Navigating Medicare Supplement (Medigap) Plans in North Carolina
Learn about North Carolina’s Medicare Supplement (aka Medigap) plans and how to enroll
Access to affordable, high-quality healthcare is an important part of turning 65. If you have Original Medicare, you should consider Medicare Supplement (also referred to as Medigap) plans in North Carolina. First, let’s talk about what Medigap is and why it’s beneficial to have a plan.
Original Medicare only covers 80% of costs, leaving you responsible for the remaining 20% (this is your coinsurance). Medicare Supplement plans help to cover the remaining 20% of costs that Original Medicare doesn’t pay. These charges include copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles. Having a Medicare Supplement plan ensures that you pay less out of pocket for Medicare-covered services. Choosing the right Medicare coverage can affect both your health and your wallet.
In North Carolina, there are ten Medigap plans to choose from. Medigap Plans G and N are the most popular among Medicare beneficiaries because they provide great coverage at a good price.
Note: Plans F and C are unavailable for Medicare enrollees who turn 65 after January 1, 2020.
Key Takeaways:
There are ten types of Medicare Supplement plans in North Carolina, labeled by letters A-N. Plans F and G also have a high-deductible option.
Medicare Supplement Plans N and G are the most popular among new Medicare beneficiaries.
Each type of Medigap plan (for example, every Plan G) provides the same coverage, but personal factors, pricing standards, and insurance carriers will affect pricing.
Take a look at our North Carolina Medicare guide for information on how to enroll, plan comparisons, and ways to save money on insurance plans.
Comparing Medicare Supplement plans
Medicare Supplement plans help to reduce your out-of-pocket costs. All but three states (Wisconsin, Massachusetts, and Minnesota) offer the same ten Medicare Supplement plans. Each plan offers distinct benefits so you have choices based on your individual health and financial needs.
Consult our Medigap comparison chart, and familiarize yourself with plan benefits, costs, and coverage. You’ll notice that some plans offer more benefits than others. Sometimes there’s a cost tradeoff between the level of coverage you receive and how expensive a plan is.
One other thing to note is that plans of the same type will all have the same coverage, but the pricing will depend on a variety of factors. For example, all Plan Gs will provide the same coverage, but monthly costs vary depending on the personal, economic, and insurance factors that we’ll discuss below.
What is the best Medicare Supplement plan in North Carolina?
In general, Medigap Plan G is considered the best Medicare Supplement plan because it is cost-effective and gives you the highest level of coverage. Choosing the right plan for you, however, depends on your health and financial situation. Navigating Medigap policies can be complex. Our Medicare Advisors offer free, personalized advice and can help you understand all your options to choose the right plan.
How much does a Medicare Supplement plan cost in North Carolina?
There are a few considerations that go into the cost of a Medicare Supplement plan. The type of plan you choose, the insurance carrier’s pricing model, where you live, and your personal health situation can all play a role in determining what you pay each month.
To break it down specifically, these are the personal factors that could influence your Medicare Supplement costs:
Your age
Your gender
Your location
Whether or not you are a tobacco smoker
Household discounts available with some Medigap plans
There are the specific insurance-related costs that go into pricing your premiums:
Your insurance carrier’s specific pricing
Your policy’s pricing structure
For all North Carolina Medigap plans in 2024, premiums range from $10/mo for a high-deductible Plan G to $1,416 for the highest cost Medigap Plan A. See more details about North Carolina’s Medicare Supplement plan prices on Medicare.gov’s plan comparison tool.
North Carolina Medigap plan pricing structures
Medigap insurance policies can be priced (or rated) one of three different ways. In some cases, your policy may be priced according to the age you are or were when you first enrolled. Regardless of your policy’s pricing structure, your premium can increase due to economic factors, like inflation.
Community-rated (or no age-rated)
With a community-rated plan, all policyholders pay the same monthly premium, regardless of age. Your premium remains the same and does not increase as you get older.
Issue-age-rated (or entry age-rated)
With an issue-age-rated plan, your policy is priced according to the age you were when you first purchased the Medicare Supplement plan.
Attained-age-rated
With attained-age-rated policies, your plan’s price is based on your current (attained) age. Premiums are lower at first, but they increase as you age.
How to enroll in the best North Carolina Medigap plan
The best time to enroll in a Medigap plan is during your Medigap Open Enrollment, which is a six-month window after your Medicare Part B coverage begins. It’s the best time to enroll because insurance companies are required to accept your application and cannot ask you questions about your health history. Outside of this period, you may need to answer questions about your health history. Insurance carriers can also deny your application or charge you more based on your answers.
Comparing the different Medicare options can feel overwhelming. If you want advice, our North Carolina Medicare Advisors are here to help! Get in touch and receive free, personalized guidance that caters to your unique health and financial situation. Schedule a chat with us or call us at (855) 900-2427 to get your questions answered and feel confident in your Medicare coverage.