What Are the Best Medicare Supplement Plans in Illinois?
Compare Medicare Plans in Your Area
Mutual of Omaha has the best Medicare Supplement Plan G policies in Illinois because of its good customer service and affordable prices. Plan G offers the best Medigap coverage for new Medicare enrollees.
However, if you don't mind sacrificing some coverage for a lower cost, you should consider Plan N from Cigna.
Medicare Supplement coverage doesn't change with different companies. That means a Plan G policy will have the same coverage no matter which company you buy it from, and the same is true of Plan N. When shopping for a Medigap plan in Illinois, you should look at the Medigap company's rates and customer satisfaction record.
What's the best Medicare Supplement company in Illinois?
Mutual of Omaha is the best Medicare Supplement company in Illinois because it has low rates and good customer satisfaction.
You could save $144 per year with a Plan G policy from Mutual of Omaha compared to the Illinois state average.
Although it's not the absolute cheapest Medigap company in Illinois, Mutual of Omaha has strong customer service, which makes it a better choice than other companies like Cigna. You might pay less with Cigna, but you could risk significantly worse customer experiences.
Top Medicare Supplement companies in Illinois
Company | Plan G cost |
Customer satisfaction
| |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mutual of Omaha | $136 | 4.5 |
| AARP/UHC | $140 | 4.0 |
| Aetna | $158 | 4.0 |
| State Farm | $169 | 4.0 |
| Health Care Service Corp. (HCSC) | $147 | 3.0 |
| Cigna | $134 | 2.5 |
Monthly rates are for a 65-year-old woman who doesn't smoke.
Roughly half of all Illinois Medigap customers have Plan F because it offers the most complete coverage of any Medicare Supplement plan. However, you can't buy a Plan F policy if you became eligible for Medicare on or after Jan. 1, 2020.
Plan G is the most popular policy for new Medicare enrollees because it has almost the same coverage as Plan F. The only difference between the two plans is you still have to pay your $257 annual Medicare Part B deductible with Plan G.
You must sign up for AARP before you can buy an AARP/UHC Medicare Supplement policy. Annual membership costs just $20 and comes with discounts for a wide range of products and services including flights, hotels, restaurants, gas, groceries and more.
Best company for Plan G: Mutual of Omaha
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Editor rating
Average cost of Mutual of Omaha Medigap in Illinois:
- High-deductible Plan G: $45
- Plan N: $94
- Plan A: $120
- Plan G: $136
- Plan F: $167
Mutual of Omaha has cheaper-than-average rates for most Medigap plan types. Its Medigap plans are 18% cheaper than the Illinois average. Mutual of Omaha also sells the second-cheapest Plan G in Illinois.
In addition to its low prices, Mutual of Omaha has a strong reputation for customer satisfaction. It gets two-thirds fewer complaints than an average Medigap company its size.
Choosing a Medigap company with a reputation for good customer service can prevent headaches down the road. Common reasons for complaints include slow claims processing and poor service. Some complaints may reflect wrongfully denied claims.
These sorts of mistakes can cost you time, money and peace of mind.
Best selection of Medigap plan types: Globe Life
Average cost of Globe Medigap plans in Illinois:
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High-deductible Plan F: $40
- High-deductible Plan G: $41
- Plan K: $97
- Plan L: $136
- Plan A: $137
- Plan N: $171
- Plan B: $173
- Plan G: $182
- Plan D: $235
- Plan C: $250
- Plan F: $259
You should consider Globe if you want a plan letter that's harder to find. For example, Globe sells Plan K, which covers half your out-of-pocket costs, and Plan L, which covers 75% of your costs. Only three companies in Illinois sell Medigap Plan K.
Globe is the best option if you want a less popular Medigap plan, such as Plan D, K or L. Most insurance companies only offer a few of the most popular Medicare Supplement plans like F, G and N. By law, all Medigap companies have to sell Plan A. However, this plan isn't very popular because it offers worse coverage than Plans G, F and N. Only 1% of all Medigap plans sold in Illinois are Plan A.
Globe offers every Medigap plan except for Plan M.
It's also one of the few Medigap companies to sell Plan D, which offers Plan D pays for all of your Part A deductible and Medicare coinsurance and 80% of your foreign travel emergencies up to $50,000.
Medicare Supplement Plan D has the same coverage as Plan N except Plan N makes you pay extra copays for some visits to the doctor's office and emergency room. You'll pay lower monthly rates for a Plan N policy compared to a Plan D policy.
Globe charges rates higher than the Illinois state average. It also gets significantly more complaints than a typical insurance company its size. If you don't need a less popular Medigap plan, choose another Medigap company.
Cheapest plan N: Cigna
Average cost of Cigna Medigap plans in Illinois:
- High-deductible Plan G: $48
- Plan N: $88
- Plan A: $157
- Plan G: $134
- Plan F: $174
Cigna sells the cheapest Plan N policies in Illinois among major Medigap companies.Plan N from Cigna costs $88 per month, on average, for a 65-year-old woman who doesn't smoke. That's nearly 25% less than the state average.
Mutual of Omaha is a good option if customer service is a high priority and you don't mind paying slightly more. The average Mutual of Omaha Plan N policy costs just $6 more per month than Cigna's average Plan N rate, and the company gets two-thirds fewer complaints compared to an average Medigap company its size.
Cigna's low prices are offset by its high number of customer complaints. It has the highest rate of complaints of any major Illinois Medigap company. However, if you care about low rates more than customer service, you should consider Cigna's Plan N policy.
Cigna also offers a high-deductible Plan G policy, which lets you save on your monthly rate. But, you will have to pay a $2,870 deductible before most coverage starts.
