Original Medicare is a great program for its beneficiaries. It covers pretty much everything, and lets you see any doctor in the U.S. who accepts Medicare. But it has some limitations. For example, there are a lot of gaps in coverage, like the 20% Medicare Part B coinsurance and other out-of-pocket expenses like deductibles. Which can add up and start to feel like a major burden. You can avoid Original Medicare’s out-of-pocket costs, though, if you sign up for a South Carolina Medicare Supplement Plan.
Original Medicare is run by the government, but Medicare Supplement Plans are sold by private insurance companies. Most of the time, these plans cover big out-of-pocket expenses like your Part A deductible and your 20% Part B coinsurance. The government also ensures that these plans are all the same. So, you’ll always know what you’re getting. Medicare Supplement Plans are regulated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The CMS requires that all plans with the same letter name offer the same coverage all over the country.
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But, while the benefits won’t change depending on the insurance company you choose, the premiums will. So, it’s important to compare both Medicare Supplement Plans and insurance companies to find the best one for you. EZ can help you with all of your comparisons. But first you should read our guide to Medicare Supplement Plans in South Carolina.
South Carolina Medicare Supplement Plans
If Original Medicare doesn’t cover everything you need you should get a Medicare Supplement Plan.
So, if you live in South Carolina and are looking for a Medicare Supplement Plan, you should know that there are ten standardized plans. Each of which is named with a different letter of the alphabet (A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N). Plan A must be offered by all insurance companies that sell Medicare Supplement Plans. So, all insurers sell it. People who became eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020 are the only ones who can sign up for Plans C and F.
For one of these plans, you will have to pay a monthly premium, but you will get coverage for a big chunk of your out-of-pocket medical costs. Depending on the plan and where you live in South Carolina, monthly premiums can cost anywhere from $47 to $455.
With so many choices, it can be hard to keep track of everything. To help you get started, we’ve explained what each plan covers and how it works in South Carolina.
Plan A
The most basic Medicare Supplement Plan is Plan A. Even though it is basic, it covers one of the biggest gaps in Original Medicare’s coverage. Which is the 20% of outpatient treatments that Medicare Part B requires you to pay for. It also covers a handful of other major expenses, meaning it’s still a good choice despite being basic.
As pointed out above, Plan A must be offered by all Medicare Supplement Plan insurance companies, but in some states, insurers are not required to offer it to Medicare disability recipients under the age of 65.
Plan A costs between $77 and $455 per month in South Carolina.
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.
But Plan B is different from Plan A – and slightly more comprehensive. Because it covers the Medicare Part A hospital deductible, which Plan A does not. In 2023, the Medicare Part A deductible is $1,600 per benefit period. This deductible must be met for each 60-day hospital stay, not just once a year. So you may have to pay it more than once in a single year. Because of this, it could be very helpful for you to have a plan that covers this.
Plan B premiums in South Carolina range from $103 to $339 per month.
Plan C
This is one of the most thorough Medicare Supplement Plans, but not all Medicare recipients can get it. The only thing Plan C doesn’t cover is Medicare Part B excess charges, or the amount you have to pay if your doctor refuses to accept Medicare assignment and charges more than the Medicare-approved amount for services. In this case, you’ll have to pay the difference, which is called an “excess charge,” and only some plans will pay for this. Part C is not one of them.
But since excess charges are the only thing that aren’t covered, Plan C pays for both your Parts A and B deductibles and the 20% coinsurance you would normally have to pay for all outpatient care.
Part C covers all of 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
Again, people who became eligible for Medicare after January 1, 2020, can no longer choose Plan C. If you had Plan C before that date, you can keep it. If you were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020, but you haven’t signed up for it yet, you may still be able to buy it.
In South Carolina, the monthly cost for Plan C ranges from $115 to $404.
Plan D
Medicare Supplement Plan D covers the majority of out-of-pocket expenses related to 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 A deductible
- 80% of foreign travel emergency costs (up to plan limits)
Plan D is very comprehensive, but it does not cover Medicare Part B deductibles or excess charges.
In South Carolina, monthly Plan D premiums can cost between $106 and $258.
Plan F
Plan F has long been the most popular Medicare Supplement Plan on the market, but like Plan C, it is not available to all beneficiaries. It covers all out-of-pocket expenses, so if you have this plan you will only pay the monthly premium for Plan F.
