Original Medicare is a great program that can play a major role in keeping you healthy and financially secure. It covers a lot, and you can go to any doctor in the United States who accepts Medicare. But it definitely has some limitations. For example, you might find the 20% coinsurance for Part B and other out-of-pocket costs difficult to afford. But if you sign up for a Tennessee Medicare Supplement Plan, you won’t have to pay for many of the out-of-pocket costs that are part of Original Medicare.
Medicare Supplement Plans are sold by private insurance companies. In most cases, these plans will cover your Medicare Part A deductible and your 20% Medicare Part B coinsurance, among other things.
And while these plans are sold privately, the government regulates them, ensuring that all of these plans are the same. So, you’ll know exactly what to expect with them. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requires that all Medicare Supplement Plans with the same letter name must offer the same coverage all over the country.
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So, Medicare Supplement Plans from any insurance company will give you the same benefits. But your premiums may be very different depending on which insurer you choose. So, it’s important to shop around. Read our guide to Medicare Supplement Plans in Tennessee as the first step in comparing your options. Then speak to an EZ agent, who can give you personalized advice on the best plan for you.
Tennessee Medicare Supplement Plans
You should sign up for a Medicare Supplement Plan if you need more coverage than Original Medicare gives you. For example, if you need help with the 20% coinsurance you have to pay every time you use Medicare Part B services, a Medicare Supplement Plan will be right for you.
If you live in Tennessee and need a Medicare Supplement Plan, you should know that you can choose from ten different standardized plans. Each plan is labeled with a different letter of the alphabet (A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N). All insurance companies that sell Medicare Supplement Plans must offer Plan A to their customers. Plans C and F are only available to people who were eligible for Medicare for the first time before January 1, 2020.
You’ll have to pay a monthly premium for one of these plans. But in exchange, a big chunk of your out-of-pocket medical expenses will be covered. In Tennessee, monthly premiums can be anywhere from $55 to $418, depending on the type of coverage you chose and where you live.
There are so many things to think about that it can be hard to keep track of everything. We’ve given you information on what each Tennessee plan includes to get you started.
Plan A
Plan A is the most basic Medicare Supplement Plan on the market. But even though it’s basic, it covers what many people think is the most important thing that Medicare Supplement Plans cover: the 20% of outpatient treatments that Original Medicare Part B requires you to pay for. It also covers some other essential basics, as outlined below.
By law, Plan A is offered by all insurance companies that sell Medicare Supplement Plans, but in some states, insurers are not required to offer it to Medicare disability recipients under the age of 65.
Plan A costs between $55 and $271 per month in Tennessee.
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.
Plan B, though, is a bit more comprehensive than Plan A, since it covers Medicare Part A hospital deductibles, which Plan A does not. Medicare Part A’s deductible is $1,600, but this is not an annual deductible: this deductible applies for every 60 days you spend in a hospital, so it’s possible you’ll have to pay it more than once in a single year. That means having a plan that covers this expense could be very helpful.
Plan B premiums in Tennessee can cost from $110 to $339 per month.
Plan C
This plan is not available to all people with Medicare, but it is one of the most comprehensive Medicare Supplement Plans out there. The only thing that Plan C doesn’t cover are Medicare Part B excess charges. You’ll incur these charges if your doctor doesn’t accept Medicare assignment and charges you more for a service than Medicare will cover. A few select plans will cover the difference between what your doctor charges and what Medicare pays, but Plan C is not one of them, so if you need to see doctors that don’t accept Medicare assignment, this isn’t the plan for you.
So, other than Part B excess charges, Plan C covers everything, including your Parts A and B deductibles and the 20% coinsurance you have to pay for Medicare Part B services.
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
- Medicare Part B coinsurance and copayments
- Part B deductible
- Other Medicare-approved expenses associated with Part B coverage
People who joined Medicare after January 1, 2020 cannot purchase Plan C. If you had Plan C before that time, you can keep it, and you may be able to purchase it if you became eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020, but haven’t signed up yet.
