There are over 398,000 retirees who enrolled in Original Medicare. Original Medicare includes Medicare Part A, your inpatient hospital treatment, and Medicare Part B, your outpatient doctor care. Below, we’ll go into deeper detail about what a Connecticut Medicare plan means for residents and how to best use them to cover your healthcare costs.
Connecticut Medicare Facts & Figures
- Over 396,000 Connecticut residents have at least enrolled in Medicare Part A
- But only 331,000 of those have also enrolled in Medicare Part B
- Out of the beneficiaries enrolled in Original Medicare, over 341,000 of those aged in the program at 65
- The remaining 57,000+ enrolled in the program early to take care of a disability
- Just under 304,000 Connecticut retirees have switched to a Medicare Advantage plan instead of the Original Medicare program
- A little more than 286,000 Original Medicare beneficiaries have also enrolled in a Medicare Part D prescription drug program
Medicare Costs in Connecticut
Original Medicare is a pretty simple system. Part A pays for any care you receive as an inpatient, whether at a hospital, a skilled nursing facility, or hospice care. Part B takes care of everything else, like doctor visits, flu shots, and minor outpatient procedures which don’t require hospital care.
| Medicare Part A Costs in 2023 | Medicare Part B Costs in 2023 |
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Original Medicare Coverage
Most retirees can’t enroll in Original Medicare until they retire at age 65; this is true for 341,374 beneficiaries in Connecticut right now. But Original Medicare is also open to people who have a chronic disability, which 57,399 Connecticut residents currently are.
Medicare Part A (Hospital Coverage)
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Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance)
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Supplemental Medicare Plans in Connecticut
Ignoring your Original Medicare Supplement options can be dangerous if you’re on a tight budget. Between inflation and the fact that our healthcare system is designed to make a profit, there’s no chance your medical expenses will go down soon. So protecting yourself from the out-of-pocket costs inherent in the Medicare system is vital.
You can start by looking at Medicare Advantage (Medicare Part C). Medicare Advantage replaces Original Medicare with a private health insurance plan offering at least the same benefits.
You will most likely get more benefits — including prescription drugs, dental, hearing, and more.
Alternatively, you can keep your Original Medicare and supplement with Medigap. These private Medicare Supplement plans are standardized and offer the same benefits regardless of where you live.
They cover things that Original Medicare doesn’t, like extended hospital stays and expensive coinsurance fees.
Only Medicare Advantage covers prescription drugs, so if you stick with Original Medicare, you’ll benefit from enrolling in the Medicare Part D prescription drug program.
You will have to pay annual deductibles and monthly premiums for your plan, but you will be guaranteed significantly cheaper prescription drug costs after that.
Many different factors will affect how much your Medicare Supplement plan costs. But the two most significant factors are your location and how much you can afford to pay monthly premiums.
Cities in Connecticut with Estimated Premiums for Supplemental Coverage
Estimated premiums for each type of supplemental coverage for the cities listed below can be accessed via the accompanying charts linked below:
Connecticut Medicare Resources
Several free resources are available if you need help managing your Medicare needs. Those include:
The Connecticut State Health Insurance Program
- Your local Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services CMS office
- The state of Connecticut insurance department
- The Connecticut Department of Social Services
- The Senior Medicare Patrol, which helps protect beneficiaries from healthcare fraud and abuse
- The CHOICES Program
- The Connecticut State Department of Aging and Disability Services
FAQs
What is the difference between a Medigap and a Medicare Advantage plan in Connecticut?
A Medicare Advantage plan is a whole and complete health care plan by itself. A Medigap supplement is a smaller, specially crafted plan that you can only purchase if enrolled in Original Medicare. Medicare Advantage replaces Original Medicare, while a Medigap supplement helps make Original Medicare cost you less.
Can you have a Medicare Advantage and a Medicare Supplement simultaneously in Connecticut?
Not legally, no. Any company that tries to sell you both is breaking the law by trying to sell you redundant, duplicate coverage. If you have Medicare Advantage, you don’t need a Medigap plan because your Medicare Advantage plan will provide you with the same benefits.
You can’t purchase Medicare Advantage while you have a Medicare Supplement because it’s illegal for Medicare Advantage providers to enroll you in Medicare Part C if you wish to stay enrolled in Original Medicare.
Do Medigap premiums increase with age in Connecticut?
Some do. But it depends on the Medigap plan you purchase. Depending on the available plans in your area, you may have the option to sign up for a community-rated plan, an issue-age-rated plan, or an attained-age-rated plan. The attained-age-rated plan is self-explanatory: your premiums will increase a little each year as you age. Attained age means you can save quite a bit on your premiums when younger, but inflation and the cost of care can make these plans more expensive over time.
How to Sign Up for Supplemental Medicare in Connecticut
Contact us today so that we can help you out – for free! We’ll start by asking you some questions about your age and zip code, and then we will help you compare free rate quotes for supplement plans available to you.
Give us a call or complete our online rate form here.
Related content:
- Best States to Retire
- Best Medicare Supplement Plans in Connecticut
- Best Connecticut Medicare Advantage Plans
- Best Connecticut Medicare Part D Plans
