Medigap policies are available in three different types, including community-rated, issue-age rated, and attained-age rated. With community-rated policies, most beneficiaries are placed in the same group. You then pay out the same rate as others who live in your area, regardless of other factors.
WIth issue-age and attained-age rated policies, it isn’t as straightforward. These policies are a little more detailed and can become confusing if you don’t know much about them beforehand. We’ll discuss each plan further in detail throughout this article.
Before we look at which type of Medigap plan is the best option for you, it’s essential to understand what Medigap is. Medigap is an insurance policy sold by a private company. It helps fill in the gaps that your Original Medicare plan doesn’t cover.
When you have an issue-age rated policy, this means you purchase your policy based on your age at the time when you apply. With this policy, a person who is 70 years old will always pay a higher premium than a person who is 65. Your premium can go up due to factors such as inflation, but it will not go up based on your age.
When you have an attained-age rated policy, your premium is based on your new age every year. That means that if one person buys a plan at the age of 66 for $110, their premium would increase up to possibly $120 by the age of 67, and then later go up to $125 when they turn 68. With this policy, your premium can do up due to inflation, your age, and other factors.
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The cost of medical care in the United States is constantly on the rise. As the price of healthcare goes up, so will the cost of your Medigap claims. Insurance companies have a statewide rate increase practically every year, with every type of Medigap policy. That helps to keep up with the ongoing rise in the cost of your claims.
Medigap is a useful private insurance policy that can help you fill in the gaps when your Medicare plan doesn’t cover everything. With these policies, you can choose from either a community-rated pricing method, an issue-age rated method, or an attained-age method. Each one is different when it comes to whether your rate will go up or not. With the attained-age rated policies, your age will always be a factor in rate changes. With the other two options, rates do not change due to age, but they can vary based on different factors.
Determining which pricing method is the best for you can be a challenge, especially when trying to understand the difference between the three Medigap options. If you need assistance with deciding which Medigap policy is right for you, please fill out this form or give us a call to speak with one of our licensed insurance agents.
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