Original Medicare is a highly effective program that can help keep you healthy and financially secure. However, it does not pay for all of your medical bills. You might find Medicare Part B’s 20% coinsurance and other out-of-pocket costs to be a burden. Fortunately, an Ohio Medicare Supplement Plan can help you pay the bills.
The benefits of these plans, which are sold by private insurance companies, are straightforward. Since they all must adhere to government standards. In fact, all Medicare Supplement Plans with the same letter name are required by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to provide the same benefits to enrollees.
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Premiums for Medicare Supplement Plans can vary widely from one insurer to the next, though. Making it all the more important to do your research before settling on a plan and an insurance provider. Once you’ve read through our Ohio Medicare Supplement Plans guide, talk to an EZ agent, who will be able to help you choose your plan.
Ohio Medicare Supplement Plans
If you need more coverage than is provided by Original Medicare, you should look into purchasing a Medicare Supplement Plan.
There are ten distinct Medicare Supplement Plans available to Ohio residents. Each named with a different letter of the alphabet. Not every insurance company in Ohio will offer every plan. However, everyone must have access to at least Plan A. And only those who first qualified for Medicare prior to January 1, 2020 are able to enroll in either Plan C or Plan F.
We’ve listed all ten plans below, along with details about their coverage and the typical cost of their premiums in Ohio to get you started.
Plan A
Plan A is the bare minimum when it comes to Medicare Supplement Plans, and it is the only plan that is offered by every insurance company. It’s basic, but it takes care of one of the biggest gaps in Medicare coverage: the 20% of outpatient care that you are required to pay with Part B. It also covers some other major expenses, as outlined below.
Even though every insurance provider is required to offer Plan A, Ohio does not require them to offer coverage to Medicare beneficiaries under 65.
Plan A in Ohio costs between $78 and $446 per month.
Plan B
Medicare Supplement Plan B covers all the basics that Plan A does, including:
- Medicare Part A coinsurance and hospital costs – Medicare Part A only fully covers your first 60 days of inpatient hospital stays in a benefit period; after that, you are required to pay coinsurance for each day after your initial 60 days. Days 61-90 have a coinsurance of $400 a day, days 91-150 (after you use your Lifetime Reserve days) have a coinsurance of $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 Plan B is a little more comprehensive than Plan A, since it covers the Medicare Part A deductible. In 2023, the Medicare Part A deductible is $1,600 per benefit period. And because it is calculated on a 60-day basis rather than on an annual basis, you may be required to pay it more than once per year. Therefore, it may be highly beneficial to choose a plan that covers this expense.
Plan B monthly premiums in Ohio can cost anywhere from $118 to $395.
Plan C
While it is not available to all Medicare recipients, Part C is one of the most comprehensive Medicare Supplement Plans. All deductibles and copayments are paid for by this plan; the only exception to coverage is Medicare Part B excess charges. That means the Part B 20% coinsurance and the deductibles for both Parts A and B will be paid for by Plan C.
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 beneficiaries who became eligible after January 1, 2020, are no longer able to purchase Plan C. If you had Plan C prior to that date, you can keep it, and if you were eligible for Medicare but have not yet enrolled, you may still be able to purchase it.
Premiums for Plan C in Ohio range from $134 to $422 per month.
Plan D
Plan D covers the majority of out-of-pocket expenses associated with Original Medicare, 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 D covers this coinsurance.
- Part A deductible
- 80% of foreign travel emergency costs (up to plan limits)
The only major expenses not covered by Plan D are the Medicare Part B deductible and Part B excess charges. If your doctor refuses Medicare assignment and chooses to bill you for more than what Medicare would cover, you will be responsible for the difference. Plan D doesn’t cover excess charges. So, if you think you might be seeing doctors who don’t accept Medicare assignment, you should look at other plans.
Prices for Plan D in Ohio range from $114 per month to $326 per month.
Plan F
Because of its extensive coverage, Medicare Supplement Plan F has been the market leader for a long time, but it is not available to all Medicare recipients. The only out-of-pocket cost you’ll have to worry about with this plan is the monthly Plan F premium. Plan F covers everything, including:
- 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 no longer available to Medicare beneficiaries who became Medicare-eligible after January 1, 2020. If you were eligible for Medicare prior to 2020, you can purchase one of these plans; if you have Plan F and are grandfathered in, you can keep it indefinitely.
Monthly premiums for Plan F in Ohio can cost between $123 and $440.
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)
Plan G only excludes the Medicare Part B deductible, making it a very comprehensive plan that is also a great deal. Medicare Supplement Plan G premiums are typically between $105 and $416 per month. Making it less expensive than Plan F.
Plan K
Medicare Supplement Plan K reduces your Original Medicare out-of-pocket expenses, but it does not completely fill the gaps. Plan K only covers half of the following costs:
- Medicare Part B coinsurance – Plan K covers half of these costs, so you will be responsible for 50% of your 20% coinsurance. For example, if your doctor charges $100 for a service, Medicare Part B will cover $80, Plan K will cover $10, and you will pay 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.
When compared to other plans, Plan K’s copayments and deductibles are higher. But it has an attractive feature that most other plans don’t have: an out-of-pocket maximum. This means that once you spend $6,620 (as of 2023) on healthcare for the year, Medicare Supplement Plan K will begin paying all of your approved medical bills. Every new year, your annual cap will be reset.
And while Plan K only covers half of many out-of-pocket expenses, it does cover Medicare Part A’s coinsurance in full. So, you won’t have to pay for this out-of-pocket if you end up staying in the hospital for longer than 60 days.
Premiums for Plan K are lower than those of most other plans, ranging from $44 to $149 per month in Ohio.
Plan L
Medicare Supplement Plan L pays for many but not all of your Original Medicare costs. Although it covers them at a higher percentage than Plan K does. It also has a maximum out-of-pocket amount. Which is lower than that of Plan K (set at $3,310 in 2023), after which your insurance company will pick up the tab for the rest of the year’s costs.
Hospitalization and coinsurance for Medicare Part A are fully paid for by Medicare Supplement Plan L. Along with that, it also covers:
- 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.
Medicare Supplement Plan L premiums cost between $71 and $324 a month in Ohio.
Plan M
Plan M covers the majority of your Original Medicare out-of-pocket expenses, but not all. However, it fully covers more of them than either Plan K or Plan L do. It 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 hospital expenses and coinsurance
- Part A deductible – While Medicare Supplement Plan M covers most Part A costs, it will only 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.
The cost of plan M premiums in Ohio is generally between $85 and $367 per month.
Plan N
Plan N is a great choice for affordable, comprehensive coverage. The Medicare Part B deductible ($226 in 2023) and Medicare Part B excess charges (portions of medical bills that exceed the Medicare-approved amount) are the only things not covered by Plan N. But one thing that Plan N has that most other plans do not are copayments for some Part B services.
Most of the costs associated with the following are paid for by Medicare Supplement Plan N:
- 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.
The price for Plan N ranges from $84 to $393 a month in Ohio.
When to Enroll
The federal government mandates that Medicare Supplement Plan insurers provide guaranteed-issue coverage during your Medicare Supplement Open Enrollment Period. This means that, as long as you apply for a plan in the six-month period after you turn 65 and enroll in Medicare Part B, you cannot be denied or charged more for a plan based on your health.
With that being said, insurers are not obligated to offer plans to beneficiaries who are younger than 65. Even though most other states have passed laws making it possible for people under 65 to enroll in Medicare Supplement Plans, Ohio is not 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 all the information you need on signing up. EZ can assist you in enrolling in Medicare, looking for an Ohio Medicare Supplement Plan, 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.
