Good Neighbor Insurance provides Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement plans (Part C) for our clients in Arizona and throughout the US.  To understand more about US Medicare please go to our web page at www.gninsurance.com/medicare.asp  or go to our Arizona health insurance web site at www.gnazhealth.com.

New laws have brought many changes to Medigap also called Medicare Supplement Insurance policies. A Medigap policy is health insurance sold by private insurance companies to fill gaps in Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B, which are government insurance, does not cover.   Medicare Part A and Part B only cover up to around 75% of all medical cost and these two parts do not cover Rx outside of the hospital.  Thus, one has the choice on applying for private insurance under Part C to cover all what government health care does not cover under Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B. 

Under Part C you will have two choices to choose from which are Medicare Advantage plans or Medicare Supplement plans.  Medicare Supplement plans are also called Medigap plans.  Medigap plans are stronger than Medicare Advantage plans since you will have little to no out-of-pocket expenses. 

Please note that Part D covers Rx and no Rx is covered on Medicare Part B and Medicare Part C.  Medicare Part A only covers Rx while in the hospital or hospice.  To see Medicare Part C plans that Good Neighbor Insurance provides please go to www.gnazhealth.com/senior_health_plans.asp and if you are outside of Arizona we will be able to provide you with these and other Medicare Supplement plans. 

Basic Benefits – Starting with policies effective on or after June 1, 2010, Hospice Part A coinsurance (outpatient prescription drug and inpatient respite care coinsurance) will be covered as a basic benefit. Plan K will cover 50%, and Plan L will cover 75% of these costs.

Part B Coinsurance – Plans K, L, and N will require you to pay a portion of Part B coinsurance and copayments, which may result in lower premiums for these plans. All other Medigap policies pay Part B coinsurance or copayments at 100%.

New Plans Offered – Plans M and N are new choices.

Plans D and G – Plans D and G bought on or after June 1, 2010 have different benefits than D or G plans bought before June 1, 2010. But, if you bought Plan D or G before June 1, 2010, you can keep that plan and the benefits won’t change.

Plans No Longer for Sale – Plans E, H, I, and J will no longer be sold after May 31, 2010. But, if you already have or you buy Plan E, H, I, or J before June 1, 2010, you can keep that plan.

Doug Gulleson loves to scuba dive overseas and makes sure he has his US health care and overseas health care information with him at all times when he travels.  Keep our blog close by you, www.gntravelinsurance.com , for continual updates on the changes with the US health care system.