The Best Medicare Supplement (Medigap) Plans in Utah

If you have recently become eligible for Medicare coverage in Utah, you may have questions about Medigap insurance policies. Also known as Medicare Supplement Insurance, these insurance options are designed to work together with Medicare Part A and Part B, also called Original Medicare, to provide lower out-of-pocket costs for you.

Over a third of Medicare beneficiaries in Utah are enrolled in a Medicare Supplement plan.¹ If you are not yet covered by Medicare Supplement Insurance in Utah, this guide will help you determine the right approach for managing your medical costs in the state.

What Are the Best Utah Medicare Supplement Plans?

In Utah, as in most other areas of the United States, 10 different Medigap plans are available for purchase. Each plan is referred to by its assigned letter and is standardized across all insurers who offer these plans. For instance, the only difference between Plan A Medigap insurance from one insurer to another will be the price of the plan. 

All Medicare Supplement Insurance plans include coverage for the coinsurance requirements of Medicare Part A and for 365 extra days of hospitalization in addition to the coverage provided by Medicare. Medigap plans also include at least partial coverage for Part B copays and may pay for all or a portion of the deductible required for Medicare Part B recipients.

The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 restricted enrollment in Medigap Plans C and F to only those who became eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020. This may limit your choice of plans in the state of Utah if you did not turn 65 prior to that date. 

Among Utah Medicare recipients, the most popular Medigap plans include F, G and N. These plans offer solid coverage for fairly low premiums, which makes them an especially attractive choice for people with limited financial resources and those on fixed incomes. The high deductibles that are required with Plans F and G, however, may present a significant financial burden for some Medicare participants in the state of Utah.

How Do I Enroll in a Utah Medigap Plan?

For six months following the first day of the month in which you turn 65, you will have access to all Medigap plans offered in the state of Utah. Insurance companies cannot turn you down for coverage during this period, and your premiums will not be increased because of any pre-existing conditions that you may have. In fact, Medigap providers are required to offer you the same rates as they would offer completely healthy individuals during this six-month open enrollment period.

If you fail to enroll in Medigap coverage during this time period, however, you may be denied coverage altogether or may be asked to pay high premiums for your care. This can increase your out-of-pocket costs for medical care to a significant degree compared with the savings you could realize with Medicare Supplement Insurance plans. Because insurers are allowed to use underwriting standards to determine risk profiles for people who apply outside the six-month window, the cost of waiting to enroll can be quite high.

Even if you are accepted for Medigap insurance, you may be asked to wait for up to six months before treatment for pre-existing conditions will be covered. This waiting period could be waived if you had insurance through a previous provider or through your employer for the six months just prior to your Medigap enrollment.

Some Medicare recipients may be eligible to buy Utah Medigap coverage at preferred rates and with no risk of rejection by the insurers:

• If you have previously had Medigap insurance and lost it through no fault of your own, you may have guaranteed issue rights that will allow you to buy this coverage on the same terms as those who apply during the initial six months of eligibility. This typically occurs because the company that originally provided the Medicare Supplement Insurance policy has gone bankrupt or can no longer provide financial support for its policies.
  
  
• Patients who chose Medicare Advantage when they turned 65 and then decided they would prefer Original Medicare and Medigap coverage can also receive guaranteed issue rights if they make this change within the first year after eligibility.