Premiums increase ONLY FOR EXISTING MEMBERS

[deniselb]

My Plan F premiums have risen about 15% a year during the four years that I've had my Aetna plan. I'm used to health care premiums rising every year and shopping for Medigap plans is not easy when you're under 65 as I am, so I accepted it.

But I did assume that the rates had increased across the board for everyone in my age group and zip code. I was shocked to find out today that this is not the case. The rate being charged new members today is more than $55/month less than I'm paying.

So apparently rather than everyone with the same demographic paying the same rate, the longer you stay with one company the more you are paying relative to other people with exactly the same plan. I didn't even think this was legal. If I had known this, I would have put a lot more effort into finding a different plan. I will do so each and every year from now on. I am very angry.

Were other people aware of this, I wonder?

 

[mattspits]

Denise,

There are three ways that supplements get rated, Here is a link to an article on Medicare.gov with the information. You can shop your Medicare supplement every month if you wish. You may also want to consider a Medicare advantage plan which is available at the end of the year.

Thanks,

Matt

My Plan F premiums have risen about 15% a year during the four years that I've had my Aetna plan. I'm used to health care premiums rising every year and shopping for Medigap plans is not easy when you're under 65 as I am, so I accepted it.

But I did assume that the rates had increased across the board for everyone in my age group and zip code. I was shocked to find out today that this is not the case. The rate being charged new members today is more than $55/month less than I'm paying.

So apparently rather than everyone with the same demographic paying the same rate, the longer you stay with one company the more you are paying relative to other people with exactly the same plan. I didn't even think this was legal. If I had known this, I would have put a lot more effort into finding a different plan. I will do so each and every year from now on. I am very angry.

Were other people aware of this, I wonder?

 

[MBSC]

Under age 65 rates are not viewed the same as age 65+ by the insurers. The insurance companies assume those under 65 are riskier and fall into a special actuarial group.