Medicare Supplement

How to compare the same Medigap letter across insurers selling in Raleigh

If you live in Raleigh and you're shopping a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policy, here's the quiet truth that saves a lot of headaches: a Plan G is a Plan G, and a Plan N is a Plan N. Congress standardized these letters, so the benefits inside any given letter are identical no matter which insurance company sells it. What actually differs from one company to the next is how they price that same letter, how often they raise rates, whether they offer a household discount, and how strict they are about your health history if you apply outside a protected window.

That's what this guide walks through — so when you sit down to compare two quotes for the same plan letter in Wake County, you know exactly what you're comparing.

The letter tells you the coverage — the company doesn't change it

Medigap plans are standardized. That means Plan G from one company pays the same share of your Part A and Part B cost-sharing as Plan G from any other company licensed in North Carolina. Same deductibles, same coinsurance, same foreign travel benefit if the letter includes one.

So when a friend tells you their Plan N is "better," what they usually mean is that their premium, their rate history, or their customer service has felt better — not the coverage itself. Keep that separation in your head as you shop.

The letters available to someone newly eligible for Medicare today in North Carolina are A, B, D, G, high-deductible G, K, L, M and N. Plans C and F are still in force for people who were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020, but new enrollees can't buy them.

The three pricing methods — this is where quotes really diverge

Two insurers can sell the exact same Plan G in Raleigh and quote very different premiums because they use different pricing methods. There are three:

• Attained-age rated. The premium is based on your current age and goes up as you get older. It often looks lowest at 65 and climbs the most over time.
• Issue-age rated. The premium is based on your age when you first bought the policy. It doesn't rise just because you had a birthday, though it can still go up for inflation and claims.
• Community rated (also called no-age-rated). Everyone in the state who has that policy pays roughly the same premium regardless of age.

None of these is automatically the best deal — it depends on how long you'll hold the policy and how the insurer manages rate increases. Ask any agent or insurer, in writing, which method they use for the letter you're considering.

Rate history matters more than the first-year price

A low starting premium isn't much comfort if the same company raises rates 8% or 10% every year. Before you sign anything, ask for the insurer's rate-increase history on that specific plan letter in North Carolina for the past five years. Reputable insurers will share it, and the North Carolina Department of Insurance publishes a Medigap rate comparison guide that pulls this information together in one place.

Two questions worth asking:

1. What have your rate increases been on this letter over the last five years? 2. How many people in North Carolina are currently enrolled in this exact plan letter with you? (Very small pools can lead to bigger swings.)

Household discounts and other quiet differences

Many — not all — insurers offer a household discount if you live with another adult, sometimes a spouse and sometimes any other adult in the home. The discount size and the eligibility rules vary. Some apply the discount only if both people enroll; some apply it if one person simply lives with another Medicare-eligible adult.

Other things that can quietly differ between insurers selling the same letter:

• Whether they offer any wellness perks (gym benefits, hearing or vision extras) alongside the plan.
• Their electronic claims process with your doctors.
• Their financial-strength rating from an outside agency like AM Best.
• How long they've been selling Medigap in North Carolina.

None of these change the covered benefits, but they can change your day-to-day experience.

Underwriting — the timing question that changes everything

This is the piece that trips up the most people. During your Medigap Open Enrollment Period — the six months that start the month you're 65 or older and enrolled in Part B — any insurer selling Medigap in North Carolina must sell you any plan they offer, at their best-available rate, regardless of your health. That's a one-time federal protection.

Outside of that window, most insurers can use medical underwriting. That means they can ask health questions, look at your prescription history, and either charge you more or turn you down. And each insurer's underwriting rules are different — one may decline you for a condition another accepts.

North Carolina does not have a general "birthday rule" or annual guaranteed-issue window like a few other states, so timing your first purchase inside that six-month window is the single biggest thing you can do to keep future choices open.

How to actually build your comparison list for Raleigh

Because insurer lineups change and vary by ZIP, don't rely on a friend's list. Build your own:

1. Go to medicare.gov and use the Medigap policy search. Enter your Raleigh ZIP code and the plan letter you're considering. It returns every insurer licensed to sell that letter to you, along with their pricing method. 2. Pull the North Carolina Department of Insurance Medigap rate comparison guide (available at ncdoi.gov). It shows rate-increase history and sample premiums by insurer. 3. Call SHIIP, North Carolina's State Health Insurance Information Program, at 1-855-408-1212. Their counselors don't sell anything and can walk you through the guide for free.

The table below lists the standardized plan letters available to people newly eligible today. Pick the letter first, then compare insurers on that letter — not the other way around.