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Comments:

• As I research more on this, figured I would share any useful data that I find. Here is a table that has the historical premium increases across Plans G, G HD & N. https://www.csgactuarial.com/news/average-medicare-supplement-rate-increases-continue-trending-higher-in-2024/ Average 5Y increases are 6.14% for G, 4.84% for N and 1.98% for G HD.

  Post: Medigap pricing question

  Link to comment from September 25, 2024

• Mark, thanks to you and few others for suggesting reaching out to our State SHIP, I managed to get the pertinent data. I am guessing a higher MLR - "medical loss ratio" indicates that "premium dollars that a health plan spends on medical claims and quality improvements, versus administrative costs" is a good thing? I also see 2 measures, one at the national level and one at the state level. One of the plans, for example, "Farm Bureau Health Plans – Member’S Health Insurance Company" has MLR of 96.7% at the national level and 56.29% at the state level. Do I then read this as, the state overhead is much higher than the national level? Thanks!

  Post: Medigap pricing question

  Link to comment from September 20, 2024

• File this under FWIW https://www.kiplinger.com/retirement/medicare/medicare-advantage-customers-face-shrinking-pool-of-insurers "Medicare Advantage Customers Face Shrinking Options - Medicare Advantage plan insurers are reducing their enrollments as profit margins shrink."

  Post: Which is better, traditional Medicare or Medicare Advantage?

  Link to comment from September 17, 2024

• Jo Bo - I am trying to work with our state SHIP. The difference for me (between a Plan G vs. G HD) would be $963. I noticed that while Plans G & N here have a "community pricing" (which I view as arresting the annual premium increases with the exception of inflation) whereas G HD all have just the "attained age". Good perspective though, thank you!

  Post: Medigap pricing question

  Link to comment from September 15, 2024

• A thought provoking question, thank you for this!

  Post: How would you prepare for the staggering cost of in-home care if you ever need it?

  Link to comment from September 15, 2024

• Thank you Dan, that's one more nuance that I just learnt. My state also appears to have 2 companies that are "direct to consumer" and both are slightly higher than the AARP UHC plan. UHC is "community price" and is $126 whereas Transamerica (issue age) and Globe Life and Accident (attained age) are both offered direct and charge $158 & $179 respectively. These are for plan G.

  Post: Medigap pricing question

  Link to comment from September 8, 2024

• Mark, thank you. AARP & UHC G or N is what I am considering as well. How has been your experience so far? In our state there are 2 variants of UHC (there is "UHC Insurance" with higher premium and there is "UHC Insurance of America" with a lower premium). I suspect this is "a version by a subsidiary" that Liz was referring to. I like this AARP UHC offering since they are the only company offering a "community" pricing. BUT UHC insurance of America has a "Company complaint Index" of 5.03 [The National Complaint Index is always 1.00. This means a company with a complaint index of 2.00 has a complaint index that is twice as high as expected in the market] per NAIC. Whereas UHC insurance's complaint ratio is 0.54. So the higher priced policy has a lower complaint score while the lower priced policy has 5.4x the index.

  Post: Medigap pricing question

  Link to comment from September 7, 2024

• Liz, thank you very much. Very informative!

  Post: Medigap pricing question

  Link to comment from September 7, 2024

• BTW I found this link to NAIC that seems to have lots of data on the insurance companies broadly, and more specifically on Medicare supplemental plans (and even more specific on the plans). In case any of you are interested https://content.naic.org/cis_consumer_information.htm

  Post: Medigap pricing question

  Link to comment from September 6, 2024

• Ah thank you, that explains a lot. AARP - UHC is the only offering this "level 2" plans. And just one company offering "community" and one offerting "Issue age" AARP - UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company of America (Standard) Community Pricing AARP - UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company (Standard) Community Pricing Transamerica Life Insurance Company (Direct) Issue Age Pricing

  Post: Medigap pricing question

  Link to comment from September 5, 2024