at a glance
- Amerigroup offers many types of Medicare supplement insurance (Medigap) plans to help cover the out-of-pocket costs of original Medicare.
- Amerigroup plans are available in only two states: Arizona and Texas.
- Medigap plans are standardized in terms of coverage, but costs may vary based on your location, age, and health conditions.
Amerigroup is an insurance company owned by Anthem, a healthcare benefits company with more than 42 million subscribers.
Amerigroup offers Medicare Advantage plans, as well as Medicare supplement insurance, which many people call Medigap. A Medigap policy can help cut down on your out-of-pocket healthcare costs and give you a better idea of what to expect in terms of monthly expenses.
If you have original Medicare (parts A and B), you aren’t required to have a Medigap policy. However, you might choose to buy one in order to simplify your healthcare expenses and reduce your out-of-pocket costs.
Keep reading to find out more about the Medicare supplement insurance that Amerigroup offers to people with Medicare.
The following are some of the services covered under Amerigroup’s Medigap policies.
Part A benefits
Medicare Part A is the portion of original Medicare that pays for hospital coverage and inpatient care.
Medigap policies may help supplement coverage for Part A expenses, including:
- the Part A deductible
- coinsurance at hospitals and skilled nursing facilities (for a short-term stay)
- blood up to the first 3 pints
Part B benefits
Medicare Part B is the part of original Medicare that covers outpatient medical costs, such as doctor’s visits and preventive care.
The monthly premium for Medicare Part B is standardized, and Medigap policies can no longer assist with paying for the Part B deductible as of January 1, 2020.
However, you can still get Medicare Part B savings through Medigap policies.
Part B coverage through Medigap includes coinsurance and copayments, as well as Part B excess charges. Excess charges are extra costs you may have — for example, if you use a doctor who doesn’t accept Medicare assignment.
Foreign travel emergency
If you frequently travel outside the United States, you may benefit from foreign travel coverage. Throughout your lifetime, this benefit will provide up to $50,000 of health coverage for emergency services overseas.
Amerigroup Medigap plan extra benefits
In addition to helping pay for copayments and coinsurance, being an Amerigroup Medigap member means you can participate in the SilverSneakers program.
This is a fitness program that provides you with access to more than 16,000 participating exercise facilities across the country.
Plus, SilverSneakers has both a mobile app and an online tool, which offer self-guided fitness programs and a wellness resource.
Another program Amerigroup offers to Medigap participants is ScriptSave WellRx. This is a pharmacy and vitamins savings program that can help you save on costs for prescription drugs that your Medicare Part D plan may no longer cover.
Medicare requires Medigap plans to be standardized. There are 10 types of plans, and each is known by a letter name: A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, N.
However, some plans are no longer available, so you may find the Medigap plan “alphabet” jumps around quite a bit.
The following sections provide an overview of each of the Medigap plans that Amerigroup offers.
Amerigroup Medigap Plan A
If a company offers Medigap plans, it must sell at least Plan A.
Plan A pays for coinsurance and hospital costs for up to 365 days after you use your Medicare benefits. Some additional coverage options include:
- Part B coinsurance or copayments
- first 3 pints blood
- hospice care coinsurance or copayments
However, the policy doesn’t cover your Medicare Part A or Part B deductibles or foreign travel health costs.
Amerigroup Medigap Plan F
Medigap Plan F offers the same coverage as Plan G (see below), except that it also pays the Part B deductible. Plan F is one of the most comprehensive plans offered.
Some changes to Medicare laws have meant that insurance companies can’t sell some Medigap policies anymore. As of January 1, 2020, companies selling Medigap policies can’t offer Plan F (or Plan C) because Medigap plans can no longer cover the Part B deductible.
If you purchased Medigap Plan F before January 1, 2020, you can keep your plan if you’d like. You may also be able to buy Plan F if you were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020.
Amerigroup Medigap Plan G
Medigap Plan G is Amerigroup’s most popular plan. This may be because the plan covers almost all out-of-pocket costs associated with Medicare services, with the exception of the Part B deductible.
Amerigroup Medigap Plan N
Medigap Plan N involves setting up a copayment with the plan for emergency room visits and covered doctor’s visits. The plan also covers 80 percent of costs for emergency health needs while traveling abroad.
While Medigap policies are intended to reduce out-of-pocket costs, there are still some costs these policies don’t cover.
These include:
Even with a Medigap plan, you’ll still be responsible for these costs.
While Medigap plans are standardized, their costs are not.
An insurance company can charge different monthly premiums for their policies, based on factors such as:
- your age
- where you live
- your overall health
However, the competitiveness of the insurance marketplace is intended to keep Medigap plan prices affordable.
The table below shows the range of monthly premiums of Amerigroup’s Medigap plans in a few sample cities in the company’s coverage area.
| Location (demographic info) | Plan A | Plan F | Plan G | Plan N |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix, AZ (65-year-old man, doesn’t use tobacco) | $89–$414 | $134–$459 | $114–$422 | $93–$338 |
| Tucson, AZ (70-year-old woman, uses tobacco) | $97–$378 | $157–$418 | $126–$380 | $103–$329 |
| Houston, TX (65-year-old woman, doesn’t use tobacco) | $112–$553 | $141–$406 | $112–$384 | $90–$308 |
| El Paso, TX (70-year-old man, uses tobacco) | $121–$625 | $146–$458 | $121–$434 | $97–$347 |
Much of Amerigroup’s policy pricing is based on attained-age pricing. This means the younger the policyholder, the less expensive the policy is likely to be. As you get older, the policy premium will increase. The premium may also increase based on inflation.
Medicare supplement insurance, also called Medigap, is a policy designed to help fill in some of the “gaps” (or extra costs) involved in an original Medicare policy.
Some people purchase a Medigap policy to reduce their out-of-pocket costs associated with Medicare coverage, which include:
- coinsurance
- copayments
- deductibles
To purchase a Medigap plan, you must have original Medicare (parts A and B). And if you have Medicare Advantage (Part C), you can’t also enroll in Medigap.
Although Medigap policies are mostly standardized, there are some exceptions. Available plans may vary by region and state.
Some states also standardize their plans differently. These include Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. In these states, Medigap policies may go by different names.
If you enroll in an Amerigroup Medigap plan within the first 6 months after you turn 65 years old and are enrolled in Medicare, you’re guaranteed acceptance to an Amerigroup plan.
If you’re 65 years old or over, you can apply at any time — but you’re not guaranteed acceptance.
For more information about Amerigroup Medigap policies and how to enroll, you can contact the company directly at 877-470-4131.