Wyoming Medicare Guide

Below you’ll find the basic information you need to know about Medicare in Louisiana, including the types of plans available to you and how to enroll.

If you’d prefer to speak with someone or have any questions about which type of plan is best for you, schedule a free consultation with one of our licensed Louisiana Medicare Advisors or call us now at: (888) 604-0055. 

Use this table of contents to jump to specific sections of the Wyoming Medicare guide:

• A Snapshot of Medicare in Wyoming

• Medicare Eligibility and Enrollment Steps

• Wyoming Medicare Advantage Plans

• Wyoming Medicare Supplement Plans

• Wyoming Medicare Part D Plans

• Get help paying for Medicare in Wyoming

A Snapshot of Medicare in Wyoming

Wyoming has 118,000 Medicare beneficiaries, making up 20% of the state’s total population. Most beneficiaries are on Medicare due to age, but about 11% are on Medicare due to disability. 10% of Wyoming Medicare enrollees also receive full or partial Medicaid benefits. 

Medicare beneficiaries have an important choice to make: stick with Original Medicare or switch to Medicare Advantage. We’ll explain more about the pros and cons of both later on. In Wyoming, 94% of Medicare beneficiaries are on Original Medicare and 6% are on a Medicare Advantage plan.

Wyoming Medicare Eligibility and Enrollment Steps

US citizens 65 and older are eligible for Medicare. Some individuals who are under 65 years old and have certain disabilities like ALS or End-Stage Renal Disease are also eligible.

Medicare Enrollment Steps

1. Enroll in Original Medicare (Part A & Part B) 

Most people age into Medicare and are able to enroll during their Initial Enrollment Period (IEP). Your IEP is a seven-month period surrounding your 65th birthday. It starts three months before the month you turn 65 and ends three months after. Unless you're eligible for a Special Enrollment Period, you don’t want to miss your IEP! If you do, you may be subject to late enrollment penalties.

2. Compare additional coverage options

Once you’re enrolled in Original Medicare, you have some options. You can stay on Original Medicare and add a Medicare Supplement plan and/or a prescription drug plan. You can also switch to Medicare Advantage. Each option has its own pros and cons, which we’ll explain more later.

3. Get the most value from Medicare

Choosing the best combination of Medicare insurance options for your needs is just the first step to ensure you get the most from your Medicare. Once you’ve chosen your coverage, you should make sure to use all of your benefits, including:

• Your preventive care services, like annual wellness visits and vaccinations

• Any perks unique to your Medicare Advantage plan

And finally, each year, be sure to review your coverage during the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period, which lasts from October 15 - December 7. Medicare Advantage and Part D plans change each year, and your healthcare needs can change too! During this time, you can switch plans without consequence, so it’s a good idea to shop around to make sure you’re still on the plan that gets you the most value for your money.

Wyoming Medicare Advantage Plans

There are 14 Medicare Advantage (MA) plans available in Wyoming, but insurance carriers, pricing, and availability vary by county. For example, Laramie County has nine Medicare Advantage plans from three different insurance carriers. Teton County has seven plans from two different insurance carriers. Generally, you’ll see that counties with higher populations have more plans available, but this isn’t always the case.

Medicare Advantage plans are similar to employer coverage in that they combine your coverage into one bundled plan. These plans replace Original Medicare and must cover at least the same amount as Medicare Part A and B. They also generally come with prescription coverage and various added benefits. These added benefits may include:

• Dental, vision, and hearing services

• Flex spending cards

• Meal delivery

• Fitness perks

• Transportation services

Many Medicare Advantage plans include prescription drug coverage and extra benefits with no additional premium (note: you still need to pay your Original Medicare premiums). More benefits for no added cost sounds great—so, what’s the catch? Medicare Advantage enrollees often complain about plans having:

• Limited provider networks

• Prior authorization requirements

• High out-of-pocket costs 

Original Medicare doesn’t cover about 20% of costs for covered services and it doesn’t have an out-of-pocket maximum. As a result, many Americans choose to enroll in either a Medicare Advantage plan that replaces Original Medicare or a Medicare Supplement plan that pairs with Original Medicare.

