Minnesota Senior Health Insurance
Explore Your Options
Many people around the country believe that Minnesota has snow all year round. What secret Minnesotans keep is that it is a beautiful state that experiences all four seasons. In recent studies, Minnesota stood out to have the healthiest seniors in the U.S. Whether it’s the cold winds in the winter that keep you on your toes or the summer trips to the one of many lakes in the state, it is no wonder why many decide to retire there. When you become eligible for Medicare, make sure you understand all of your options available.
Minnesota has the option to purchase a Medicare Supplement Plan, also known as Medigap. This type of plan works a little differently than in most other states in the U.S., where the coverage types come in the form of riders and not your typical Plan A-N. However, the coverage obtained is generally the same depending on the type of riders you choose. Medicare Supplement Plans allow you to use your benefits nationwide, which for a snowbird, might be a beneficial advantage to have. Medicare Supplement Plans offer coverage for coinsurance, deductibles and co-pays. They do not include prescription drug coverage, which brings us to your next option.
Prescription Drug Plans or Part D are often paired with Medicare Supplement Plans. This is a stand-alone plan offered by private health insurance carriers. Different prescriptions are covered based on their tier levels. You can find this in the plan’s formulary. Please note, all formularies differ between carriers. Different carriers may offer multiple Prescription Drug Plans in the state providing different levels of coverage. Make sure you know that the plan you are enrolling into covers your prescriptions and the costs associated with them. A specialist at MySeniorHealthPlan.com can help you through the process. If you need Extra Help paying for your prescriptions, please click here.
Next, you have the option of enrolling into a Medicare Advantage Plan or Part C. This type of plan is offered on a county-by-county basis, meaning a plan available in county X may not be offered in county Y. The Medicare Advantage Plans in Minnesota are HMOs (Health Maintenance Organizations, POS (Point of Sale) and PPOs (Preferred Provider Organizations). Each of these plans differ in coverage and network preference. To get a more detailed description of each plan types call a Specialist at MySeniorHealthPlan.com to walk you through your different options.
Some Minnesotans also have benefits with Indian Health Services. The relationship between the federal government and Native American tribes constitutes various rules to follow. However, CMS has made Medicare and Medicaid healthcare services accessible to all Native Americans who eligible. For more information visit http://www.ihs.gov
Senior Resources:
Medicare: www.medicare.gov
Indian Health Services: http://www.ihs.gov
Minnesota Department of Human Services: http://mn.gov/dhs/
