Q. How is the term Open Enrollment Period defined?

A. The Open Enrollment Period is the first 6 months a person is on Medicare. A person can purchase any of the 10 Medicare Supplement Plans offered by an insurance company during this period without going through underwriting. By looking at one’s Medicare card, a person can tell if the Open Enrollment period has ended by looking at the start date of Medicare Part B.

Q. Which Medicare Supplement Plan is the most popular?

A. It may depend on the state but usually Plan F is the most popular. All the deductibles and coinsurance are covered by Plan F. That means that if Medicare approves the expense, the insured pays nothing. Plan G is also popular. It does not cover the Medicare Part B deductible, while Plan F does.

Q. With a Medicare Supplement policy, do I have a list of doctors and hospitals I must use?

A. Medicare Supplements allow you to go to any doctor or hospital in the United States as long as they accept Medicare unless it is a Select plan, which specifies the hospitals you can go to.

Q. What about RX coverage?

A. That can be obtained through a Medicare Part D Program. Please ask for our help!

Q. What kind of preventative services are covered by Medicare?

A. Medicare Part B covers diabetes services, pap tests and pelvic screenings, prostate cancer screenings, mammogram screenings, and vaccination shots.

Q. Should a person purchase a Medicare Supplement if one already has group insurance through an employer?

A. One should not spend money on a Medigap policy unnecessarily. Try to avoid being double covered. An agent can help you understand if a Medicare Supplement would put you in that position.