Medicare Supplement

Same Medigap letter, different Aurora insurers: how to compare them the right way

In Aurora, shoppers looking at Medicare Supplement Insurance — better known as Medigap — often run into the same confusion: two insurers are selling what sounds like the exact same plan, but the pricing looks very different. That is not a mistake. The coverage really is identical, letter for letter. What changes is how each company sets its rate, whether it offers discounts, and how it decides who gets in.

Medicare SupplementAurora, CO

Aurora is in Arapahoe County, and the same Colorado rules apply here as they do across the state. Here is how to line up insurers side by side without getting lost.

The coverage itself does not change between companies

Medigap plans are standardized by the federal government. That means a Plan G from one insurer covers the exact same things as a Plan G from another. Same for Plans A, B, D, G-HD, K, L, M and N. (Plans C and F are only available to people who became eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020.)

So when you compare insurers, you are not comparing benefits. You are comparing the price and the rules around that price.

Colorado does not publish an insurer list — here is where to find one

There is no single public list of every Medigap insurer selling in Aurora that we can reprint here. But two free tools will show you the current lineup:

• The Medicare.gov Medigap policy search. Enter your Aurora ZIP code and it will return every insurer licensed to sell each plan letter in your area.
• The Colorado Division of Insurance Medigap rate guide, published each year. It lists insurers and sample rates by age so you can see how prices differ.
• The Colorado SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program) offers free, unbiased counseling and can walk you through the same comparison by phone.

Once you have the list, the real work is comparing apples to apples.

The three pricing methods — and why they matter later

Every Medigap insurer in Colorado picks one of three ways to set premiums. This is the single biggest reason two Plan G quotes can look so different.

• Community-rated (no-age-rated): Everyone with the same plan pays roughly the same premium, regardless of age. Rates still rise with inflation but not because you had a birthday.
• Issue-age-rated: Your premium is based on your age when you first buy the policy. It does not go up simply because you get older, though it can rise with inflation.
• Attained-age-rated: Your premium is based on your current age, so it goes up as you age, on top of any inflation increases.

An attained-age policy often looks cheapest at 65 and most expensive at 80. A community-rated or issue-age policy may look pricier up front but age more gently. When you compare insurers, always ask which method they use.

Rate history is public — use it

The Colorado Division of Insurance rate guide includes recent rate increases for many insurers. A company with a long record of modest annual increases can be a better long-term fit than one with a lower starting price and a history of steeper hikes. Ask each insurer, or your SHIP counselor, for the past five years of rate changes on the plan letter you are considering.

Household discounts and underwriting

Two more things separate one insurer from another:

• Household discounts. Some insurers offer a discount if you live with another adult, are married, or if your spouse also has a policy with them. The size and rules vary a lot.
• Medical underwriting. During your six-month Medigap open enrollment period — which starts the month you are 65 or older and enrolled in Part B — insurers must sell you any plan they offer at their standard rate, regardless of health. Outside that window, most Colorado insurers can ask health questions and either charge more or decline you. A few limited guaranteed-issue rights exist (for example, if you lose other coverage), but they are narrow.

This is why timing matters. If you are inside your open enrollment window, price and rate history do most of the work. Outside it, underwriting rules can decide which insurers are even an option.

A simple way to compare in Aurora

1. Pull the insurer list for your ZIP code from Medicare.gov's Medigap search. 2. Pick the plan letter you want (many people compare within Plan G or Plan N, but choose based on your needs). 3. For each insurer, note: pricing method, current premium at your age, any household discount, and the past five years of rate increases. 4. Confirm whether you are inside your Medigap open enrollment window. If not, ask each insurer about underwriting. 5. Call the Colorado SHIP if you want a second set of eyes before deciding.