Plan N offers mostly the same coverage as Plan G. However, it does not pay for the difference between what your doctor charges and what Medicare will pay for a service, usually called excess charges. It's important to note that very few (only 2%) Medicare-approved doctors are allowed to make excess charges.
With a Plan N policy, you'll have to pay a $20 copay for each doctor's visit and a $50 copay for each emergency room visit . Other Medigap plans do not have these copays. A Plan N policy might not be for you if you visit the hospital frequently since these charges can add up quickly.
How much does a Medigap plan cost in Illinois?
The average cost of a Medigap Plan G policy in Illinois is $148 per month.
Compare Medicare Plans in Your Area
Illinois Medicare Supplement plans
Plan type | Cost |
Popularity
|
|---|---|---|
| Plan F | $186 | 47% |
| Plan G | $148 | 41% |
| Plan N | $112 | 7% |
| Plan D | $167 | 2% |
| Plan C | $198 | 1% |
Enrollment percentages for Plans F and G include the high-deductible versions. Monthly rates are based on a 65-year-old female nonsmoker in Illinois.
Nearly half of all Illinois Medigap customers choose Plan F because it offers the most coverage of any Medicare Supplement policy. However, it's not the best deal.
Plan G offers the same coverage as Plan F except you have to pay the $257 Part B annual deductible. For a 65-year-old woman who doesn't smoke, an average Plan F policy is $456 per year more expensive than Plan G. That means Plan G usually is usually a better deal than Plan F even after accounting for Plan F's better coverage.
That means you would save $199 per year with Plan G even if you had to pay your entire Part B deductible.
You should consider Medigap Plan G if you want the best coverage at the lowest cost.
Plan G is also the better option for 75- and 85-year-olds. After paying the $257 Part B Medicare deductible, the average 75-year-old will save $330 per year with a Plan G policy compared to a Plan F policy. An 85-year-old in Illinois will save $462 per year.
Plans F, G and N account for 95% of all Medigap plans sold in Illinois. These three plans are popular because they offer high levels of coverage. However, if you're willing to sacrifice coverage for a lower monthly rate, you should consider Medigap Plan K.
Plan K covers just half of the costs you're responsible for under Medicare. In addition, it doesn't pay for some things that other Medigap plans cover. For example, Plans F, G and N pay for up to 80% of your emergency medical costs when traveling outside the country. Plan K coverage is limited to the U.S.
Can you buy a Medigap plan if you have Medicare Advantage in Illinois?
You cannot buy a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan if you have Medicare Advantage in Illinois or anywhere else in America. You can only buy a Medigap plan if you have Original Medicare.
Medicare Advantage is insurance sold by private companies. Medicare Advantage has at least the same coverage as Medicare Parts A and B (Original Medicare). Many Medicare Advantage plans offer extra coverage. For example, a Medicare Advantage plan might pay for your prescription drugs or dental coverage.
Medicare Advantage plans often let you save money since you don't need to buy a Medicare Part D policy or supplemental insurance. However, most Medicare Advantage plans restrict you to a network of doctors while Original Medicare plus Medigap lets you see 99% of doctors nationwide. That means you're trading flexibility for affordability when you choose a Medicare Advantage plan over Original Medicare with a Medicare Supplement plan.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best Medigap plan in Illinois?
Plan G is the best Medicare Supplement plan for new Medicare enrollees in Illinois because it offers the most coverage. If you became eligible for Medicare before Jan. 1, 2020, you can sign up for Plan F, which has slightly better coverage than Plan G.
Keep in mind that Plan F usually isn't worthwhile because the extra coverage is offset by higher rates.
How do you apply for Medicare in Illinois?
Most people in Illinois are automatically signed up for Medicare when they turn 65 and begin taking Social Security payments.
However, if you've chosen to delay your Social Security benefits, you should sign up for Medicare online through the Social Security website or over the phone at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) during your the six months when you're first eligible to buy a Medigap plan to avoid paying a late enrollment fee.
How much does Medigap cost in Illinois?
The average cost of a Plan G policy is $148 per month for a 65-year-old woman who doesn't smoke. Prices vary by coverage level, age, health status and tobacco use.
Sources and methodology
Average plan cost quotes for Illinois Medigap plans came from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Complaint statistics for Medigap companies came from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). Companies were selected based on enrollment data collected by the NAIC.
Companies were assessed based on average costs, plan availability, customer satisfaction and extra benefits.
NAIC complaint information was used to rate Medigap companies on a scale from one to five, with five signaling a low number of complaints.
Satisfaction score | Customer complaints adjusted for company size |
|---|---|
| 5.0 (top rating) | Over 75% fewer complaints than typical |
| 4.5 | 50% to 75% fewer complaints than typical |
| 4.0 | 25% to 50% fewer complaints than typical |
| 3.5 | 0% to 25% fewer complaints than typical |
| 3.0 | An average rate of complaints |
| 2.5 | 0% to 50% more complaints than typical |
| 2.0 | 50% to 100% more complaints than typical |
| 1.5 | 100% to 250% more complaints than typical |
| 1.0 | Over 250% more complaints than typical |
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Medicare Advantage and Part D plans and benefits are offered by these carriers: Aetna Medicare, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Anthem Blue Cross, Aspire Health Plan, Cigna Healthcare, Dean Health Plan, Devoted Health, Florida Blue Medicare, GlobalHealth, Health Care Service Corporation, Healthy Blue, Humana, Molina Healthcare, Mutual of Omaha, Premera Blue Cross, Medica Central Health Plan, SCAN Health Plan, Baylor Scott & White Health Plan, Simply, UnitedHealthcare, Wellcare and WellPoint.
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