What is Medicare Plan N and does it provide good coverage at a reasonable price? Like all Medigap policies, Medicare Supplement Plan N is made to fill in the coverage gaps of Original Medicare.
This review will look more closely at Medicare Plan N and why shoppers like the concept of being responsible for small yearly deductible and a few copays in exchange for lower premiums
Medicare Supplement Plan N
Plan N is one of the most popular plans because of the balance between low monthly premiums and coverage benefits. Let’s see if Plan N Medicare is a good fit for your budget and coverage goals.
What Medicare Supplement Plan N Covers
Original Medicare usually provides 80% coverage of approved costs. Medigap Plan N gives you the 20% coverage that Medicare Part B doesn’t. Plan N will also provide coverage for your hospital copays, coinsurance and deductible.
Covered
- Medicare Part A Deductible (Covered)
- Part A Hospice Care Coinsurance or Copayment (Covered)
- Medicare Part A Coinsurance & Hospital Costs (Covered)
- Medicare Part B Coinsurance and Copayment (Covered)
- Blood (First 3 Pints) (Covered)
- Foreign Travel Emergency (up to plan limits) (Covered)
- Skilled Nursing Facility Coinsurance (Covered)
Not Covered
- Medicare Part B Excess Charges (Not Covered)
- Medicare Part B Deductible (Not Covered)
What Medicare Plan N WON’T Cover
Although Plan N provides excellent coverage, it won’t cover everything. You will be responsible if there are any excess charges. You’ll also have to pay for your Part B deductible as well as some co-payments at the emergency room and your physician’s office.
| Medicare Supplement Benefits | Plan N covers? |
|---|---|
| Medicare Part A coinsurance & hospital costs (up to additional 365 days after medicare benefits are used | YES |
| Medicare Part B coinsurance or copayment | YES |
| Blood (first 3 pints) | YES |
| Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment | YES |
| Skilled nursing facility care coinsurance | YES |
| Part A deductible | YES |
| Part B deductible | NO |
| Part B excess charges | NO |
| Foreign travel emergency (up to plan limits) | YES |
Plan N Doctor’s Office Coverage
It’s important to remember that preventative care is taken care of by Original Medicare. These are services such as:
- Cancer screenings
- Diabetes screenings
- Cardiovascular screenings
- Annual checkups
- Colonoscopies
- Vaccines
- and more
These standard services will cost you nothing because they are under the standard Medicare preventative care services. With Medigap Plan N, you’ll receive coverage for:
- Durable medical equipment
- Surgeries
- Home Health
- Lab work
- Dr visits for illness and injuries
- Imaging testing
- Diabetic supplies
- and more
Just know that if Medicare Part A or B provides coverage for your issue, then your Medigap plan will cover it. Your Medicare supplement will pay 20% and Original Medicare will pay 80%. Medicare send the bill to your Medigap company, so you don’t have to even worry about it!
Plan N Hospital Coverage
The Medicare Part A hospital benefits will provide you coverage for Medicare approved services such as:
- Inpatient hospital services
- Skilled nursin
- Blood transfusions
- Home health
- Hospice
Typically you would pay deductible with any hospital stay, but your Medicare supplement Plan N will pay that deductible for you.
medicare plan n deductible
With Medigap Plan N, you are responsible for satisfying the annual Part B deductible. For example, you pay the Part B deductible before Plan N pays the remainder of Part B expenses. This doesn’t always happen in one doctor visit. It could take several appointments before the deductible is met. If you don’t visit the doctor very often, then you keep more of the Part B deductible in your own pocket.
Medigap Insurance Company Discounts
Medicare Supplement Plan N is already priced low. However, a few insurance companies offer Household discounts. This discount can sometimes lower the price by six to twelve percent.
Each insurance carrier has their own set of requirements for this discount. Some insurance companies will give a Household discount if only one applicant buys a policy, while others require both parties apply for coverage.
Who sells the cheapest Medigap Plan N?
Premiums for Medicare Supplement Plan N vary. Rates are based on your zip code, your age, and the insurance company. Cheapest isn’t always the best as some insurance companies have a history of high rate increases.
If you live in Florida or New York where Medicare Supplement premiums are high, Medigap Plan N is often a good choice for the budget minded Senior.
Reviewing Medigap Plan N Premiums and Benefits
When it’s time to purchase Medicare Supplement insurance, reviewing Medigap Plan N premiums and benefits should be part of your research. Along with Plan F and Plan G, Medigap Plan N is one of the most popular Medicare Supplement insurance plans. While the popular Medigap plans have similar benefits, the out of pocket costs associated with Plan N make it unique. Medigap Plan N Costs include:
- Part B deductible
- Plan N Co-pays
- Excess Charges
- Insurance Premium
Plan N Premiums & Benefits
Let’s look at how Plan N works compared to other plans.
Copays
After your Part B deductible is met, your Plan N policy will cover Part B services after Medicare pays its portion. However, you are still subject to provider copays. Some doctors ask for the full $20 copay while others charge a small amount or nothing at all. An emergency room copay is $50 per visit. If admitted into the hospital, the copay is waived.
