To be eligible for Medicare Supplement Insurance, you must:
- Be 65 years of age or older and have Medicare Part A and Part B
- Be under 65 years of age and disabled and have Medicare Part A and Part B
- Have ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) and have Medicare Part A and Part B
Each person has different needs, so it’s best to consult with our licensed agents to understand your best options.
If you are on Medicaid, you may not need this insurance plan or any other Medicare Supplement Insurance.
For an Original Medicare plan: You must enroll in Medicare at the Social Security office, and there are certain time limits based on when you're enrolling. If you plan to enroll when you turn 65, you can enroll starting three months before your birthday month until three months after your birthday month.
For Medicare Supplement plans: You can enroll through private health insurance companies like Avera Health Plans once you’re enrolled in Medicare Part A and B.
Avera Health Plans open enrollment period is a time when any qualified member can apply for certain Medicare Supplement Insurance plans. During open enrollment:
- No health questions are asked.
- You will automatically be accepted for coverage if you’re at least 65 years old and apply for Avera Health Plans coverage within six months of your Medicare Part B effective date.
- If you have group health coverage from a current employer and delay enrolling in Medicare Part B, your open enrollment period won’t start until you sign up for Part B.
As long as you pay your premiums on time, your Medicare Supplement coverage can’t be canceled because of the number or size of your claims.
With our Right to Return Policy — if you find that you're not satisfied with your policy — you may cancel it within 31 days of receiving it. We'll treat your policy as if it had never been issued and will return your premium dollars for those 31 days. In order to make a cancellation, contact your agent.
If you’ve had your policy for longer than 31 days and wish to cancel, simply contact your agent and provide them written notice that you wish to terminate. Any premium paid beyond the termination date will be refunded to you.
An insurance agent can walk you through the process so you meet all the deadlines and requirements of signing up for Medicare and getting a supplement plan in place as well. Agents will also help you find a Medicare Supplement plan that fits your budget.
If you want to talk with someone about your Medicare Supplement needs, our agents are local and ready to answer your questions.
Medicare Supplement policies are standardized, which means they offer the same benefits, no matter which insurance company sells them. However, keep in mind that insurance companies may charge different amounts for the exact same Medicare Supplement policy. In addition, not all insurance companies offer all of the Medicare Supplement policies as there are up to 10 options to choose from.
That's why it's important to shop around and find not only a plan that's best for you, but an insurance company that offers it at an affordable price, along with the level of customer service you need.
