month in Indiana.
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 rather than the full $1,600.
Plan M premium prices range from $69 to $257 per month in Indiana.
Plan N
Medicare Supplement Plan N fills the majority of coverage gaps left by Original Medicare. The only exceptions are the Medicare Part B deductible ($226 in 2023) and any Medicare Part B excess charges. Which are parts of doctor bills that exceed the Medicare-approved amount. This means that Medicare Supplement Plan N covers 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.
Notice that, while Plan N is very comprehensive, it does have copayments for some services, which other plans do not.
Plan N prices range from $71 to $328 a month in Indiana.
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 also important to note that federal regulations do not guarantee access to Medicare Supplement Plans if you are under 65. However, the majority of states have rules in place to ensure that disabled Medicare beneficiaries have at least some access to Medicare Supplement Plans.
As of July 2020, Medicare Supplement Plan insurers in Indiana must offer at least Plan A to Medicare beneficiaries under 65 who are eligible for Medicare due to a disability. It also requires Medicare Supplement Plan insurers to give Medicare beneficiaries. Regardless of age, a six-month Open Enrollment Period that begins when they enroll in Part B (or are determined eligible for retroactive Part B coverage).
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 all the guidance you need. 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 box below or give one of our licensed agents a call at 877-670-3602.
