Original Medicare, which is available to anyone over the age of 65 (and some individuals with certain disabilities and medical conditions), provides excellent coverage, but has a few disadvantages. For example, Original Medicare has a lot of coverage gaps, including the 20% Part B coinsurance that you’ll be required to pay out-of-pocket if you don’t have additional coverage. Fortunately, you can get this additional coverage with an affordable Montana Medicare Supplement Plan.
Private insurance companies offer Montana Medicare Supplement Plans, which help pay for some costs not covered by Original Medicare (such as the 20% coinsurance for Part B and the Part A deductible). But while these plans are sold by private insurance companies, the government regulates Medicare Supplement Plans. This ensures that all plans with the same letter name provide the same benefits.
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Premiums are set by private insurers, even though plan coverage is regulated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), so prices can vary from insurer to insurer. So, you should compare Montana Medicare Supplement Plans and insurance carriers to find the best plan and premium for you. Speak to EZ so we can compare Medicare Supplement Plans in Montana for you, but first read our summary of how these plans work in Montana.
Montana Medicare Supplement Plans
Montana Medicare Supplement Plans are your best option if you need additional coverage, particularly for Original Medicare’s 20% coinsurance.
There are ten Medicare Supplement Plans available in Montana, each beginning with a different letter (A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N). Additionally, Plan A must be offered to all customers by all insurance companies. However, only individuals who became eligible for Medicare prior to January 1, 2020 can purchase plans C and F.
You’ll have to pay a monthly premium for your Medicare Supplement Plan, but for this one affordable monthly price, you’ll get coverage for much, if not almost all, of your medical expenses. In Montana, premiums range from $46 to $423 per month depending on the type of coverage you select and your location.
Given all of the options available, making a decision can be challenging. So, we’ve outlined the fundamentals of each plan and how they operate in Montana to help you make the most informed decision possible.
Plan A
Plan A offers the least coverage of the ten Medicare Supplement plans. It is not comprehensive, but it will cover the 20% of outpatient care not covered by Original Medicare, among other out-of-pocket expenses. Despite the federal mandate that all Medicare-approved health insurance carriers offer Plan A, some states do not offer it to Medicare-eligible individuals under the age of 65.
Monthly premiums for Plan A in Montana range from $88 to $354 per month.
Plan B
Medicare Supplement Plan B offers slightly more coverage 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. 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. 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.
But what makes it a step up from Plan A is that Plan B covers the Medicare Part A hospital deductible, while Plan A does not. In 2023, the Medicare Part A deductible is $1,600 per benefit period. And since this deductible is charged per 60-day benefit period rather than annually, you may be required to pay it more than once in a single year if your plan does not cover it. That means Plan B might be a better option for you than Plan A, especially if you worry about expenses related to hospital stays.
Monthly Plan B premiums in Montana can range from $132 to $352.
Plan C
This plan stands out as superior to its competitors because it is more comprehensive than most. However, it is not available for purchase by all beneficiaries. Plan C covers your Parts A and B deductibles as well as your 20% outpatient coinsurance, as well as almost all other out-of-pocket expenses.
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
However, Plan C is no longer offered to Medicare beneficiaries who became eligible for coverage after January 1, 2020. You can maintain your current Plan C coverage if you had it before January 1, 2020, and you may be able to purchase this plan if you became eligible for Medicare before that date but have not yet enrolled.
Monthly Plan C premiums in Montana range from $152 to $421.
Plan D
Plan D covers the majority of 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 major expenses that Plan D does not cover are the Medicare Part B deductible and Part B excess charges. You will be responsible for paying the difference if your doctor refuses to accept Medicare assignment and charges you more than Medicare will cover. The difference between your doctor’s fee and the Medicare-approved amount is known as an “excess charge”. A few select plans cover these excess charges, but Plan D is not one of them. So, if your doctor does not accept Medicare, Plan D may not be the plan for you.
Montana monthly Plan D premiums range from $116 to $258.
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
Plan F is unavailable to Medicare beneficiaries who became eligible for the program after January 1, 2020. If you became Medicare-eligible before 2020, you can enroll in one of these plans. Additionally, if you’re grandfathered in, you can keep your current Plan F coverage indefinitely.
Plan F monthly premiums can range from $134 to $423 in Montana.
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 not covered by Plan G is the Medicare Part B deductible. The good news is that premiums for Plan G are frequently very competitive. Premiums in Montana range from $111 to $402, making these plans a better value than Plan F.
Plan K
Medicare Supplement Plan K reduces Original Medicare out-of-pocket expenses, but does not fill all coverage gaps. Plan K only covers 50% of certain expenses, 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.
While Plan K has higher out-of-pocket costs, it does have something that most other plans don’t have: an out-of-pocket maximum. That means the most you will ever pay in a given year with Plan K is $6,620 (as of 2023). Once you have reached your annual maximum, Plan K will cover all of your eligible medical expenses for the remainder of the year. Your annual maximum will be reset on January 1 of each year.
And while Plan K covers the majority of expenses at a rate of 50%, it does cover Medicare Part A coinsurance in full. So if you are in the hospital for more than sixty days, you won’t have to pay anything out-of-pocket with Plan K. This is the only basic benefit that Plan K covers in full.
Monthly premiums for Plan K in Montana are on the lower end of the scale, costing from $46 to $129 per month.
Plan L
Plan L also covers many, but not all, Original Medicare-related costs. However, it covers them at a higher rate than Plan K. It also has an out-of-pocket maximum ($3,310 in 2023). Which means that after you’ve paid this amount in covered medical expenses for the year, your insurer will pay the remainder. Plan L’s out-of-pocket maximum is lower than Plan K’s, so you will end up paying less with this plan.
Plan L provides full 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 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 $70 and $252 a month in Montana.
Plan M
Medicare Supplement Plan M covers the majority, but not all, Original Medicare expenses. But Plan M covers more basic benefits in full than do either of these plans.
Medicare Supplement Plan M covers all coinsurance and hospital costs for Medicare Part A in full. 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.
Prices for Plan M premiums range from $114 to $258 a month in Montana.
Plan N
Plan N fills the vast majority of Original Medicare coverage gaps. The Medicare Part B deductible ($226 in 2023) and Medicare Part B excess charges are not covered. Excess charges are portions of medical bills that exceed the Medicare-approved amount. The one thing it has that other plans do not, though, is copayments for some services.
Plan N covers 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 $87 to $391 a month in Montana.
When To Enroll
You can technically purchase a Montana Medicare Supplement Plan at any time. However, the best time to enroll is your six-month Medicare Supplement Open Enrollment Period. This period begins when you turn 65 and enroll in Medicare Part B. It is the one time when you will be given guaranteed-issue rights. This means that insurance companies will not be able to deny you or charge you more for coverage.
If you’re under 65 and on Medicare, you should know that federal regulations do not require insurance companies to offer Medicare Supplement Plans to Medicare beneficiaries under age 65 who qualify for Medicare due to a disability. Insurance companies are also permitted to charge significantly higher premiums for enrollees under the age of 65. If you’re a beneficiary under 65, you’ll have to check with insurance companies in your area to see if they will offer you a plan, and at what price. EZ can help you with this process.
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 advice on signing up. 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.
