Medicare Supplement

Same Plan G in Cleveland, different price tags: how Ohio Medigap pricing really works

In Cleveland, two neighbors can buy a Medicare Supplement Plan G with identical coverage and pay very different premiums. The letter on the policy is set by federal law — the price is not. If you live in Cuyahoga County and are shopping Medigap, the real work is comparing the same plan letter across insurers on the things that actually differ: how the premium is calculated, how it has changed over time, whether you qualify for a household discount, and whether you have to answer health questions to get in.

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Here is how to do that comparison without getting lost.

The plan letter is the same everywhere — really

This part trips up almost everyone. A Plan G sold by one company covers exactly the same Medicare-approved costs as a Plan G sold by any other company. Same deductibles waived, same coinsurance picked up, same foreign travel benefit. Federal law standardized these letters back in 1992 and updated them again in 2020.

So when you compare Medigap in Cleveland, you are not comparing benefits — you are comparing companies and prices for identical coverage. People eligible for Medicare today can choose from Plans A, B, D, G, G-HD (a high-deductible version of G), K, L, M and N. Plans C and F are still available, but only if you were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020.

The three ways insurers set your premium

Ohio allows three pricing methods, and the label on a quote matters more than the first-year number.

Attained-age rated. Your premium is based on your current age and goes up as you get older. It often looks cheapest at 65 and climbs steadily after that.

Issue-age rated. Your premium is based on the age you were when you bought the policy. It does not go up just because you had a birthday, though it can still rise due to inflation and claims.

Community-rated (also called no-age-rated). Everyone in the same area pays roughly the same premium, regardless of age. A 65-year-old and an 80-year-old pay similar rates.

None of these is automatically better — it depends on how long you expect to keep the policy and your budget over time. Ask each insurer, in writing, which method they use for the specific plan letter you are considering.

Rate history is the number most shoppers skip

A low starting premium means little if the company raises rates 8% or 10% every year. Ohio insurers must file rate changes with the Ohio Department of Insurance, and the department publishes a Medigap rate guide that shows recent increases by company and plan.

Before you enroll, ask:

• What have your rate increases been for this plan letter in Ohio over the last three to five years?
• How often do you file for increases?

A company with a slightly higher premium and a calm rate history can end up costing less over ten years than a cheaper policy that jumps every renewal.

Household discounts and underwriting

Many Ohio insurers offer a household discount — often 5% to 12% — if you live with another adult, whether or not that person also buys a policy from them. Rules vary: some require a spouse, some accept any adult household member, some require both people to enroll. Always ask.

Underwriting is the other big variable. During your Medigap Open Enrollment Period — the six months starting the month you are 65 or older and enrolled in Part B — insurers must sell you any plan they offer at their best rate, no health questions. Outside that window, and outside a few guaranteed-issue situations, insurers in Ohio can ask about your health and decline you or charge more. If you are past that six-month window, ask each company what their underwriting rules are before you apply.

How to find every insurer selling Medigap in Cleveland

There is no single public list this article can hand you, but there are three reliable places to build one:

1. Medicare.gov Medigap policy search. Enter your Cleveland ZIP code at medicare.gov to see every insurer licensed to sell each plan letter in your area, with sample premium ranges. 2. Ohio Department of Insurance. The department publishes an annual Medicare Supplement rate guide listing companies and their filed rates. Call 1-800-686-1526 or visit insurance.ohio.gov. 3. OSHIIP, Ohio's SHIP. The Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program gives free, unbiased counseling. Call 1-800-686-1578.

The table on this page lists the standardized plan letters available in Ohio; use it as your checklist when you call insurers so you are comparing the same letter each time.

A simple side-by-side worksheet

When you call or get quotes, capture the same six items for each company for the same plan letter:

• Pricing method (attained-age, issue-age or community-rated)
• Current premium at your age and ZIP
• Rate increase history for the last 3–5 years in Ohio
• Household or other discounts you qualify for
• Underwriting requirements (are you in open enrollment or guaranteed issue?)
• How to pay and whether there is an electronic-payment discount

If you fill out that grid for three or four insurers, the right choice usually becomes obvious.