Private insurance companies offer Medicare Supplement Plans, which help pay for expenses that Original Medicare doesn’t cover, such as your Part A deductible and the 20% coinsurance for Part B. But while they are sold by private companies, Medicare Supplement Plans are standardized by the government. So, that all plans with the same letter name provide the same benefit coverage throughout the country.
Jump To:
But even though the government regulates plan coverage, it is important to compare Medicare Supplement Plans and insurance companies to find the best plan for you. This is because premiums can vary depending on the insurer you select. EZ can help you compare both insurers and plans. But first, read our explanation of how Medicare Supplement Plans work in Maine.
Maine Medicare Supplement Plans
If you need more coverage than what you get with your Original Medicare, particularly when it comes to the 20% Part B coinsurance, a Medicare Supplement Plan is your best bet.
So, you should first know that there are ten different types of plans available in Maine. All of which begin with a different letter of the alphabet (A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N). All insurance companies have to offer Plan A to customers. Plans C and F are available for purchase only to those who first qualified for Medicare prior to January 1, 2020.
Monthly premiums in Maine can cost anywhere from $79 to $396, depending on your coverage options and where you live. For the cost of your monthly premiums, you will get excellent medical coverage, with most of your other out-of-pocket expenses taken care of.
Given the variety of options available to you, it can be tricky to choose. To ease your mind and get you started, we’ve summarized the key features of each plan, and explained how they function in Maine.
Plan A
Plan A has the most basic coverage of the ten Medicare Supplement Plans. But despite its simplicity, it will cover the 20% of outpatient services that Original Medicare does not pay for, which means you’ll save a lot of money. By law, Plan A must be offered by all Medicare-approved health insurance carriers, but in some states, insurers are not required to make it available to Medicare-disabled individuals under the age of 65.
In Maine, monthly Plan A premiums cost between $162 and $307.
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. 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.
So, like Plan A, Plan B covers the essentials, but unlike Plan A, it also covers the Medicare Part A hospital deductible. This is a useful benefit, since Medicare’s Part A deductible in 2023 is $1,600 per 60-day benefit period. Not only is this a high deductible, but because it is not charged annually but rather based on 60-day benefit periods, you may have to pay it more than once in a single year.
In Maine, monthly premiums for Plan B can cost anywhere from $213 to $363.
Plan C
When compared to other Medicare Supplement Plans, this one stands out as particularly comprehensive. The only thing that Plan C doesn’t cover is 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 beneficiaries who became eligible for Medicare after January 1, 2020. You can keep your current Plan C coverage if you had it prior to January 1, 2020, and you might be able to enroll in one of these plans if you became eligible for Medicare before that date but have not yet enrolled.
Premiums for Plan C in Maine range from $244 to $315 per month.
Plan D
Medicare Supplement 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)
Plan D does not cover Medicare Part B deductibles and excess charges. If your doctor refuses to accept Medicare assignment, they can charge you more than Medicare will pay for the service, and you will be responsible for paying the difference, known as an excess charge. Some plans cover these excess charges, but Plan D is not one of them.
In Maine, monthly premiums for Plan D range from $214 to $260.
Plan F
Medicare Supplement Plan F has long been the best-selling plan on the market. 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
Just like Plan C, Plan F is not available to individuals who became eligible for Medicare after 2020. If you became eligible for Medicare before 2020, you can purchase one of these plans. And if you have already purchased Plan F and are grandfathered in, you can keep it indefinitely.
Plan F premiums in Maine cost between $222 and $396 per month.
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
- Blood transfusion (first 3 pints)
The only thing not covered by Plan G is the Medicare Part B deductible. The good news is that premiums for Plan G are frequently very competitive, ranging from $209 to $316 in Maine, making these plans a better value than Plan F.
Plan K
Medicare Supplement Plan K cuts down on Original Medicare out-of-pocket expenses, but does not fill all the gaps. Until you reach your out-of-pocket maximum, Plan K only covers 50% of certain expenses. The costs that are partially covered are:
- 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.