In Tennessee, the monthly cost of Plan C ranges from $118 to $415.
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 does not cover Medicare Part B deductibles or excess charges, so, again, you should look into other plans if you want to see providers who do not accept Medicare assignment
In Tennessee, monthly Plan D premiums can cost between $108 and $304.
Plan F
As with Plan C, Plan F is limited in its availability. It is an extremely popular plan, though, since it covers all out-of-pocket expenses associated with Original Medicare. The only cost to you each month is the premium for Plan F, making it the most comprehensive plan on the market.
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 will not be able to sign up for Plan F. Anyone who met the requirements for Medicare before 2020 can buy one of these plans. People who “grandfathered in” by buying Plan F before it was taken off the market can keep it indefinitely.
Plan F costs between $111 and $418 per month in Tennessee.
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. And if you’re disappointed that you cannot choose Plan F, the good news is that Plan G premiums in Tennessee range from $98 to $384 per month, making these plans a better deal than Plan F.
Plan K
Medicare Supplement Plan K helps lower your Original Medicare out-of-pocket costs. But it doesn’t fill all the gaps in coverage. Plan K requires you to pay 50% of any medical costs until you reach what is known as your annual out-of-pocket maximum.
This annual out-of-pocket maximum is $6,620 per year (as of 2023); once you reach that amount in a given year, Medicare Supplement Plan K will pay for the rest of your approved medical expenses for that year. If you’re worried about mounting medical bills, this benefit can be very attractive, especially since most other plans (including Original Medicare) don’t have an annual maximum.
In terms of 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.
In addition, even though Plan K pays for most things at a rate of 50%, it pays for all Medicare Part A coinsurance. This is the only basic benefit that Medicare Supplement Plan K covers in full.
Because Plan K has higher out-of-pocket costs, the monthly premiums in Tennessee are lower than those of most other plans, ranging from $48 to $149.
Plan L
Like Plan K, Medicare Supplement Plan L covers most, but not all, costs related to Original Medicare, although it covers them at a higher percentage. It is also the only other plan with an out-of-pocket maximum, and Plan L’s maximum is lower than Plan K’s ($3,310 in 2023). 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 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 are also competitive, costing between $61 and $243 a month in Tennessee.
Plan M
Similarly to Plans K and L, Medicare Supplement Plan M covers the majority, but not all, costs associated with Original Medicare. It does, though, cover more of these expenses in full than either Plan K or Plan L do.
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 $71 and $302 a month in Tennessee.
Plan N
Plan N does a very effective job of covering the gaps in Original Medicare. This plan covers almost everything, except for the $226 Part B deductible and any Medicare Part B excess charges. The one thing that Plan N has that most other plans do not, though, are copayments for some Medicare Part B services.
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 $73 to $355 a month in Tennessee.
When To Enroll
There is no set annual enrollment period for Medicare Supplement Plans. However, you will get your own six-month enrollment window during which you should sign up for a Medicare Supplement Plan. This is the best time to sign up because it is the only time when you will be given guaranteed-issue rights. Meaning insurance companies will not be able to deny you or charge you more for coverage because of your health. Your Medicare Supplement Open Enrollment Period begins when you turn 65 and enroll in Medicare Part B.
With that being said, federal rules do not guarantee that you will be able to get a Medicare Supplement Plan if you are under 65 and qualify for Medicare because of a disability. Fortunately, though, Tennessee is one of the states that has put rules in place to ensure people under 65 have at least some access to Medicare Supplement Plans.
Since 2011, Tennessee state law has required that Medicare Supplement insurance companies that sell plans to people 65 and older also sell the same plans to people under 65 who become eligible for Medicare because of a disability. People with disabilities in Tennessee have the same six-month window to sign up for Medicare Supplement coverage. It’s important to note, though, that if you live in Tennessee and are under 65, you may have to pay more for your Medicare Supplement Plan coverage.
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 guidance you need. 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.