The expenses covered 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
People who became eligible for Medicare after January 1, 2020 cannot sign up for Plan F. You can buy one of these plans if you were eligible for Medicare before 2020. If you have already bought Plan F and are “grandfathered in,” you can keep it as long as you like.
In South Carolina, the monthly costs for Plan F range from $114 to $434.
Plan G
If you like the sound of Plan F, but are not eligible to purchase one of those 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 does not cover is the Medicare Part B deductible. The good news is that Plan G premiums in South Carolina range from $100 to $407 per month, making these plans a better deal than Plan F.
Plan K
Medicare Supplement Plan K lowers the amount you have to pay out-of-pocket for Original Medicare, but it doesn’t fill all the gaps. Plan K only pays for half of some costs until your out-of-pocket maximum is reached. Most other plans, including Original Medicare, don’t have an annual out-of-pocket maximum, so this can be a good thing for people who worry about their medical bills getting too high.
Plan K’s annual out-of-pocket maximum is $6,620 (as of 2023). Once you’ve spent that much in a given year, Medicare Supplement Plan K will cover the rest of your approved expenses for that year. Your limit will reset at the beginning of every year.
As for coverage, Plan K covers a portion of the following:
- 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 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.
So, because Plan K only covers 50% of costs, you have to pay more out-of-pocket than with other plans. But because of its out-of-pocket maximum, you will never have to pay more than $6,620 a year.
Also, even though Plan K pays for most expenses at a rate of 50%, it pays for all Medicare Part A coinsurance. This is the only basic benefit that Medicare Supplement Plan K pays for in full.
Because Plan K has higher out-of-pocket costs, the monthly premiums in South Carolina, which range from $47 to $137, are lower than those of most other plans.
Plan L
Like Plan K, Medicare Supplement Plan L covers most, but not all, costs related to Original Medicare. But it covers them at a higher percentage than Plan K does. It also has a lower out-of-pocket maximum ($3,310 in 2023) than Plan K. Once you’ve paid this much in covered expenses for the year, your insurance company will pay the rest of your medical bills.
Plan L covers all Medicare Part A coinsurance and hospital costs in full. It also covers some 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 are also competitive, costing between $63 and $268 a month in South Carolina.
Plan M
Medicare Supplement Plan M covers the majority, but not all, costs associated with Original Medicare. But, unlike Plans K and L, it fully covers many expenses (but it does not have an out-of-pocket maximum).
Medicare Supplement Plan M covers all coinsurance and hospital costs associated with Medicare Part A. 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.
Medicare Supplement Plan M premiums cost between $74 and $300 a month in South Carolina.
Plan N
Plan N fills almost all of the gaps in 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 are more than what Medicare will pay. Plan N is different from other plans in that you may have to pay copayments.
This means that Medicare Supplement 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.
Plan N premium prices range from $74 to $384 a month in South Carolina.
When to Enroll
Medicare Supplement Plans don’t have an annual Open Enrollment Period like Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D plans do. Instead, federal rules give people who are 65 and signed up for Medicare Part B a guaranteed-issue window of six months. After that time period is over, Medicare Supplement insurers can use medical underwriting to decide your premium and eligibility for coverage, unless you are eligible for one of the limited guaranteed-issue rights.
And federal rules don’t ensure that people under 65 with a disability who are on Medicare can get Medicare Supplement Plans. Most states have rules that ensure people under the age of 65 can get at least some access to private Medicare Supplement plans, but South Carolina is not one of them.
Since South Carolina Medicare Supplement insurers are not required to cover people under 65, almost all of them only offer their plans to people 65 and older.
So how can you get Medicare Supplement Plan coverage in South Carolina if you are a Medicare beneficiary under the age of 65? There is a way: South Carolina has kept its high-risk pool and offers three guaranteed-issue Medicare Supplement Plans to Medicare beneficiaries under 65 through the high-risk pool, instead of making private insurers offer Medicare Supplement Plans to people under 65. The high-risk pool offers Plan A, Plan C, and Plan D. Plan C is only available to people who became eligible for Medicare before 2020, because of federal rules.
The South Carolina Health Insurance Pool (SCHIP) allows you to buy Medicare Supplement coverage when you wouldn’t be able to otherwise, but it costs a lot.
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 when it comes time to sign 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. 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.
