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Texas Medicare insurance should be easy. Get the help and benefits you deserve today.

Posts Tagged ‘medigap policies availiable in texas’

Will the Medigap Policies Available in Texas Allow Me to See My Doctor?

Tuesday, January 10th, 2012

You’re not alone if you’re concerned about being able to keep your doctor after you purchase a supplement policy. In fact, if you’re like most people, you’re probably pretty comfortable with your healthcare provider and you’re not looking forward to changing. While you’re certain that you’re going to need to purchase a Medigap plan, you’re not sure how to choose one that will fit your specific needs. There are networks, select plans and a whole bunch of options that can be a bit confusing. Learning a little about Medigap policies available in Texas and how they affect your healthcare choices will help you choose a plan that best fits your healthcare needs and gives you peace of mind.

The Basics

Medicare is federally funded healthcare available to all Texans age 65 or older and those with certain disabilities. Medicare is great for helping to pay for some of your health care costs. However, It wasn’t designed to pay for everything and as a result, there are out-of-pocket expenses that you are responsible for. Most Texans opt for Medigap insurance, also called Medicare Supplement insurance to fill the “gaps” in Medicare that aren’t covered. A Medigap plan in Texas can help you pay for these extra expenses.

Medigap Policies Available in Texas

There are ten Medigap policies available in Texas. Each plan is identified by a different letter of the alphabet (A through N) and each plan offers a different combination of benefits. Some plans cover basic benefits and some plans cover more. In Texas, most people prefer plan F because it’s the only Medigap plan that completely eliminates all out-of-pocket expenses like deductibles, coinsurance and copayments.

Medigap plans in Texas are standardized, meaning that a plan F sold by one insurance company must provide the exact same basic benefits as a plan F sold by another company. The only differences among insurance companies are cost and dependability. This is helpful when you’re looking to compare plans. Nevertheless, shop wisely and make certain to stay with a name you trust like Humana or Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas. Simply because other insurance companies must offer the same plan does not mean that they will be as dependable or reliable.

What About keeping my Doctor?

With all standard Medigap plans available in Texas, you may choose your own doctor and you never need a referral to see a specialist. That is true for every plan from every provider. However, there is an option called Medicare Select, where in return for paying less for your premium, you agree to use doctors and physicians in a preferred network.

Medicare Select

Medicare Select is a type of Medicare Supplement policy that offers the same benefits as other plans, but costs less. In exchange for paying a lower premium, you agree to use doctors and hospitals in the plan’s network. Check with your doctor, because in many cases, he or she may be included in the plan’s network. 

Medicare Select is a great way to save money on premiums, as long as you are willing to stay within the network. However, with emergency care, you can go to any hospital, but if you use out-of network providers for non-emergency care, you’re responsible for some of the cost. If you leave your Medicare Select plan, your insurance company must offer you a Medicare Supplement plan with similar benefits.

Looking for and finding a Medigap plan can be a bit confusing if you’re concerned about keeping your doctor. While there are Medicare Select options that require you to use doctors in a network, standardized Medigap policies do not require that you use a network and you can keep your own doctor. Take the time to familiarize yourself with the Medigap plans available in Texas and shop wisely. Stay with names you trust like Humana and BCBS of Texas and get the peace of mind that comes from knowing you are covered completely- with your own doctor.

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Medigap Policies Available in Texas – Answer to Your Questions

Saturday, January 1st, 2011

There are always many questions surrounding insurance.  This is particularly the case with Medicare because most people do not begin looking into it until they approach age 65, which is when they become eligible for coverage unless they fall under categories of extenuating circumstances.  If you have unanswered questions about Medicare and the Medigap policies available in Texas, you are in the right place. 

What is Texas Medigap Insurance?  As the name alludes to, Medigap is additional insurance that covers the gaps left behind by Medicare insurance.  Many people find 80% coverage to be insufficient, especially because copayments and deductibles still exist.  That is why many seniors with Medicare decide to look into the Medigap policies available in Texas so they can benefit from more financial security and less medical bill surprises. 

What are the Medigap policies available in Texas?  There are ten plans sold in Texas.  Letters of the alphabet are used as the names of these plans, which are A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N.  Plan F, which is the most popularly sought after plan today, also comes with a high deductible option so premiums can be lower.  These plans are the same no matter what insurance provider you seek.  The government regulates these plans, so once you comprehend what is offered by each plan, you must simply compare rates between companies to make your final selection. 

When can Medigap policies available in Texas be accessed?  In general, the only prerequisite to signing up for Medigap coverage is Medicare Parts A and B.  If you have been able to sign up for these, you can enroll in Medigap.  The open enrollment period begins the first day of the month you turn 65 and lasts for six months.  If you make your purchase of Medigap coverage during this open enrollment period, you cannot be denied coverage based on pre-existing conditions.  Therefore, this is the most beneficial time to sign up. 

What items are not covered by Medigap policies?  Vision, dental, private nursing services, long-term care, and hearing aids are all items left uncovered by Medigap.  However, there are many other categories that are fully covered by the Medigap policies available in Texas which are highly beneficial to those who sign up for this kind of supplementary coverage.  To help you better understand your coverage options, you should seek a broker to work with who can answer all your questions. 

These plans are available from well known companies like United of Omaha, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas and even Aetna offer medigap coverage as well as several other major name brand carriers. The biggest tip we can offer: search all your options, get quotes from all the carriers and choose the one that offers the lowest premium. Since all plans are required to be the same from company to company, meaning a Humana medigap plan type F for Texas will look the same as the same plan from a company like United of Omaha. Since there are no differences generally speaking the lowest cost plan will probably best fit your needs. 

We also advise contacting a qualified independent broker to research all your options and assist in the application process.

To learn more about the medigap policies availiable in Texas visit www.MedicareInsuranceTexas.com

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