The Best Medicare Supplement (Medigap) Plans in Arkansas

Once you're enrolled in Original Medicare, you can add on private health plans to complement your coverage. Half (50%) of those receiving Original Medicare (Parts A and B) in Arkansas also belong to a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan.

Through Medicare, the federal government pays for medically necessary hospital stays, physician services, diagnostic tests and treatments. Costs such as deductibles, copays and foreign travel emergency care still come out of your wallet. Medigap coverage helps pay for some remaining expenses once Medicare has paid its portion.

What Are the Best Arkansas Medicare Supplement Plans?

You can pick from 10 standardized Medigap plans in Arkansas. Insurance companies can decide which of the plans they wish to offer and charge any premiums they wish. When shopping for Medicare Supplement plans in Arkansas, you can count on policies within the same letter category to provide the same benefits, so you can more easily compare pricing. 

All Medigap plans in Arkansas cover:

• Part A coinsurance (hospital and hospice care)
• Part B copays/coinsurance  
• Blood (first three pints)

From here, you can decide which additional benefits you need, such as Part A and Part B deductibles, foreign travel and skilled nursing facility coinsurance.  

Some of the more popular Medigap plans in Arkansas include:

• Plan F: This plan is the most robust and covers all standardized Medigap benefits. However, because it includes the Part B deductible, it's only available to Arkansas residents eligible for Medicare prior to January 1, 2020.
  
  
• Plan G: This plan is similar to Plan F but doesn't include the Part B deductible. This option is available to Medicare beneficiaries whether or not they were eligible for Medicare before 2020.
  
  
• Plan N: If you don't need coverage of extra fees some health care providers bill, Plan N may be a suitable option. It's similar to Plan G but doesn't cover excess charges. Plan N pays 100% of most Part B copays/coinsurance, except for some physician and emergency room visits.

How Do I Enroll in Medigap Plans in Arkansas?

If you decide to add Medicare Supplement to your health insurance, take advantage of your personal six-month Medigap open enrollment period to receive important benefits. This period begins when you're 65 or older and enrolled in Medicare Part B.

During this window, even if you have a medical problem, Arkansas insurance companies must sell you any Medigap policy that you want at the same price as a person with no medical conditions. After the Medigap open enrollment period ends, you no longer have these protections unless you qualify for guaranteed issue rights. Guaranteed issue rights may kick in if:

• Your health coverage through a union or an employer is ending.
• You're enrolled in Medicare Advantage for the first time and want to return to Original Medicare after less than a year.
• You move out of your Medicare Advantage service area or your insurer stops providing coverage.

If you qualify for guaranteed issue rights, you usually have 63 calendar days after your coverage ends to join a Medigap plan. In some cases, you may also be able to enroll before your coverage ends to ensure there's no gap.

When you apply for a Medicare Supplement policy outside of your Medigap open enrollment period or without guaranteed issue rights, an insurance company can underwrite your plan, deny coverage and/or charge higher premiums based on your health.