Medicare Plans we are not licensed with.
Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plans.
We are licensed with all Medigap plans available to Idaho residents.
At this moment 23 companies offer plans to Idaho residents. This number can change monthly.
We choose to not license with companies new to this business (have been in the Medigap business 4 year/less), have non-competitive premiums, an aged client base, a medical loss ratio that suggests higher than market premium increases are coming, an active policy number that is declining year over year OR has 10,000 or fewer active policies.
Watching this market closely is important to us.
Why? Because each of the 12 plans (we consider the hi-deductible version of Plan F and G as separate plans) offer the same exact health care coverage.
The company’s name, their AM Best financial rating, medical loss ratio, monthly premium (can vary by over 150%), experience in the business, and number of active policies (very important) are key differences. It is not unusual that mid-sized companies offer better value than nationally recognized names.
Idaho State law also permits residents enrolled in a Medigap policy to change plans annually without going through underwriting. This is a key and important feature which separates Idaho from most of the other States.
Medigap Plan G and N pay for most of the left-over cost-sharing when Medicare covered health care are used. These are the most widely selected plans in the US for the past 5-years.
Also, we view the G hi-deductible plan as a very attractive alternative to Medicare Advantage plans. If a person just moved to Idaho, an existing resident had their Medicare Advantage plan cancelled or simply wants the flexibility to use the top hospitals (and their physicians) in the US, these plans are your path to get there.
Medicare Advantage plans.
We are licensed with ALL 2026 and 2025 Idaho Medicare Advantage plans listed on the Medicare Plan Finder tool except the Institutional Special Needs Plan I-SNP).
However, at this moment, we are not accepting new clients interested in a Medicare Advantage or Medicare/Medicaid plans.
Medicare Part D plans.
These are the plans reserved for people NOT enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan but are enrolled in Medicare Part A and/or B.
We are licensed with the Part D plans from Humana and United Health Care but NOT with WellCare, Aetna, and Health Spring.
If you want help with Part D plan selection, we will show you how to use the plan finder tool (Medicare.gov). Explanation of the reports they create are also explained.
This will help build a ‘short list’ of plans to consider.
Using this resource will be helpful narrowing selection to 2 or 3 plans. We will also point you to plan documents so you can read and understand the other important details.
We will also show you why the lowest premium plan(s) isn’t always the right plan to choose.
If you do not have access to the internet or are uncomfortable using this resource, please all IDAHO SHIBA ( 1-800-247-4422). This federal funded agency is embedded in the Idaho Department of Insurance offices and help residents with Medicare.
You will have to complete the enrollment step.
We will point you to the right internet-based tools or provide phone numbers to call so you can get this done. This should take 15 – 20 minutes to complete.
Additional details about plans we are not/ cannot be licensed with are below.
There are Idaho Medicare plans we cannot or have chosen not to represent.
These are described below.
Plans offered through some State School Districts.
Some of the State School districts have pre-negotiated Medicare plans, their retirees should consider. These plans are not available to independent Medicare brokers.
How do you know if you fall into this category?
Ask your school districts benefit administrator to explain your options when you are Medicare eligible. If you are already retired, make sure you review your annual notices from your benefit administrator. If you do not get notice, call your benefit administrator to get an update.
We feel you should pay attention to these choices.
Why? Because your accrued ‘sick leave’ may be available to pay your health plan’s premium. Also, your school district may have negotiated additional benefits for you (not covered by Medicare).
If your school district does not offer you a Medicare Supplement (Medigap…learn more here) we can help you. Also, if you prefer a Medicare Advantage plan found using the Plan Finder tool in your zip code, call us. We may be able to help you with this.
Keep in mind when your accrued sick leave runs out, you may have more attractive plan choices. We can help you evaluate your options.
Medicare Advantage plans offered by a past employer.
If you have the option to select a Medicare Supplement or a Medicare Advantage look-a-like offered by your employer when you retire, consider them.
Be aware some employers in Idaho have outsourced the ‘broker’ job to a national firm. They direct you to this firm. These firms offer similar services as an Idaho based broker.
What you may not be getting is a ‘compare/contrast’ between your initial options OR annual follow up.
This is particularly important for people enrolled in a Medicare Supplement plan.
Why? Because Idaho moved to ‘community rating’ on 3/1/2022. This change in State law included the right to change insurance company(s) and get the same plan at lower premium (if one exists). If you work with an Idaho based broker, they should keep you informed of your opportunities annually. We recommend people consider changing companies every 2 or 3 years simply because new companies enter the Idaho market and may offer lower premiums. Remember, the compounding effect of your annual premium increases can make your current premium unattractive compared to new market entrants.
Public sector employer plans include but are not limited to FEHB plans, TRICARE, VA, etc.
We recommend you understand these options before considering your other choices.
If you have questions on these plan(s) please contact the representative from your employer. We cannot help you with a compare/contrast with your Medicare options.
Why? We are not experts on previous employer’s retiree options.
A good resource that will help you understand Medicare better is the ‘Medicare and You’ annual publication produced by CMS. This is available here.
Your non-employer Medicare options may offer you better coverage. You can learn more about Idaho Medicare Advantage plans here AND Idaho Medigap (Medicare supplement) plans here.
If you have ruled out your employer retiree options and are interested in a Medicare Supplement plan, we can help.
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