Excess Charges
A doctor can accept Medicare patients, but may not accept Medicare assignment. This is the Medicare approved amount paid for a particular service. If a doctor doesn’t accept Medicare Assignment, he or she is allowed to charge up to 15% more than what Medicare pays.
To avoid Part B Excess Charges it’s best to check with your provider before each visit to make sure they accept Medicare Assignment. You can also visit Medicare.gov to find your provider. Medicare’s database will indicate if the provider accepts Medicare Assignment.
Insurance Premium
Medigap Plan N is purchased through private insurance carriers. CMS standardizes the benefits of Plan N. This means Plan N with ABC insurance company is the same Plan N with XYZ insurance company. The only difference is price. Plan N is one of the lowest priced Medicare Supplements. It is often 30% less than Medigap Plan F. Rates will vary based on a variety of factors such as age, gender, tobacco use, company and location.
Reviewing Medigap Plan N premiums and benefits is a little more complicated than reviewing Plan F. If you feel that Plan N has the right price but not all the benefits you want, consider Medigap Plan G. It works just like Plan F after meeting the annual Part B deductible. You can learn more by reading our Medicare Supplement Plan N vs Plan G review.
Medicare Supplement Plan N Is Standardized
You may be wondering, “Plan N is Standardized – What’s that?”
Before buying a Medigap Plan N you’ll want to get quotes from several companies. However it is really important that you get familiar with what Medicare supplement standardization means.
Here’s the deal: Medigap plans were standardized starting in 1991.
Standardized plans simply means that when you compare Plan N pricing from the various Medigap insurance carriers, you can feel at ease that a Plan N from every insurer will have the same benefits such as:
- No Networks: You aren’t handcuffed to certain networks when you use Medicare supplement insurance. The reason is that Medigap plans simply supplement Original Medicare. In other words, you have access to any doctor who accepts Medicare – and over 90% of the physicians accept Medicare!
- Coverage: All Medigap Plan N’s must have the exact same coverage that we posted above, no matter which insurance company you purchase your Medigap plan from. You never have to stress if one company has better benefits with their Plan N over a competitor. All of Plan N benefits are the same.
- Claims : The claims process with Medigap is streamlined and simple compared to other types of insurance. Your doctor submits your claims directly to Medicare (not your Medigap insurance carrier). Medicare identifies your Medigap plan and Medicare Supplement company. As soon as your claim is approved by Medicare, your doctor is paid. Your Medicare supplement company is then notified and instructed to pay the remaining amount due to your doctor. Your Medicare supplement company is required (by law) to pay their portion of costs if Medicare approves your claim. Companies aren’t able to pick and choose if they want to pay or not; they must follow Medicare’s lead. You’ll have peace of mind knowing that all Medicare-approved claims are paid by all companies offering Medigap plans.
Reviewing and understanding the above details about Medigap standardization makes it simple to compare rates and pick a Medicare supplement Plan N from any of the available companies. It comes down to which company provides the greatest value for Medicare supplement Plan N.
Is Medicare Supplement Plan N Right for You?
Choosing the right Medigap insurance plan means considering the price of the Medicare supplement plan along with what’s covered and what’s not. It is equally important to understand any drawbacks, like if the plan covers deductibles and excess charges.
Luckily, there is help available that can bring all of these details into focus for you and help you shop for the best deal. At REMEDIGAP, you’ll get expert one-on-one help from our independent licensed agent. You’ll never be pressured to buy one plan over another. You’ll get quotes from the most popular plan like Plan N, Plan G and more. You’ll even get free tips like understanding Plan N vs Plan G.
We’ll spend the time to educate you on all your options and you can simply choose which plan meets your financial goals and coverage needs. Call us today or get started now with a free online Medigap quote.
Make sure to check out the other Medicare plans available below.
Additional Resources:
- Who Sells the Best Medigap Insurance Plans | Large or Small Companies?
- Is Buying Medigap Plan F a Good Idea?
- Medicare Open Enrollment – What you Need to Know.
- Click here for a comparison of Plan F and Plan G.
Michael Quinn is an independent licensed insurance agent with a passion for helping others navigate the complex world of Medicare insurance. With over a decade of experience in the field, Michael has established himself as a trusted advisor to countless individuals seeking guidance on their healthcare coverage options.
In 2013, Michael obtained his license as an insurance agent, laying the foundation for his successful career in the industry. Prior to that, he earned his Masters Degree in Communicative Disorders from the University of Central Florida, which equipped him with strong communication and interpersonal skills.
Driven by a genuine desire to make a positive impact on people's lives, Michael co-founded REMEDIGAP in 2013. It was created as a dedicated platform that aims to educate individuals about Medicare insurance. Through REMEDIGAP, Michael provides comprehensive resources and unbiased information to empower individuals to make informed decisions about their healthcare coverage.
With his extensive knowledge and expertise, Michael has been able to guide thousands of individuals towards finding the most suitable Medicare insurance plans tailored to their unique needs. His dedication to his clients' well-being, coupled with his passion for simplifying complex insurance concepts, has earned him a reputation as a compassionate and reliable advisor.
His work has appeared on many blogs and websites including, USA Today, Yahoo.com, Nerdwallet, Think Advisor, and REAL SIMPLE.
