Is it going away?

Medicare Supplement Plan F is a specific type of Medicare Supplement and is the most comprehensive of the standardized Medicare Supplement plans available in most states. This Medicare Supplement, also called Medigap insurance may help pay for out-of-pocket costs of Medicare Part A and Part B. These costs can be coinsurance, copayments, or in some cases deductibles.

Note: Medicare Part A and Part B make up the federal government’s Original Medicare program. Medicare Supplement plans are also named with letters but they are not the same thing.

In 47 states, there are up to 10 Medicare Supplement plans that are standardized with lettered names and each standardized plan has the same set of basic benefits.

This is what Medicare Supplement Plan F may cover:

• Inpatient hospital costs and coinsurance under Medicare Part A for an additional 365 days after Medicare coverage runs out
• Coinsurance for skilled nursing care facilities
• Medicare Part B coinsurance/copayments
• Part A deductible
• Part B deductible
• Limited emergency medical care overseas (80% up to plan limits)
• Hospice care coinsurance/copayments under Part A
• First three pints of blood
• Part B excess charges 

There’s also a high-deductible version of Medicare Supplement Plan F in which you generally have to pay an annual deductible before Plan F pays your Medicare out-of-pocket costs.

Like all Medicare Supplement plans, Plan F is sold by private insurance companies.

Will Medicare Supplement Plan F being discontinued?

According to congress.gov, Medicare Supplement plans that pay the Medicare Part B deductible will no longer be sold to those newly eligible. This change is part of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA).

However, there is quite an exception;

• If you already have Medicare Supplement Plan F (or Plan C, which also covers the Part B deductible), you can generally keep it.
• If you were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020, you may be able to buy Medicare Supplement Plan F or Plan C.
• If you qualify for Medicare on January 1, 2020, or later, you may not be able to buy Medicare Supplement Plan F or Plan C.

How much is the deductible?

The Medicare Part B deductible can change every year. In 2020, it’s $198. That’s the amount you have to pay before Part B pays for covered services.

Is there another Medicare Supplement plan that may be comparable?

If you become eligible for Medicare in 2020 or later, although you may not be able to buy Medicare Supplement Plan F or Plan C, you may be able to buy a very similar plan.

Medicare Supplement Plan G generally has the same basic benefits as Plan F, except for the Part B deductible. A high-deductible version of Plan G might become available in 2020, according to Oregon.gov. If you live in Massachusetts, Minnesota, or Wisconsin, contact your state health insurance assistance program (SHIP) to learn about Medicare Supplement plan details in those states. Go to https://www.shiptacenter.org/ and select your state.