Carson City, NV January 13, 2020
The Division of
Insurance (“Division”) would like to remind consumers that Medicare Supplement
plans C and F, also known as Medigap C and F, are no longer available to newly
eligible consumers, as of January 1, 2020.
Congress passed
the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (“MACRA”), a law which
states that Medicare Supplement plans will no longer be allowed to cover the
Part B deductible to newly eligible individuals on or after January 1, 2020.
That is why consumers who turned 65 or who first became eligible for Medicare
due to age, disability or end-stage renal disease on or after January 1, 2020
will not have the option to purchase Medicare Supplement plans C or F because
those plans cover the Part B deductible.
This does not
affect consumers whose 65th birthday was before January 1, 2020 or
those who first became eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020 and had
already purchased those plans before such date as these are “grandfathered”
plans. Similarly, consumers eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020 but
have not yet enrolled in such plans, may still be able to purchase one of these
plans.
“Considering
purchasing supplemental coverage for Medicare is a personal decision,” said
Insurance Commissioner Barbara Richardson. “To aid consumers in reaching that
decision, the Division has developed several resources and we suggest taking
time to educate yourself on your options.”
The Division
encourages consumers to contact a licensed agent, broker, producer or
consultant to assist in selecting appropriate Medicare Supplement insurance
coverage. In addition, consumers are also encouraged to learn more about these
products by reading the Division’s Medicare
Supplement Insurance Premium Comparison Guide located on the Division’s website
at http://doi.nv.gov/News-Notices/Publications/.
The Division also
has available on its website a Medicare Supplement Rate Lookup Tool at http://doi.nv.gov/Health_Insurance_Rates/Medicare_Supplement_Rates/. The rates on
this tool are for all ages and zip codes in Nevada. Once a consumer has input
their information on the tool, the available plans based on this information
will be displayed.
While the rates
displayed are the effective rates based on smoking status, gender, location and
age, the actual premium rate each company charges may be based on a number of
different factors.
About
the Nevada Division of Insurance
The State of
Nevada Division of Insurance, a Division of the Nevada Department of Business
and Industry, protects the rights of Nevada consumers and regulates Nevada’s
$14 billion insurance industry. The Division of Insurance has offices in Carson
City and Las Vegas. In 2018, the Division investigated more than 3,100 consumer
complaints and recovered over $8.4 million on behalf of consumers. For more
information about the Division of Insurance, visit DOI.NV.GOV.
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