Medicare Supplement

Why the same Medigap plan costs differently in Worcester

Massachusetts does Medigap a little differently than most of the country, and if you live in Worcester that quirk changes how you shop. Instead of the federal A-through-N plan letters you may have read about, Massachusetts standardizes its own set: Core, Supplement 1, and Supplement 1A. Once you know which of those three you want, the real work is comparing the same policy across the insurers that sell it.

Medicare SupplementWorcester, MA

The insurers selling Medigap in Massachusetts

The table below lists every insurer currently offering Massachusetts Medigap policies. In alphabetical order, they are:

• AARP - UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company
• Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts
• Fallon Health and Life Assurance Company Inc.
• Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Inc.
• Health New England
• Tufts Insurance Company

Worcester is in Worcester County, and these carriers file their policies with the state, not city by city. That means a Worcester resident generally has the same set of Medigap options as someone in Springfield or Boston.

Same plan name, same coverage — really

This is the part shoppers most often miss. If two insurers both sell Massachusetts Supplement 1, the covered benefits are identical. The state defines what each plan includes; the insurance company just administers it. A "richer" Supplement 1 at one carrier is a myth — the benefits are locked in by law.

So what actually differs between carriers on the same plan? Three things: how they price the policy, how their prices have moved over time, and the small extras like household discounts, customer service, and billing options.

The three pricing methods to ask about

When you call or read a brochure, ask which rating method the insurer uses. Massachusetts insurers can use any of the three, and each one shapes what happens to your premium as you age.

• Community-rated (no-age-rated): Everyone with the same policy pays roughly the same premium regardless of age. Premiums can still go up over time due to inflation and claims, but not because you had another birthday.
• Issue-age-rated: Your premium is based on the age you were when you first bought the policy. Someone who buys at 65 locks in a lower starting point than someone who buys at 75. Premiums still rise with inflation, but not with your age.
• Attained-age-rated: Your premium is based on your current age and rises as you get older, on top of any inflation increases.

None of these is automatically better — a plan that looks inexpensive at 65 under one method may look very different at 80 under another. That is why rate history matters as much as today's price.

How to check rate history

Two free tools do most of the work:

1. Medicare.gov's Medigap policy search. Enter your ZIP code, pick Massachusetts, and you'll see the insurers licensed to sell in your area along with contact information. This is the official starting list. 2. The Massachusetts Division of Insurance rate guide. The state publishes filed Medigap premiums and, importantly, the history of rate changes each carrier has made. Looking at the last several years of increases tells you how a company has behaved — not just what it's charging today.

Ask each insurer directly for their rate-increase history on the specific Massachusetts plan you're considering. A reputable carrier will share it.

Household discounts and underwriting

Some carriers offer a household discount — a percentage off your premium if your spouse or another adult in the home also has a policy with them, or sometimes just for living with another adult. The amount and the rules vary by insurer, so ask.

Underwriting is the other big variable. Massachusetts has stronger consumer protections than many states: it offers a continuous open enrollment period every year, generally from February 1 through March 31, when residents 65 and older can buy or switch a Medigap policy without medical underwriting. Outside those windows, some carriers may ask health questions and some may not. Before you switch plans, confirm whether you'll need to answer health questions and what happens if you do.

Putting a comparison together

A useful side-by-side for the same Massachusetts plan — say, Supplement 1 — includes:

• The insurer's name and rating method (community, issue-age, or attained-age)
• The premium quoted for your age and ZIP code
• The rate-increase history for the past three to five years
• Any household or other discounts you qualify for
• Whether medical underwriting applies at the time you're applying
• Prescription drug coverage is separate — Medigap does not include Part D, so you'll shop that on its own

Remember, benefits are identical across insurers for the same plan name, so this comparison is really about price behavior over time and how easy the company is to deal with.