Medicare Supplement Plans in Maryland
Original Medicare covers many health care services, but it does not pay every cost. You may still owe deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance. Medicare Supplement Insurance, also called Medigap, is coverage you can buy from a private insurance company to help pay some of those costs.
At Forest Brook Financial, we help people in Maryland understand how Medicare Supplement plans work, compare their options, and decide whether this type of coverage fits their needs and budget.
How does a Medicare Supplement plan work?
A Medicare Supplement policy works alongside Original Medicare (Part A and Part B). When you receive a Medicare-covered service, Medicare pays its share first. Your Supplement policy may then pay some or all of your remaining share, depending on the plan you choose.
Medigap plans are identified by letters, such as Plan G and Plan N. Plans with the same letter provide the same basic benefits regardless of the insurance company selling them, but their monthly premiums can differ. That makes it useful to compare both the plan benefits and the prices offered by different companies.
You pay a separate premium for your Medicare Supplement policy and continue paying your Medicare Part B premium.
What does Medigap cover?
Depending on the plan, a Medicare Supplement policy can help with Original Medicare costs such as:
-
Part A and Part B coinsurance
-
Hospital costs after Medicare benefits are used
-
Certain copayments and deductibles
-
Emergency medical care during foreign travel, with some plans
The exact benefits depend on the plan letter. Medigap generally does not cover routine dental or vision care, hearing aids, glasses, or long-term care. Medigap policies sold today also do not include prescription drug coverage. If you want drug coverage, you can consider a separate Medicare Part D plan.
Medicare Supplement vs. Medicare Advantage
These are two different ways to arrange your Medicare coverage. With a Medicare Supplement policy, you keep Original Medicare and add a policy that helps pay certain out-of-pocket costs. A Medicare Advantage plan is a private plan through which you receive your Part A and Part B benefits.
A Supplement policy may appeal to someone who wants to keep Original Medicare and is comfortable paying a separate monthly premium for help with covered medical costs. Medicare Advantage may have a different balance of premiums, provider rules, benefits, and out-of-pocket costs. The right choice depends on your doctors, prescriptions, budget, and how you prefer to receive care.
For more detail, read our Medicare Advantage versus Medigap comparison and learn how Medicare Part D works.
When can you enroll in a Medicare Supplement plan?
Your six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period begins the first month you are both 65 or older and enrolled in Medicare Part B. During that period, an insurance company cannot deny you a Medigap policy because of a pre-existing health condition.
After that period, you may face medical underwriting unless you qualify for another enrollment protection. This Medigap enrollment period is different from Medicare’s annual fall Open Enrollment Period; it does not restart each fall.
A Maryland rule worth knowing
If you already have a Medicare Supplement policy issued in Maryland, the state’s birthday rule may give you a yearly opportunity to switch to a policy with equal or lesser benefits without medical underwriting. The application period includes your birthday and the following 30 days. Other guaranteed issue rights may also apply in specific situations, so it is worth checking your circumstances before assuming you cannot change plans.
How much does a Medicare Supplement plan cost in Maryland?
There is no single price for a Medicare Supplement plan. Premiums vary by plan, insurance company, location, and other factors, and they can change over time. Two companies can charge different premiums for the same standardized plan letter.
When comparing plans, I look beyond the starting premium. We can discuss the benefits you would receive, what you might still pay when you use care, and whether the monthly cost makes sense for your budget.
Local help with Medicare Supplement plans
Medicare choices can be especially confusing when you are turning 65, retiring, losing other coverage, or helping a parent review their options. We offer straightforward, one-on-one help from Germantown, serving Montgomery County communities including Gaithersburg, Rockville, Bethesda, Silver Spring, and Aspen Hill.
We can meet by phone or virtually, and in-home appointments are available. We can help you understand the differences between Medicare Supplement plan letters, review available coverage, and consider how a separate Part D drug plan fits into the picture.
Want to talk through your options? Schedule a conversation with Forest Brook Financial. Bring your questions—there is no need to know which plan you want before we speak.
This is a solicitation of insurance. By submitting this form, I expressly consent to the sharing of my personal beneficiary information and to being contacted by licensed insurance agent under Forest Brook Financial for the marketing of Medicare Insurance products (i.e., Medicare Advantage Plans (Part C), Prescription Drug Plans (Part D), and/or Medicare Supplement (Medigap) Products) and services. I’m aware the person who will discuss the products is a licensed and certified representative of Medicare Advantage organizations and/or stand-alone Prescription Drug Plans. Each of the organizations they represent has a Medicare contract.
This licensed insurance agent may also be paid based on my enrollment in a plan. Enrollment in any plan depends on contract renewal. I am aware that the person who will contact me is not affiliated with or works directly for the Federal government. I understand that I may be contacted via telephone, email, text messaging, artificial or prerecorded voice messages, or automatic dialing at the contact information provided above (even if my number is currently listed on any state, federal, local, or corporate Do Not Call list). Carrier data use charges and rates may apply. I understand that my consent is voluntary and is not a condition of purchasing any goods or services, and that I may change my preferences at any time.