The Select Plan
As you consider your options for Medigap Supplemental Plans, you may come across the option of a Medicare SELECT Plan. These particular plans are a great option for some, but there are some drawbacks to this choosing a Medicare SELECT Plan.
Medicare SELECT are considered a type of Medicare Supplemental Policy because SELECT plans off many of the same benefits as a Medigap policy. A Medicare SELECT plan still fills the gaps left by Medicare by covering the Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B deductible. However, this Medicare SELECT is more specifically defined as a managed care plan. With this plan, you will be restricted to a certain doctor or list of doctors.
Take this example:
Betty and her neighbor Sue both enroll in a Medicare SELECT plan. Betty needs cataract surgery and Sue needs a hip replacement. Sue hears that Dr. Torres is a great orthopedic surgeon and just so happens to be in her Medicare SELECT network. Betty also gets a recommendation for a Dr. Sloan but this doctor isn’t covered under Medicare SELECT. Betty would have been better of with a typical Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan while a Medicare SELECT plan was just fine for Sue.
The moral of the story is that Medicare SELECT plans have limitations, but whether or not these limitations actually have an effect depends on a person’s needs. For some, the freedom to choose any doctor a is crucial and Medigap Insurance Plans prove to the best solution .
To get more information about Medicare Supplement Insurance plans, talk to one of our Medigap plan representatives today or use our instant quote below.