But while Plan K requires you to pay more out-of-pocket, it offers an out-of-pocket maximum. This means the most you’ll pay out-of-pocket in a given year for medical expenses with Plan K is $6,620(as of 2023). Once you reach this limit, Medicare Supplement Plan K will cover your remaining approved expenses for the remainder of the calendar year. At the beginning of each new year, your limit will be reset.
In addition, while Plan K covers the majority of expenses at a rate of only 50%, it covers the Medicare Part A coinsurance in its entirety. This means you won’t have to pay anything out-of-pocket if your hospital stay exceeds 60 days. This is the only basic benefit that Medicare Supplement Plan K covers in its entirety.
The monthly premiums for Plan K are lower than those of other plans, costing between $79 and $151 per month in Maine.
Plan L
Medicare Supplement Plan L also covers a lot, but not all, of Original Medicare-related expenses. It covers these expenses at a higher percentage than Plan K, and it also has a lower out-of-pocket maximum ($3,310 in 2023). Like with Plan K, once you’ve paid this amount in covered expenses for the year, your insurer will pay the rest of your medical bills.
Plan L provides coverage for all Medicare Part A coinsurance and hospital costs. It also covers a portion 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 will still have to still meet your Medicare Part B deductible, which is $226 per year in 2023, if you choose Plan L.
Plan L premiums cost between $143 and $239 a month in Maine.
Plan M
Medicare Supplement Plan M covers the majority of, but not all, costs associated with Original Medicare.
Medicare Supplement Plan M covers all coinsurance and hospital costs associated with Medicare Part A. It also includes:
- 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.
Prices for Plan M premiums range from $185 to $326 a month in Maine.
Plan N
The majority of Original Medicare coverage gaps are filled by Medicare Supplement Plan N. The only exceptions are the 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. In addition, you might have to pay copayments for some Part B services with Plan N, unlike with other plans.
Medicare Supplement Plan N includes 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, 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 $164 to $235 a month in Maine.
When To Enroll
The best time to enroll in a Medicare Supplement Plan is when you turn 65 and enroll in Original Medicare. This is because you will be given a six-month window where Medicare Supplement coverage is guaranteed issue. This means that insurance companies will not be able to deny you or charge you more for coverage because of your health.
With that being said, federal regulations do not guarantee access to a Medicare Supplement Plan if you are under 65 and eligible for Medicare due to a disability. States set their own guidelines for this kind of access.
Maine has more Medicare Supplement Plan regulations than some other states do. Which are to protect consumers and increase access to Medicare Supplement Plans. Maine’s rules, which include several provisions, are explained in the state’s Consumer Guide to Medicare Supplement Plans.
Maine’s Provisions
- All Medicare Supplement insurers in Maine must assign at least one month per year when all applicants, regardless of medical history, will be accepted for enrollment in Medicare Supplement Plan A. Insurers can go above and beyond this basic one-month requirement and provide year-round access to Plan A. But not all do.
- In Maine, if you are under 65, you’ll have the same six-month Open Enrollment Period for guaranteed-issue Medicare Supplement Plans (beginning when you enroll in Medicare Part B) as Medicare beneficiaries who are 65 and enrolling because of their age. And when you reach the age of 65, you will have access to another six-month Open Enrollment Period. During which you will be able to switch to any Medicare Supplement Plan on a guaranteed-issue basis.
- After your initial six-month window expires, you can switch to a different plan. As long as you choose a plan with equal or lesser benefits and haven’t missed more than 90 days of Medicare Supplement Plan coverage since your initial Open Enrollment Period.
- Maine is one of eight states where insurers cannot charge more for Medicare Supplement Plans based on age. This provision extends to people under the age of 65. Only tobacco use can affect Maine Medicare Supplement Plan premiums.
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 even help you sign up. EZ can assist you in enrolling in Medicare, comparing 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 get started, simply enter your zip code into the bar below or give one of our licensed agents a call at 877-670-3602.
