North Texas Medicare Supplements

When you work with us, our experienced agents will help you find the right match for your insurance needs. We serve clients in need of personal insurance policies or coverage for their businesses. Our goal is to help you find the insurance plan that serves you best, so we give each client dedicated attention from start to finish.

Ashford Insurance offers a selection of North Texas Medicare Supplements from many top Texas carriers.

These private plans cover most or all original Medicare’s out-of-pocket costs. If you select this option, you will continue to be covered by Original Medicare. After Medicare has paid your claims, it will automatically forward them to your Medigap plan. The Medigap plan will then pay its portion of the bill.

North Texas Medicare Supplements are standardized by the Federal Government. They are labeled A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N. Each standardized Medigap policy must offer the same basic benefits no matter which insurance company sells it. Cost is usually the only difference between Medigap policies with the same letter sold by different insurance companies. Plan A pays the Medicare hospital and physician coinsurance, the first three pints of blood, and 365 days of hospitalization beyond Medicare. Plans B through N provide these benefits and add more benefits such as coverage for Medicare deductibles, excess charges and limited preventive care, and foreign travel. You can only have one Med Sup plan. No one should try to sell you an additional Medsup plan unless you decide you need to switch policies.

Open Enrollment for Texas Medicare Supplement Insurance is at age 65 for all consumers, including those already receiving Medicare due to disability. The Open Enrollment period is a six-month period, beginning when you are both age 65 or older and enrolled in Medicare Part B, companies must sell you any Medicare supplement plan they offer. After this limited open enrollment period, companies can pick and choose whom they will cover and how much they will charge based on your health. If you have an individual or “bank group” insurance policy, becoming Medicare eligible does not require you to cancel it and purchase a Medicare supplement. Doing so may save premium costs but it is important to compare benefits before deciding which will work best.

Keep in mind as of January 1, 2020, Medigap plans sold to new people with Medicare aren’t allowed to cover the Part B deductible. Because of this, Plans C and F are not available to people new to Medicare starting on January 1, 2020.

If you are eligible for employer retirement insurance, review the plan carefully to understand what benefits are available and how it works with Medicare. Be aware that employer plans are not standardized and are not subject to the requirements governing standardized Medicare supplement policies. Also, it is important to remember, if you leave an employer plan you may not be able to go back on it.

Medigap plans do not cover prescription drugs. Therefore, you must also purchase a stand-alone Part D plan if you want drug coverage.

Depending on the Medicare supplement plan you choose, the plan may provide a benefit for (Benefits and cost vary depending on the plan you choose.):

• Part A coinsurance (and most plans provide a benefit for the Part A deductible)
• Some of the out-of-pocket costs not paid by Part B (some plans also cover the Part B deductible)
• Cost of blood transfusions (first 3 pints)
• Cost of up to 365 extra hospital days after you’ve used up your Part A benefits
• Skilled nursing facility coinsurance or copayment
• Part A hospice/respite care coinsurance or copayment

You pay a monthly premium and some out-of-pocket costs.

Some Texas residents are eligible to enroll in approved Part C Medicare Advantage plans. These plans are offered by private insurance companies. Each year Medicare Advantage companies decide where they will offer their plans, what benefits will be offered, and what the premiums will be. Several include vision, dental, hearing, and wellness programs not covered by original Medicare. As noted earlier many Medicare Advantage Plans also offer prescription drug coverage. There are several Medicare Advantage plans available in Dallas, Tarrant, and surrounding counties. Depending on plan choice, a member may be responsible for paying co-payments for certain covered services. Most importantly, with Medicare Supplements, Medicare Advantage, and stand-alone Part D Prescription Drug Plans, you must continue to pay your Part A (if any) and part B Medicare premiums.

Learning about Medicare can be like learning a new language. You need to learn the words, understand the main ideas and become fluent in Medicare. We’re here to make that as easy as possible.