Medicare Help Center

Medicare Help Center. Medicare insurance complaints. Should I be concerned? Complaints can fall into many areas, including:

• Why is my renewal premium so high?
• Will my doctor accept this insurance?
• Why doesn’t Medicare.gov list this company on their website?
• How do I know the Medicare supplement insurance will pay my claims?
• Can I change Medigap plans during open enrollment?
• Can I change Medicare insurance plans at any time?
• Where can I find BBB ratings?
• Where do I find the rate increase history for (AARP, Mutual of Omaha, Blue Cross . . .)

You have questions. We have answers.

Medicare Insurance Complaints

We speak with over 1,000 people each year. We take the time to answer, and sometimes research, solutions for their problems. Every phone conversation is followed up with an email that summarizes our discussion and provides links to documentation.

All we ask in return is that they allow us to offer a Medicare supplement rate quote. Some buy a plan from us, some don’t. Never any pressure. People love to buy but hate to be sold.

Why is my Medicare insurance renewal premium so high? In most cases you bought the wrong plan from the wrong carrier. Medigap plan F is overpriced and oversold. Also, many insurance carriers think they are a cable company. Give you a low first year rate then raise them considerably the next year. While you are paying a high rate they offer the same plan to new applicants at rates that may be 25% lower.

Will my doctor accept this insurance? Any doctor, lab or hospital that accepts Medicare assignment will also take your Medigap plan. When you have original Medicare and a supplement plan there are no networks and no penalties.

Verifying Medicare Information

Why doesn’t Medicare.gov list this company on their website? Medicare does not approve or directly regulate Medicare insurance supplement plans. Medigap plans are approved at the state level. Any Medicare plan offered by an agent licensed in the state of Georgia is also approved by the state.

How do I know the Medicare supplement insurance will pay my claims? Claims submitted by your doctor or other medical provider go direct to Medicare for review and approval. Once adjudicated and approved by Medicare, the claim goes directly to your Medigap carrier. Medicare supplement claims are normally paid in 3 – 5 business days from receipt. Medigap carriers are not allowed to deny claims approved by Medicare.

Changing Medicare Plans

Can I change Medigap plans during open enrollment? Medigap plans only have ONE open enrollment. When your initial Medicare Part B coverage begins you may apply for or change Medicare supplement plans at any time during the first 6 months. Drug plans (Part D) and Advantage plans can be changed during the annual enrollment period.

Can I change Medicare insurance plans at any time? You can change your Medicare supplement insurance plan at any time. However, if you have been enrolled in Medicare Part B longer than 6 months you will need to prove you are insurable.

Where can I find BBB ratings? The Better Business Bureau does not evaluate and rate Medicare insurance carriers.

Where do I find the rate increase history for (AARP, Mutual of Omaha, Blue Cross . . .). The easiest way is to call and ask. We have new business and renewal rate histories for many of the Georgia Medigap carriers. We will also quote current Medicare supplement rates by phone and tell you which plan and carrier I used when I went on Medicare in 2015.

Questions About Medicare Supplement Rates?

Why make your decision after seeing rates from only a few carriers. Most of the people we talk to bought the wrong plan and are paying too much. They allowed a salesman to talk them into buying something they don’t need and can no longer afford.

We do things differently.

We prepare a customized Medigap rate quote for those who are interested. The report shows rates and plans for not just a few, but ALL carriers based on your age, gender and zip code. These are rates you will not see anywhere else. Other brokers are not willing to be transparent but would rather show you one or two plans and say pick one.

We show you 30 or more and answer your questions. How simple is that?

Related Questions about Medicare Insurance Complaints

Consumer sights are often notoriously unreliable as a resource. There is little or no fact checking. Carriers are rarely (if ever) offered a chance for rebuttal. And there is this.

When did you ever find a consumer site where anyone had something GOOD to say about an insurance carrier?

Most of the complaints about insurance in general revolve around insurance claim denials. But those complaints do not address Medigap insurance.

Just an FYI, Medicare supplement insurance carriers cannot deny ANY claim approved by Medicare. There is one exception. If your coverage lapsed due to non-payment of your premium they are allowed to deny claims incurred while your policy was in a lapsed state.

Are Online Consumer Complaints Valid?

Consumers sometimes will read comments about one line of coverage offered by a carrier and assume that applies to all lines. I ran into this recently when a carrier I had suggested “got bad reviews” according to my prospective client. I was trying to save him money over a plan suggested by another agent. That agent showed this gentleman these reviews.

I had told the salesman up front that I could not purchase the insurance until after the first of the year. He pursued until we agreed to get the minimum of the policies he offered and told us about the free look guarantee. 

The Pushy Agent

The problem here is the pushy agent and has nothing to do with the carrier. I never “force” a sale. In fact, I don’t “sell” anything but I do inform and let the consumer decide if they want to buy, what they want and when they are ready to proceed.

Also, it is unclear what type of insurance is involved. It could be Medigap or something else. Regardless, this is an AGENT complaint and that person should be reported to the carrier.

I recently submitted a claim including death certificate on a policy that has been in effect since 2008. I am the policy owner and all my documents were intact. Because this death was police involved (meaning the decedent was shot by the police), they sent my claim to outside investigator to be certain that I was not involved.

This complaint was probably about a life insurance policy or accident policy. It is not a Medigap policy. The only time a Medigap carrier will ask for a death certificate is when the policy is being cancelled by someone other than the insured and the reason given is the death of the insured.

The carrier was right to have an investigation. If a beneficiary of a death benefit was involved in or contributed to the death the carrier has a legal right to pay someone other than the named beneficiary.

Other complaints about this carrier on this same site have nothing to do with Medicare supplement insurance.

What if You Still Have Questions?

Ask the agent.

If the agent appears evasive, or does not understand your concern, you might need a new agent.

Georgia Medicare Plans has no problem addressing your questions or concerns. If we don’t know the answer we know where to find it. And we always confirm your question and our answer by email. That way neither one of us has to rely on memory.

#MedicareInsuranceComplaints #MedigapInsurance #MedicareSupplementInsurance