Cigna Medicare Supplement Plan F
Cigna Medicare Supplement Plan F is offered as a Medigap insurance plan. Medicare Part A and Part B cover hospital costs, most aspects of health care, and doctor’s offices visits, but they have deductibles and only cover 80% of outpatient health care, and therefore these basic Medicare benefits may not be the best choice for seniors looking to avoid as many out-of-pocket health care expenses as possible. Thus, some people choose to purchase a Medicare Supplement insurance plan like Cigna Medicare Supplement Plan F that pays for the services that basic original Medicare benefits do not cover.
Cigna Medicare Supplement Plan F Benefits and Coverage
Cigna’s Medicare Supplement Plan F benefits help pay for Medicare deductibles, co-payments, and co-insurance all throughout the calendar year so that you can reduce your out-of-pocket expenses. Your Cigna plan through Cigna Health and Life Insurance can help you save on emergency room visits, hospital stays, doctor’s office visits and more.
Unlike most Medicare Supplemental plans (like Plans A and N or Cigna Medicare Supplement Plan G), it also helps pay for the yearly Medicare Part B deductible, which goes towards paying for regular doctor’s office visits and associated medical services and medical expenses. Enrollees must continue to pay their Medicare Part B premium.
The benefits of Cigna’s Medigap plan F can be summarized as follows:
- It pays all of the Medicare Part A deductible for hospitalizations up to 90 days
- After 90 days of hospitalization, it pays all of the Part A deductibles up to an additional 425 days
- It pays all of the Medicare Part A deductible for skilled nursing home care for up to 100 days
- It pays all of the Medicare Part A coinsurance and copayment costs of hospice care or care in a skilled nursing facility
- It pays all of the Part B yearly deductible
- It pays for the 20% of Part B services not covered by Medicare (sometimes referred to as Medicare Part B coinsurance)
- It pays 80% of emergency medical costs incurred during travel outside the United States, with plan limits of $50,000. This coverage helps in the event of a foreign travel emergency.
In addition to the benefits listed above, beneficiaries are also fully covered for blood transfusions; the federal Medicare program only provides benefits for blood transfusions during hospitalization after the first three pints of blood per year. This plan also covers Medicare Part B excess charges.
Medicare supplement plans do not cover prescription drug costs, eyeglasses, or dental work, which are not covered by Medicare parts A and B; however, beneficiaries who desire coverage of these options can obtain plans that provide benefits for them that can be added to a Cigna Medigap Plan F, such as a plan purchased from Cigna or a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan. Signing up for drug coverage or other additional coverage can help you save big throughout the year.
Does Cigna Medicare Supplement Plan F Have a Network?
Cigna Medicare Supplement Plan F can be used across the US at any hospital, nursing home, clinic, or doctor’s office that accepts Medicare. There are no network restrictions and thus beneficiaries can visit their preferred doctors or consult experts for second opinions with no restrictions. In addition, once you enroll in this plan, you cannot lose coverage or access to your benefits for any reason other than failure to pay the monthly premium.
Cigna Medicare Supplement Plan F Rates
Cigna Medicare Supplement Plan F rates may vary by age, sex, location, and general health status at the time of enrollment. However, Cigna Medicare Supplement Plan F rates generally tend to be a monthly premium of around $135.00 to $250.00. Enrollees should expect their Cigna Medigap Plan F rates to gradually increase over time, but a household discount might be available if Plan F, Plan A or any other plan is purchased by more than one person in the household. Potential beneficiaries of these plans should compare several available plans before purchasing one.
Cigna High Deductible Medicare Supplement Plan F
Cigna also offers a plan called a high deductible Medicare Supplement Plan F. When we compare this plan to the regular Plan F, it offers the same coverage and benefits, but it has an out of pocket deductible that must be met before any of the benefits are paid. The monthly premium for a Cigna high deductible Medicare Supplement Plan F only averages around $68, but the out-of-pocket deductible is $2,300 per year. Thus, the high deductible plan F from Cigna may be the best option and a great value for generally healthy individuals who rarely use health care resources, but for someone on a low fixed income who selects it due to its low monthly premium, it can become a very expensive plan due to the deductible if medical expenses are incurred. It is important to conduct careful comparisons of plans before selecting the one that provides the best balance of benefits and costs for each individual beneficiary. It may be wise to consult an insurance agent who can compare the benefits and costs of various Medicare supplement plan F insurance policies before purchasing one.
Cigna Medicare Supplement Plan F Reviews
Cigna is an insurance company that has been providing insurance coverage in various forms for over two hundred years and has been operating under the Cigna name since the 1980s. Reviews of the Cigna Medigap Plan F are overwhelmingly positive. It is ranked every year in the top ten companies offering Medigap policies. Since Medicare Supplement Plan F is standardized by law across all companies, they all generally offer the same benefits and coverage and thus a comparison of their benefits isn’t very useful, but they do charge slightly different premiums and of course their responsiveness to their clients varies depending on their in-house policies and level of dedication to customer service.
When actual beneficiaries of Medigap Plan F policies are asked to rate their satisfaction with their plans, benefits, and the company’s services, three companies are routinely rated as a 3.5 on a 5-point scale, and Cigna is one of these top-rated companies, indicating it may be offering the best Medicare Supplement Plan F. If we compare the plans offered by these three companies, it should be noted that unlike most supplemental plans, Cigna’s Medigap plan F also helps pay for the yearly Part B deductible, which goes towards regular doctor’s visits, which clearly pushes Cigna’s plan into the “best” Plan F category.
Of course, you’re shopping for Medicare Supplement Plan N, Medigap Plan G or Medigap Plan F, Cigna Medicare Supplement insurance is not your only option. Before you choose the best plan for your Medicare supplemental needs, you may also want to check out insurance products from some lesser-known companies, such as Loyal American Life Insurance Company or American Retirement Life Insurance Company. We make it easy to shop for a Medicare plan that will reduce your out-of-pocket costs, though. Use our site or give us a call to get free quotes so you can find a lower premium and a great plan.