Louisiana Medicare Supplement Plans are sold by private insurance companies to fill the coverage gaps left by Original Medicare. These plans typically include coverage for your Part A deductible among other things. Additionally, while they are sold by private companies, Medicare Supplement Plans are regulated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). They also mandate that all plans with the same letter name provide the same level of benefit coverage. That means all plans are standardized, so you’ll always know what you’re getting with them.
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Having said that, insurance companies can set their own premiums. So, prices can vary depending on the insurance company that you choose. That’s why it’s important to compare a variety of Louisiana Medicare Supplement Plans, in addition to a variety of insurance companies, in order to find the plan that best suits your needs.
EZ can assist you with comparing all of your options. But before we do that, we recommend that you review our guide to Medicare Supplement Plans in Louisiana.
Louisiana Medicare Supplement Plans
If you need additional coverage to bridge any gaps in Original Medicare, your best option is to sign up for a Louisiana Medicare Supplement Plan.
If you live in Louisiana and are interested in purchasing a Medicare Supplement Plan, the first thing you should know is that there are 10 standardized plans available. Each of which is named after a different letter of the alphabet (A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N). All insurance companies are required to offer Plan A to Medicare beneficiaries. However, Plans C and F can only be purchased by individuals who were eligible for Medicare prior to January 1, 2020.
Monthly premiums in the state of Louisiana can range anywhere from $47 to $585, depending on your location and type of coverage you select. For this price, you will get some, if not most of, your out-of-pocket medical expenses covered.
Because there are so many options available, it might feel difficult to keep everything straight. We’ve broken down each plan to make it easier for you to get started.
Plan A
Plan A, which is offered by all insurance companies that sell Medicare Supplement Plans, is your most basic option. However, it will cover what is arguably the most essential thing that Medicare Supplement Plans cover. Which is the 20% of outpatient services that Original Medicare does not pay for.
In the state of Louisiana, monthly Plan A premiums can range anywhere from $73 to $470.
Plan B
Medicare Supplement Plan B is a little less bare bones than Plan A. It 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.
What makes Plan B a little more comprehensive is that it covers the Medicare Part A hospital deductible. The deductible for Medicare Part A is $1,600 per 60-day benefit period (as of 2023). Meaning you may be required to pay this deductible more than once in a single year. Having a plan that covers this could be very beneficial to you, so Plan B might be a better choice for you than Plan A if you want a little more security.
Monthly Plan B premiums in the state of Louisiana can range anywhere from $114 to $523.
Plan C
This is one of the most comprehensive Medicare Supplement Plans on the market, but it is not available to all beneficiaries. Generally, Plan C covers everything except for Medicare Part B excess charges. This means Plan C 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 beneficiaries who became eligible for Medicare after January 1, 2020 are no longer eligible for 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 haven’t yet enrolled, you may still be able to buy it.
In Louisiana, Plan C premiums cost between $141 and $581 a month.
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 deductibles and excess charges associated with Medicare Part B are not covered by Plan D. If your doctor refuses to accept Medicare assignment, you will be responsible for paying excess charges. Which is the difference between what they charge and the Medicare-approved amount. While some Medicare Supplement Plans cover these excess charges, and Plan D is not one of them.
Plan D premiums can cost between $121 and $507 a month in Louisiana.
Plan F
Medicare Supplement Plan F has long been the best-selling plan on the market, but like Plan C, it is only available to select 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 catch is that Plan F is not available to anyone who became/becomes eligible for Medicare after 2020. If you became eligible for Medicare before 2020, you can purchase one of these plans, or if you have already purchased Plan F and are grandfathered in, you can keep it as long as you want.
Premium prices for Plan F run between $137 and $585 a month in Louisiana.
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 Plan G doesn’t cover is the Medicare Part B deductible. And the good news is that Plan G premiums are frequently very competitive, with premiums ranging from $111 to $491 in Louisiana, making these plans a better value than Plan F.
Plan K
Your out-of-pocket costs for Original Medicare will be lower thanks to Medicare Supplement Plan K, but this plan does not entirely fill the coverage gaps. Plan K will only pay for half of certain out-of-pocket expenses. These include the following:
- 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.
But, while you will have to pay a bit more out-of-pocket with Plan K, this plan has something that most other plans do not: an out-of-pocket maximum. Plan K’s annual maximum out-of-pocket cost is $6,620 (as of 2023), meaning once you spend that amount, Medicare Supplement Plan K will cover the rest of the year’s approved costs. Each year, your maximum resets.
While Plan K covers most expenses at 50%, it covers all of your Medicare Part A coinsurance. This is the only basic benefit that Medicare Supplement Plan K covers fully.
Plan K’s premiums are in the lower range, costing between $47 and $183 a month in Louisiana.
Plan L
Medicare Supplement Plan L also covers the majority, but not all, of the costs associated with Original Medicare. It covers these costs at a higher percentage than Plan K, though, and it also has a lower out-of-pocket maximum ($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 your 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 $76 and $302 a month in Louisiana.
Plan M
Like Plan K and Plan L, Medicare Supplement Plan M covers the majority of the costs associated with Original Medicare. However, it does not cover 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, Plan M will fully cover the first three pints of blood.
- 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.
Prices for Plan M premiums range from $86 to $340 a month in Louisiana.
Plan N
Medicare Supplement Plan N fills the majority of coverage gaps left by Original Medicare. Except that you might have to pay copayments for some Part B services. The only other exceptions to its coverage 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.
Prices for Plan N can range from $88 to $418 a month in Louisiana.
When To Enroll
Medicare Supplement Plans, unlike other private Medicare coverage (Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D plans), do not have an annual Open Enrollment Period. Instead, federal regulations give you a 6-month window during which Medicare Supplement coverage is guaranteed-issue. Meaning you cannot be denied or charged more for coverage because of your health. This period begins when you reach 65 and enroll in Medicare Part B.
Things can work a little differently in Louisiana than in other states, though. Louisiana now has a “birthday rule”. As of August 2022, it allows you a 63-day window following your birthday to switch to another Medicare Supplement Plan of equal or lesser benefits offered by the same insurer you already have, with no medical underwriting.
With this rule, Louisiana has joined a number of other states that already had birthday laws in place. The majority of the other states allow beneficiaries to use their birthday enrollment window to switch to another Medicare Supplement Plan with equal or lesser benefits offered by any insurer. However, Louisiana and Illinois limit this opportunity to plans offered by your current insurer.
It’s also important to note that federal regulations do not guarantee access to Medicare Supplement Plans for people under 65. However, the majority of states have put in place rules to ensure that disabled Medicare beneficiaries have at least some access to Medicare Supplement Plans. Louisiana is one of them.
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 on what you need to do to sign up. EZ can assist you in enrolling in Medicare, comparing Louisiana Medicare Supplement Plans, or simply weighing your options. Additionally, 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 start, simply enter your zip code in the bar below or give one of our agents a call at 877-670-3602.
