What You Need to Know
A Medicare Supplement plan can help pay healthcare expenses not covered by Original Medicare.
You’ll need to be enrolled in Medicare Part A and B to qualify for a Medicare Supplement plan.
In Connecticut, you can choose from 12 Medigap policies, including two high-deductible plans.
Original Medicare (Medicare Part A, for hospital services, and Part B, for outpatient services) helps to cover many of your healthcare expenses, but you’ll still be responsible for costs like deductibles and copayments. Those expenses can add up, especially if you have frequent healthcare needs.
A Medigap policy, also called a Medicare Supplement plan, offers additional coverage. It can help to reduce or eliminate the expenses that aren’t covered by Original Medicare.
When Can You Enroll in Medigap?
It’s easiest to enroll in a Medicare Supplement Insurance plan in Connecticut during your Medigap Open Enrollment Period (OEP).1 Your six-month OEP automatically begins the month you turn 65 and are enrolled in Medicare Part B. During this time, you can buy any Medigap policy without being charged more or rejected because of a preexisting condition like diabetes. You can also change your plan during your OEP.
It’s more difficult to enroll in Medigap outside of your OEP. An insurance provider can charge you more for a policy or deny you coverage because of a preexisting condition. The provider could also require a six-month waiting period before your policy coverage takes effect.
Certain situations make it easier to enroll in Medigap even outside of your OEP. If your healthcare coverage changes, for instance if your current plan leaves Medicare, you can qualify for a guaranteed issue right.2 When you have a guaranteed issue right, insurance providers must sell you a policy without charging you a higher premium.
Other situations, like moving or losing your current coverage, can qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.3 During this period, you can make some changes to your policy. The types of changes you can make depend on the type of qualifying event you had.
Best Time to Enroll
The best time to sign up for a Medicare Supplement plan is when you’re first eligible.
What Are the Most Popular Medicare Supplement Plans?
| Plan Type | Total Enrolled (Rounded) | Percent of Total Enrolled |
| Plan F | 66,000 | 41% |
| Plan G | 16,000 | 10% |
| Plan N | 35,000 | 22% |
In Connecticut, you can choose from 12 Medigap policies, including two high-deductible plans.4 Each letter plan is the same across different insurers. Coverage, premiums, copayments, and deductibles differ among the plans. Be sure to carefully review each plan so you know what’s included and whether it’s the right plan for you.
Plans F, G, and N tend to be some of the most popular policies. Note: Plan F isn’t available if you qualified for Medicare after January 1, 2020.
Plan F
Medicare Supplement Plan F offers the most comprehensive coverage, but also carries the highest monthly premium. It includes:
- Part A coinsurance and hospital costs
- Part B copays/coinsurance
- Blood (first 3 pints)
- Part A hospice
- Skilled nursing facility
- Part A deductible
- Part B deductible
- Part B excess charges
- Foreign travel emergency – 80%
Plan G
Medicare Supplement Plan G offers coverage that’s similar to Plan F, but it excludes the Medicare Part B deductible:
- Part A coinsurance and hospital costs
- Part B coinsurance/copays/
- Blood (first 3 pints)
- Part A hospice
- Skilled nursing facility
- Part A deductible
- Part B excess charges
- Foreign travel emergency – 80%
Plan N
Medicare Supplement Plan N doesn’t include the Medicare Part B deductible or Part B excess charges, but it has lower premiums than Plans F and G:
- Part A coinsurance and hospital costs
- Part B copays/coinsurance
- Blood (first 3 pints)
- Part A hospice
- Skilled nursing facility
- Part A deductible
- Foreign travel emergency – 80%
How Do You Choose a Medicare Supplement Plan?
Choose a Medicare Supplement Insurance plan that covers the types of healthcare expenses you have most often, so that you get the best value from that policy. When you shop for a plan, look for a policy that offers the coverage you want but that also has a premium you can afford. A plan with a higher premium might be the right choice for you because it can help you save money on your most common healthcare costs.
Change Your Mind?
Even after your Open Enrollment Period, you can still switch your plan or make changes to it in certain situations.
How Much Do Medigap Policies Cost?
When looking at monthly premiums, remember that other costs like copayments and deductibles can vary. The following examples show the premiums for a 65-year-old female and male in Connecticut who don’t use tobacco:
65-Year-Old Woman, No Tobacco Use
| Plan Type | Premium Range |
| Plan F | $250-$756 |
| Plan G | $191-$618 |
| Plan N | $155-$392 |
65-Year-Old Man, No Tobacco Use
| Plan Type | Premium Range |
| Plan F | $250-$756 |
| Plan G | $191-$618 |
| Plan N | $155-$392 |
What Companies Sell Medigap in Connecticut?
What If You Want to Change Your Medigap Policy?
Changing your Medicare Supplement plan in Connecticut outside of your Open Enrollment Period is difficult, unless you have a guaranteed issue right or a Special Enrollment Period. It’s important to thoroughly research any Medigap policy you’re considering during your Open Enrollment Period. If you initially choose the plan that’s right for you, then you won’t have to worry about the challenge of changing it later on.
What Are Alternatives to Medicare Supplement?
Medicare Advantage plans, also known as Medicare Part C, can also provide additional health insurance coverage.6 These plans, which are sold by private insurance companies, offer the same coverage as Original Medicare but set a limit on your annual out-of-pocket expenses. Many plans include prescription drug coverage, which Medigap plans don’t provide. Most Medicare Advantage plans limit you to using in-network providers.
What Are Medicare Resources in Connecticut?
- CHOICES, Connecticut’s State Health Insurance assistance Program (SHIP), offers outreach and information on benefits to Medicare-eligible people and their families or caregivers.
- Through the State of Connecticut Insurance Department, you can find information about available insurance policies and file complaints and questions about an insurance provider or plan.
- Connecticut’s HUSKY Health Program includes Medicaid (healthcare coverage for those with low income or disability) and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (coverage for children 18 and under whose families earn too much to qualify for Medicaid). You can apply online to see if you’re eligible.
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Next Steps
If you’re interested in a Medicare Supplement plan in Connecticut, be sure to carefully research each plan’s coverage and costs. Decide which plan works best for you so you’re ready to sign up as soon as you’re eligible for Medicare.
