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Can't sign up until May but have started some preliminary research. In my zip code (California 92021) it seems as if the best Plan G are all attained age with the exception of United Healthcare through AARP which is community rated.
If I 1st sign up with Anthem Blue Cross (attained age) am I able to later switch to UHC if the premium plus AARP membership is less?
Can't sign up until May but have started some preliminary research. In my zip code (California 92021) it seems as if the best Plan G are all attained age with the exception of United Healthcare through AARP which is community rated.
If I 1st sign up with Anthem Blue Cross (attained age) am I able to later switch to UHC if the premium plus AARP membership is less?
If you move out of California, you lose that right unless you move to another state with similar rule or GI rights:
Quote:
Medigap state variation
Some states have implemented legislation that makes it easier for seniors to switch from one Medigap plan to another, and for people under age 65 to enroll in Medigap plans.
Massachusetts has a two-month window each year (February through March) during which Medigap plans are guaranteed-issue.
California and Oregon both have “birthday rules” that allow Medigap enrollees a 30-day window following their birthday each year when they can switch, without medical underwriting, to another Medigap plan with the same or lesser benefits.
In Maine, Medigap enrollees can switch to a different Medigap plan with the same or lesser benefits at any time during the year, and all carriers must designate one month each year when Medigap Plan A is available on a guaranteed issue basis to all enrollees.
Missouri has an Anniversary Guaranteed Issue Period; anyone with a Medigap plan has a 60-day window around their plan anniversary each year during which they can switch to the same plan from any other carrier, guaranteed issue.
I got some medicare plan G info the other day from United Healthcare.
It appears as if it too is attained age in my zipcode in CA.
On what are you basing that? Per Medicare.gov, for your zipcode, UHC is the only community-rated plan.
As a general rule, UHC is community rated in all but a few states - such as FL, GA, and some others which mandate issue-age rating. In CA, UHC is community rated. I don't know of any state where UHC is attained-age rated.
Again, in CA, because of the birthday rule, you have GI rights to switch to another equal or lesser plan from any carrier if the premium for your current plan becomes too high.
So, you always get a do-over. A purchase in CA is not cast in stone.
On the information that UHC sent me they have a decreasing plan discount by age from ages 65-76.
As you get older your medicare supplement plan G premium will increase (discount decreasing).
To me, this sounds like age rated. Doesn't say Community rated anywhere in the 45 page booklet that was personalized with my info.
What you describe is standard for all community-rated plans for UHC - it provides discounts off the community-rated price for younger enrollees. So, in a way, it does function as an attained-age plan for a period of time. However, beginning 2020, in order to keep premiums lower for younger people, UHC has extended the discounts to age 81 for more recent/younger enrollees which lowers premiums even further.
Sounds like you received outdated info for CA as you should be in an age group which qualifies for discounts to age 81, unless UHC has not included CA in its rate restructuring or you're aren't qualified for another reason.
Nonetheless, age-based rate increases for UHC end at either 77 or 81. After age 77/81, only rate increases are due to inflation. Most attained-age plans continue age-based rate increases to age 85.
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