There are more than 166,000 Medicare beneficiaries in Fort Wayne, Indiana. But what sort of Medicare Supplement Plan are they on? And is the coverage enough to protect them from surprise out-of-pocket costs?
Medicare Plans in Fort Wayne, Indiana
The average Fort Wayne, Indiana Medicare beneficiary is 71 years of age and most likely female. These residents must choose between supplementing their Original Medicare with a Medicare Supplement Plan or switching to Medicare Advantage. But which one is better?
Medicare Advantage plans
Allen County has 37 different Indiana Medicare Advantage plans available for sale. More than 52% of current Fort Wayne Medicare beneficiaries have an opportunity to switch to one of these plans soon.
Many Medicare Advantage plans in Fort Wayne, Indiana, start with a $0 monthly premium, even the all-in-one plans covering prescription drugs, hearing, and dental. The things that set them apart are out-of-pocket maximums, medical networks, and customer service. Aetna has a good mix of all three.
If minimizing costs is most important, look at a plan from Indiana University. The $3,350 MOOP is relatively low. And HMO networks, although more restricted, usually cost less.
Anthem BCBS looks like a “Cadillac plan.” It has the highest out-of-pocket maximum and a PPO network, giving you more choices. But we’re not sure what their customer service rating is, which may be a cause for concern.
The average cost of Medicare Advantage plans in Fort Wayne, Indiana
| PLAN | PREMIUM | MOOP | Plan Type | Star Rating |
| Anthem BCBS | $0 | $6,700 | LOCAL PPO | N/A |
| $0 | $4,500 | HMO-POS | 4 | |
| Indiana University | $0 | $3,350 | HMO | 4 |
| Humana | $0 | $4,900 | LOCAL PPO | 4 |
| Aetna | $0 | $5,500 | LOCAL PPO | 4 |
Don’t forget that we have Medicare Advantage FAQ pages that go into much deeper detail.
Medicare Supplement plans
Medigap is a better plan if you want to stick with your Original Medicare. It’s a small, private insurance plan which covers all of your Medicare coverage gaps for one monthly premium. And coverage is standardized across all 50 states.
This program means that whether you’re in Indiana or Louisiana, Plan A gives you the same benefits no matter what. It’s a moderately priced plan with a decent amount of coverage. Unfortunately, it doesn’t cover things like skilled nursing facilities, Medicare deductibles, or Part B excess charges, to name a few.
High-deductible plans – such as Plan HDG or Plan HDF – are in demand because of very low monthly premiums. But they are also popular because of how much coverage they provide. They cover nearly every gap but require a high deductible to be met first.
You could skip the high deductible and purchase Plan G outright. But in some parts of the state, the monthly premium is nearly $350. It could be costly if you’re younger and don’t need much care.
The average cost of Medicare Supplement plans in Fort Wayne, Indiana
| LETTER PLAN | LOWEST PREMIUM | HIGHEST PREMIUM |
| PLAN A | $89.45 | $383.73 |
| PLAN B | $128.17 | $308.12 |
| PLAN C | $131.66 | $390.25 |
| PLAN D | $117.08 | $265.90 |
| PLAN F | $115.56 | $391.37 |
| PLAN HDF | $38.45 | $64.85 |
| PLAN G | $97.78 | $341.10 |
| PLAN HDG | $38.33 | $64.74 |
| PLAN K | $51.17 | $134.50 |
| PLAN L | $64.42 | $223.65 |
| PLAN M | $78.34 | $266.27 |
| PLAN N | $78.41 | $328.77 |
Our Medigap FAQ pages have tons of info on this sometimes confusing topic.
Medicare Part D prescription drug plans
Original Medicare and Medigap don’t cover prescription drugs in Indiana. You need either Medicare Advantage or a Part D prescription drug plan to get your prescriptions at a discount. Beneficiaries who stick with Original Medicare are the ones who will need Plan D the most.
The least affordable plan below appears to be Humana. You’ll have to pay over $750 in premiums and deductibles in a year before you get your discounted drugs. But you may qualify for financial aid with the Medicare Extra Help Program.
The most affordable plan is from Aetna. Despite the high deductible, the low monthly premium means the program costs a little over $560 per year before you get your discounted drugs. And they have decent customer service ratings, too.
Wellcare’s the next most affordable. The customer service is about the same, but the monthly premium doubles. There may be something in the explanation of benefits that explains the price change.
The average cost of Medicare Part D plans in Fort Wayne, Indiana
| PLAN | PREMIUM | DEDUCTIBLE | STAR RATING |
| Aetna | $6.80 | $480 | 3 |
| Wellcare | $12.90 | $480 | 3 |
| Clear Spring | $22.20 | $480 | 2 |
| Humana | $22.70 | $480 | 4 |
| $29.30 | $310 | 4 |
Got more questions? Our Part D FAQ pages have answers.
Special Needs plans
Chronic illness is another reason to give Medicare Advantage a second look. It’s the only part of Medicare offering comprehensive chronic disease coverage.
Most of the plans below require dual eligibility. This means your disease must be chronic and disabling to qualify. The exception is Zing Health, and it’s a relatively affordable plan.
Wellcare and Humana are still more affordable. They come with the lowest maximum out-of-pocket costs. They also come with tightly-controlled HMO medical networks.
and Caresource have identical MOOPs. But the former is a PPO, and the latter is an HMO network. The more narrow your medical network, the less expensive your care, but the quality of care could suffer due to lack of choice.
The average cost of Medicare Special Needs plans in Fort Wayne, Indiana
| PLAN | PREMIUM | MOOP | Plan Type | Eligibility |
| Wellcare | $0 | $3,450 | HMO | Dual |
| Zing Health | $0 | $4,500 | HMO | Chronic or Disabling |
| $0 | $7,550 | LOCAL PPO | Dual | |
| Caresource | $0 | $7,550 | HMO | Dual |
| Humana | $0 | $3,450 | HMO | Dual |
How to sign up for Medicare plans in Fort Wayne
Just contact us. That’s how! We can show you how easy it’s to get free rate quotes in your zip code. Please fill out our rate form, and one of our Medicare experts will get back to you immediately.
