Medicare Supplement

How to compare the same Medigap letter across 16 insurers selling in Boise

Boise, Idaho — If you live in Boise and you're shopping for a Medicare Supplement policy, you may have noticed something odd: several different insurance companies all sell a plan with the same letter, like Plan G or Plan N. That is not a coincidence. Medigap plans are standardized by the federal government, which means a Plan G from one company covers the same things as a Plan G from another. So what actually separates them? Mostly price, pricing method, rate history, discounts and how they handle your health history when you apply.

Boise is in Ada County, and Idaho's Department of Insurance and the Medicare.gov Medigap policy search list 16 insurers offering Medigap plans to people in ZIP 83702. That gives shoppers real choice — and a real need to know what to compare.

The same letter really is the same coverage

This is the piece that trips up a lot of shoppers. A Plan G is a Plan G. A Plan N is a Plan N. The benefits inside each lettered plan are set by federal rules, so a company cannot add or remove coverage to make its version "better." What can vary is the premium, how that premium changes over time and how easy it is to get approved outside your initial enrollment window.

Plans available to people newly eligible for Medicare today are A, B, D, G, G-HD, K, L, M and N. Plans C and F are only available if you were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020.

The table below lists every insurer selling Medigap in Idaho and the plan letters each one offers. Use it as your starting map, then compare within the letter you want.

Pricing methods: why two Plan Gs can cost very different amounts

Every Medigap insurer uses one of three ways to set premiums, and this is often the biggest reason two identical plans have different price tags.

• Community-rated (no-age-rated): Everyone with the plan pays the same base premium, regardless of age. Rates can still change over time due to inflation and other factors.
• Issue-age-rated: Your premium is based on the age you were when you bought the plan. It does not go up just because you get older, though it can still rise with inflation.
• Attained-age-rated: Your premium is based on your current age and typically increases as you get older, on top of any inflation adjustments.

None of these is automatically the "best" method — it depends on your age today, how long you plan to keep the policy and your budget preferences. Ask any insurer which method they use before you commit.

Rate history matters more than the sticker price

A low starting premium can climb fast, and a higher starting premium may be more stable. That's why Idaho's Department of Insurance publishes a Medicare Supplement rate guide showing how insurers have adjusted premiums in past years. Reviewing several years of rate history for a specific plan letter and a specific company gives you a much better sense of what to expect than a single quote.

You can find that guide on the Idaho Department of Insurance website, and Medicare.gov's Medigap policy search will also show which companies sell in your ZIP.

Household discounts and other price levers

Some insurers offer discounts if more than one adult in your household enrolls, or if you set up automatic payments. The rules vary by company — some require a spouse, some accept any adult in the home, some require both people to enroll in the same plan. When you're comparing two companies selling the same lettered plan, ask specifically:

• Is there a household or multi-insured discount, and who qualifies?
• Is there a discount for electronic funds transfer or annual payment?
• Are any discounts guaranteed for life, or can they be removed later?

These aren't headline features, but over years they add up.

Underwriting: when your health history can matter

Here's the part that changes everything about timing. During your six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period — which starts the month you're 65 or older AND enrolled in Part B — insurers in Idaho generally must sell you any Medigap plan they offer at their standard rate, without asking about your health.

Outside that window, most insurers can use medical underwriting. That means they can ask health questions, and they can charge more or turn you down based on the answers. Underwriting rules and health questions differ from insurer to insurer, so if you're switching plans later, one company may accept you while another does not. This is why so many people are careful about their initial six-month window — and why comparing underwriting rules matters if you're shopping after that window has closed.

Idaho does not have a broad state law giving you an ongoing guaranteed right to change Medigap plans, so the federal guaranteed-issue rights (for specific life events, like losing other coverage) are the main protections outside your open enrollment.

Insurers selling Medigap in the Boise area

The following companies are listed by Medicare.gov and the Idaho Department of Insurance as selling Medigap policies in Idaho. See the full table on this page for which plan letters each one offers.

AARP – UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company; Aetna Health and Life Insurance Company; AFLAC; Bankers Life (underwritten by Washington National Insurance Company); Blue Cross of Idaho; GPM Health and Life Insurance Company; Guarantee Trust Life Insurance Company; Humana Value (HumanaDental Insurance Company); Insurance Company of North America; Medco Containment Life Insurance Company; Moda Health Plan, Inc.; Mutual of Omaha (Omaha Insurance Company); Regence BlueShield of Idaho; State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company; United American Insurance Company; USAA Life Insurance Company.

How to compare, step by step

1. Pick your letter first. Decide which standardized plan (for example, G, G-HD or N) fits your budget and how you use care. The letter defines your benefits. 2. Pull quotes from several insurers selling that letter in ZIP 83702 using the Medicare.gov Medigap policy search. 3. Ask each insurer which pricing method they use — community, issue-age or attained-age. 4. Check the Idaho Department of Insurance rate guide for that company's recent rate history on the plan letter you want. 5. Ask about household discounts, payment discounts and underwriting rules. 6. If you're outside your Medigap Open Enrollment window, ask specifically whether you qualify for a guaranteed-issue right before applying.