Wyoming Medicare Supplement Plans

Wyoming Medicare beneficiaries have ten Medicare Supplement (also called Medigap) plans available to them. Each of these types of plans is labeled by letters A-N, and each plan of the same type has identical coverage, even if pricing varies.

Medigap plans are ideal for people who value choice, access to care, and financial predictability because of key benefits, including:

• No networks - you can see any doctor who accepts Medicare nationwide

• No prior authorization requirements for covered services

• Low out-of-pocket costs

Enrollment for Medigap plans is more restrictive than enrollment for Medicare Advantage plans. If you enroll during your Medigap Open Enrollment Period, insurance companies cannot deny you coverage or charge you more because of your health history. Your Medigap Open Enrollment Period lasts for six months, following your Part B effective date. 

Outside of your Medigap Open Enrollment Period (and a handful of other guaranteed issue periods), insurance carriers can ask you questions about your health history (underwriting questions) and can deny you coverage. 

Wyoming Part D Plans

Original Medicare doesn’t cover prescriptions, which is why Medicare introduced Part D. Part D benefits are often included in Medicare Advantage plans. Medicare beneficiaries can also purchase a separate Part D plan to get their prescriptions covered. There are 24 Wyoming Part D plans, but pricing and availability varies by county. 

If you don’t need prescription coverage when you first enroll, we still recommend enrolling in one of the lower-premium Part D plans to avoid the Part D penalty later on.

If you have questions about your Medicare options or want to compare plan benefits and pricing, schedule a free consultation with one of our licensed Wyoming Medicare Advisors or give us a call at (888) 604-0055. 

Get help paying for Medicare in Wyoming

Wyoming Medicare enrollees with low income and resources can apply for three programs to get help paying for Medicare-related costs.

Wyoming Medicaid

Medicaid works with Medicare to provide access to care for low-income Americans. Wyoming Medicaid is run by the Wyoming Department of Health and has two types of assistance for those who are aged, blind, or disabled. The first is assistance for nursing home and inpatient hospital care. To qualify for this support, you must be:

• Hospitalized for 20 consecutive days or be SSI eligible

• Have a monthly income lower than 300% of the Federal Benefit Rate Income Standard

• Resources less than the Maximum Resource Standard

The second type of assistance is Medicare Savings Programs. Medicare Savings Programs are offered in each state to help low-income Medicare recipients pay for Medicare-related costs, so that they can maintain their healthcare coverage. There are three types of Medicare Savings Programs in Wyoming:

Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) Program

The QMB Program pays for Medicare Part A & B premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance. To qualify, your monthly income must be lower than 100% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). 

Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB) Program

The SLMB Program pays for Medicare B premiums. To qualify, your monthly income must be lower than 120% of the FPL. 

Qualified Individual (QI) Program

The QI Program pays for Medicare B premiums. To qualify, your monthly income must be below 135% of the FPL.

Medicare Extra Help

If you have limited income and resources, you may be eligible for Extra Help. Extra Help is a federal program that helps pay for costs associated with prescription drug coverage, including premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance.

You automatically qualify for Extra Help if you:

• Receive full Medicaid coverage from Wyoming

• Wyoming pays your Part B premium

• Are eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

If you don’t automatically qualify for Extra Help, you may still qualify. Learn more about how Extra Help works here, and reach out to one of our licensed Wyoming Medicare Advisors if you have questions or need assistance!

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Benefits

Eligible US citizens receive monthly payments from the SSI program. You’re considered eligible if you meet the following criteria:

• You are 65 and older, blind, or have a disability

• You have limited income and limited resources

You can apply for SSI Benefits online or by calling 1-800-772-1213 / TTY 1-800-325-0778.