Medicare Plans in Alabama in 2022
Your Medicare options in Alabama can vary depending on your age, where you live, and more. There are a number of Medicare plans in Alabama that offer broader coverage than Original Medicare or can help to fill in the gaps left over by Medicare Part A and Part B.
Medicare expenses get high, and the average per capita Medicare spending in Alabama was $11,171 per beneficiary in 2019. This put Alabama in the top 20% of states when it came to per capita Medicare spending that year.
That’s why it’s 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 Alabama.
How To Apply for Medicare in Alabama
If you are an Alabama 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 are interested in enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan, Medicare Supplement Insurance, or Part D drug coverage, you should contact a licensed insurance agent who can walk you through the process and help you find the right plan for you.
Reach out to an experienced insurance agent here at Medicare Plans Direct today to have all of your Medicare-related questions answered.
Medicare Supplement Plans in Alabama
Which Medigap plans are available to you in Alabama depends on a number of factors, such as your age, which insurance company you enroll with, when you enroll, where you reside, and more.
Medigap coverage is common among Alabama residents, with 202,084 Alabama residents enrolling in Medicare Supplement Insurance in 2019. This represented almost a fifth (19.4 %) of all of the state’s Medicare enrollees that year.
Medicare insurance companies in Alabama 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.
In 2019, Plan B was the most popular Medigap plan in the state, with about 42% of all Medicare Supplement Insurance enrollees choosing this policy. Other popular options included Plans F, G, and N.
Be aware that beneficiaries who first became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020 are no longer allowed to enroll in or Plan F. Plans G and N are good alternatives.
Medigap Enrollment in Alabama
If you are interested in enrolling in Medigap insurance in Alabama, the best time to do so is during your Medigap Open Enrollment Period (OEP).
This occurs when you are new to Medicare and first enroll in 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.
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 OEP finalizes. In this case, insurance companies reserve the right to deny you coverage and/or charge you a higher monthly premium.
The state of Alabama 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.
Beneficiaries under the age of 65 who qualify for Medicare because of a disability are not granted any Medigap protections in Alabama. They can try to enroll in Medicare Supplement Insurance during their 6 month Medigap OEP, but insurance companies are not required to provide them coverage.
There are some Medigap insurance companies in Alabama that sell Medicare Supplement Insurance to beneficiaries under the age of 65, but they usually charge these individuals significantly higher premiums.
People who enroll in Medicare before they turn 65 will have another OEP during the six months following their 65th birthday. When this happens, they are allowed to enroll in any Medigap plan offered in their area without having to undergo medical underwriting.
Medigap Premiums in Alabama
What your Alabama Medigap premium costs you will depend on a number of factors. Your gender, age, ZIP code, smoking status, and when you enroll can all affect how much you end up paying a month for your Medigap coverage.
All of your coverage details can have a significant impact on how much you end up paying for your Medicare Supplement Insurance coverage. That’s why we recommend consulting with a Medicare expert before deciding on a Medigap plan.
Medicare Advantage Plans in Alabama
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 the coverage that you get under Original Medicare plus additional benefits for things that Medicare doesn’t cover, which can include prescription drug benefits, hearing coverage, vision coverage, dental coverage, and more.
Medicare Advantage participation in Alabama is quite popular, with almost half 49.7% of Medicare beneficiaries in the state enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan in 2021. 100% of Medicare eligibles in Alabama have the option to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan.
In 2022, there are 91 Medicare Advantage plans available in Alabama. This is up from 82 plans in 2021.
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 52 plans available in Mobile County, while residents of smaller counties like Butler and Wilcox can only choose between 19 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 Alabama enrollees is $11.21 in 2022. Plus, all Medicare beneficiaries in Alabama 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 Alabama
Another thing for Alabama Medicare beneficiaries to keep in mind is their Part D prescription drug plan coverage options. There are 26 stand-alone drug plans available to Alabama 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 Alabama in 2022 is $51.07.
You can also find drug plans with $0 deductibles, though these plans’ monthly premiums tend to be higher. In 2022, there are five $0 deductible plans available to Alabama residents, the most affordable of which has a monthly premium of $54.80.
It is important that you enroll in Medicare 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 Medicare Advantage plans offer coverage for your prescription drugs. But individuals who are enrolled in Original Medicare and/or a Medicare Supplement plan must sign up for a stand-alone drug plan if they want coverage for their prescription 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. Our expertise can help you to make the best possible Medicare decisions for you, so reach out today for a free consultation.
