Medicare Plans in Maine in 2022
One of the most significant factors when it comes to your Medicare options is where you reside. Residents of Maine actually receive broader Medigap enrollment protections than people living in the majority of other states.
Being aware of your state-specific Medicare rights can help you to find the best plan options possible. That’s why it’s so important to have a good understanding of the nuances of Medicare in your state. Below we’ll be explaining your Medigap, Medicare Advantage, and Part D options in Maine.
How To Apply for Medicare in Maine
If you are a Maine 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 a Medicare Advantage plan, Medicare Supplement Insurance, or Part D drug coverage, you should 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 an experienced team member here at Medicare Plans Direct today to have all of your Medicare-related questions answered.
Medicare Supplement Plans in Maine
There are some Medigap enrollment protections in Maine that are unique to the state. That’s why it’s always important to be aware of state-specific Medicare Supplement regulations.
Which Medigap plans are available to you in Maine will depend on a number of factors, such as which insurance company you enroll with and where you reside.
There were 66,724 Maine residents enrolled in Medicare Supplement Insurance in 2019. This figure represented about a fifth of the total of Medicare enrollees in the state that year.
Some of the most popular Medigap plans in Maine include Plans F, G, and N. These plans offer some of the most comprehensive coverage around.
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 Maine
Maine has a number of state-specific guaranteed issue rights protections for Medicare beneficiaries who want to enroll in a Medigap plan.
Your first opportunity to enroll in Medicare Supplement Insurance in Maine is during your Medigap Open Enrollment Period (OEP). This occurs when you first qualify for Medicare and are enrolled in Part B, and it lasts for six months. This is usually the best time for people to enroll in Medigap, though Maine does offer more opportunities to do so than other states.
In Maine, people under the age of 65 who qualify for Medicare because they suffer from a disability are granted the opportunity to enroll in any Medigap plan they choose during their OEP. This protection is not granted in most other states. Additionally, these individuals are granted a second OEP when they turn 65.
Additionally, Maine insurance companies are required to offer Plan A to every Medicare beneficiary during an annual one-month period, without medical underwriting, regardless of whether they missed their Medigap OEP. In fact, two insurers in the state offer access to Plan A year-round. However, insurance companies are not required to offer any other plan during this period.
Additionally, Maine Medigap enrollees can switch to a different Medigap plan with equal or lesser benefits at any time as long as they have never had a gap in coverage of 90 days or more since their Medigap OEP.
Some other guaranteed issue rights specific to Maine include:
- The right to enroll in any Medigap plan without having to undergo medical underwriting if you lose coverage under an individual health plan, employee welfare benefit plan, or MaineCare and apply for Medigap coverage within 90 days of your previous plan ending.
- The trial right to return to Medigap coverage if you leave your Medigap plan to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan and you decide that you want to return to Medigap within three years of enrolling in Medicare Advantage. You must enroll in a Medigap plan within 90 days of your Medicare Advantage coverage ending and can only switch to a plan that offers equal or lesser benefits than your original Medigap plan.
- You also have this trial right if you enroll in Medicare Advantage when you first become eligible for Medicare and decide that you want to switch to Medigap during your first three years of enrollment. Again, you must sign up for a Medigap plan within 90 days of your Medicare Advantage coverage ending.
However, you should be aware that Medigap insurers in Maine can implement pre-existing condition waiting periods. These waiting periods apply to conditions for which you receive medical advice or treatment (or were recommended treatment) six months before a Medigap policy is issued.
This means that your insurance company can delay coverage for your condition for up to six months when you first enroll in your Medigap plan if you didn’t have some form of creditable coverage or had a gap in coverage of more than 90 days before enrolling in Medicare Supplement Insurance.
Medigap Premiums in Maine
Medigap premiums in Maine cannot be based on age or gender. However, they can fluctuate depending on your smoking status and where you reside.
Maine Medicare beneficiaries could choose between 14 Medigap insurance companies in 2021. However, we always recommend consulting with a knowledgeable insurance agent before deciding on a Medicare Supplement to ensure that you are getting the best value plan for you.
Medicare Advantage Plans in Maine
Another coverage option for people looking for more benefits than those offered by Original Medicare is Medicare Advantage. Also known as Part C, these plans provide the coverage that you get under Original Medicare on top of additional benefits, which can include drug coverage, hearing coverage, vision coverage, dental coverage, and more.
Many Maine residents over the age of 65 choose Medicare Part C as their preferred coverage option, and 46.2% of Medicare beneficiaries in the state were enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan in 2021. There are 57 Medicare Advantage plans available in Maine in 2022.
Additionally, 100% of Medicare beneficiaries have access to at least one Medicare Advantage plan in 2022. Which Medicare Advantage plans you have available to you depends on where exactly you reside, as plan availability varies from county to county. However, Medicare beneficiaries in any given county in Maine will have between 31 and 37 plans to choose from in 2022.
When it comes to monthly premiums, what you pay for your Medicare Advantage plan depends on where you live, the plan that you choose, and more. In 2022, the average Part C monthly premium for Maine enrollees is $14.04. Plus, all Maine Medicare enrollees 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. Reach out today to receive free Medicare advice.
Medicare Part D in Maine
Another thing for Maine Medicare beneficiaries to keep in mind is their Part D prescription drug coverage options. In 2022, there are 21 stand-alone Medicare drug plans available to Maine beneficiaries.
How much you will have to pay for your Part D premium will depend on where you live and which insurance company you purchase your plan through. In 2022, the average Part D premium in Maine is $45.59.
You can also find drug plans with $0 deductibles, though these plans usually come with higher monthly premiums. In 2022, there are four plans with no deductible available to Maine residents, and the lowest-cost stand-alone prescription drug plan with a $0 deductible has a monthly premium of $59.80.
It is usually a good idea to 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 first qualify and don’t have some other form of creditable drug coverage, you could face late enrollment penalty fees down the road.
You can get prescription drug coverage through some Medicare Advantage plans, but if you are enrolled in Original Medicare and/or a Medigap policy, you will need a stand-alone drug plan to cover your prescription medication costs.
As you can see, your Medicare coverage options depend on a number of factors, one of the most important being where you live. That’s where we come in. Our expertise can help you to make the best possible Medicare decisions, so reach out today for a free consultation.
