Medicare Plans in Texas in 2022
Your Medicare options in Texas can vary depending on your age, where you live, and more. There are a number of Medicare plans in Texas that offer broader coverage than Original Medicare or can help to fill in the gaps left over by Medicare Part A and Part B.
Medical bills can quickly add up, which is why it is so important to have a Medicare plan that covers your expenses and meets your individual needs. Below we’ll be explaining your Medigap, Medicare Advantage, and Part D options in Texas.
How To Apply for Medicare in Texas
If you are a Texas resident who is only interested in enrolling in Original Medicare, you can do so through your local Social Security office. You can sign up in-person, online, or over the phone as early as three months before your 65th birthday.
However, if you want to enroll in Medicare Advantage coverage, Medicare Supplement Insurance, or Part D drug coverage, we recommend you speak with a licensed insurance agent. They can walk you through the process and help you to find the right plan for you.
Reach out to a team member here at Medicare Plans Direct today to have all of your Medicare-related questions answered.
Medicare Supplement Plans in Texas
Which Medigap plans are available to you in Texas depends on a number of factors, such as which insurance company you enroll with, when you enroll, where you reside, and more.
Medigap is especially popular among Texas residents, with 911,802 Texans enrolling in Medicare Supplement Insurance in 2019. This comes second behind Florida as the states with the highest number of Medigap enrollees.
Medicare insurance companies in Texas can offer the following Medigap plans: A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N. High-deductible versions of Plan F and Plan G are also available.
As of 2019, Plan F was by far the most popular Medigap plan in the state, with just over half of all Medicare Supplement plan enrollees choosing Plan F.
However, beneficiaries who first became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020 will no longer be allowed to enroll in Plan F. Plans G and N are good alternatives.
Medigap Enrollment in Texas
If you are interested in enrolling in Medigap insurance in Texas, the best time to do so is during your Medigap Open Enrollment Period (OEP).
This occurs when you first become eligible for Medicare and enroll in Medicare Part B, and it lasts for 6 months. During this time, you can enroll in any Medigap plan offered in your area regardless of your health history.
Beneficiaries under the age of 65 who qualify for Medicare because of a disability can enroll in Plan A during their 6 month Medigap Open Enrollment Period. These individuals will have another open enrollment period during the 6 months following their 65th birthday.
Otherwise, unless you qualify for a guaranteed issue right, you may have to undergo medical underwriting if you want to sign up for a Medigap plan after your Open Enrollment Period finalizes. In this case, insurance companies reserve the right to deny you coverage or charge you a higher premium.
The state of Texas does not authorize any special guaranteed issue rights on top of the ones mandated by the federal government. Some examples of guaranteed issue rights include moving out of your Medicare Advantage plan’s coverage area or losing your employer coverage.
In the case of being granted a guaranteed issue right in Texas, insurance companies are required to sell you one of the following Medigap plans: A, B, C, D F, G, K, and L.
Note that Plans C and F are not offered to people who became newly eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. However, these people have the option to enroll in Plans D or G instead of Plans C and F, as these plans provide relatively similar coverage.
But given that these circumstances are quite particular and the plans available to you are limited, it is advisable that you take advantage of your Medigap Open Enrollment Period if you are interested in enrolling in Medicare Supplement Insurance.
Medicare Advantage Plans in Texas
Another coverage option for people looking for more benefits than those offered by Original Medicare is Medicare Advantage, also known as Medicare Part C. These plans provide you with Original Medicare benefits, and many Medicare Advantage plans also offer additional coverage options, such as coverage for your prescription drugs, hearing coverage, vision coverage, dental coverage, and more.
Medicare Advantage participation in Texas is quite popular, with 45.2% of Medicare beneficiaries enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan in 2021. All Medicare eligibles in Texas have the option to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan.
In 2022, there are 337 Medicare Advantage plans available in Texas. This is up from 289 plans in 2021. There are various types of Medicare Advantage plans, but the majority of policies offered in Texas are Local HMO plans.
Which Medicare Advantage plans you can enroll in depends on where exactly you reside, as plan availability varies from county to county. For example, there are 12 plans available in smaller counties like Menard and Terrell, while Harris County beneficiaries can choose from 108 plans in 2022.
Also keep in mind that what you pay for your Medicare Advantage plan depends on where you live, the plan that you choose, and more.
The average Part C monthly premium for Texas enrollees is $10.68 in 2022. Plus, 100% of Medicare beneficiaries in Texas have access to at least one plan with a $0 monthly premium.
Deciding which is the right Medicare Advantage plan for you is best done with the help of an experienced insurance agent. Here at Medicare Plans Direct we help you make the best Medicare choices possible at no extra cost to you. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us today to receive free Medicare advice.
Medicare Part D in Texas
Another thing for Texas Medicare beneficiaries to keep in mind is their Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage options. In 2020, over 3 million Texas Medicare beneficiaries had coverage for their prescription medications.
There are 28 stand-alone drug plans available to Texas Medicare enrollees in 2022.
The cost of Part D plan premiums varies depending on where you live and which insurance company you purchase your plan through. The average Part D premium in Texas in 2022 is $51.62.
You can also find drug plans with $0 deductibles, though these plans’ monthly premiums tend to be higher. In 2022, the lowest cost stand-alone drug plan with a $0 deductible available to Texans has a monthly premium of $68.20.
It is important that you enroll in prescription drug coverage when you are first eligible if you foresee it being necessary in the future. If you don’t sign up for Medicare Part D when you are first eligible and don’t have some other form of creditable drug coverage, you could face late enrollment penalty fees in the future.
Alternatively, some Texas Medicare Advantage plans include prescription drug coverage. But individuals who are enrolled in Original Medicare and/or a Medicare Supplement plan must sign up for a stand-alone prescription drug plan if they want coverage for their medications.
As you can see, your Medicare coverage options depend on a number of factors, one of the most important ones being where you live. That’s where we come in. We can help you to compare plans and make the best possible Medicare decisions for you, so reach out today for a free consultation.
