Everyone knows that Nashville is a thriving city and the heart of country music. It’s also home to many Medicare beneficiaries and retirees. Nashville has affordable living, with a big city feel that attracts individuals looking to retire and enjoy their time. There are 530,405 Nashville, Tennessee, Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B.
Medicare plans in Nashville, Tennessee
Today, we’ll discuss the average Medicare Advantage plan costs and the most affordable Medicare Supplement plans. Next, we’ll cover the cheapest Part D prescription plans and special needs plan options. Finally, we’ll answer some common questions about getting help with supplemental Medicare options in Nashville.
The information provided is assuming a 65-year-old man living in Nashville. Your actual prices and plan availability could be different based on various factors.
Medicare Advantage plans
Medicare Advantage plans to take over for Original Medicare. These plans cover your Medicare Part A, B, and in many cases, Part D benefits. In addition to getting all your Medicare benefits in an all-in-one plan, they can also provide additional benefits that Original Medicare doesn’t cover.
Davidson county has more than 40 Medicare Advantage options available to its residents.
Over 40% of all Medicare members in Nashville are enrolled in Medicare Part C.
Ascension has one of the most affordable Medicare Advantage plans in the area. They are a smaller regional company but have the lowest out-of-pocket maximum in Davidson county. Their plan is fairly new to the area. Hence no star rating yet.
Humana has the highest rating of a plan you can receive. Their HMO has a 5-star rating and a zero-dollar premium. Humana is one of the top Medicare plan providers in the nation.
Cigna’s PPO Medicare plan has a lower maximum out-of-pocket than similar options. Cigna is one of the oldest insurers in the industry.
The average costs of Medicare Advantage plans in Nashville, Tennessee
PLAN | PREMIUM | MOOP | Plan Type | Star Rating |
Cigna | $0 | $5,900 | LOCAL PPO | 3 |
Humana | $0 | $5,900 | HMO | 5 |
Ascension | $0 | $2,900 | HMO | N/A |
BCBS of Tennessee | $0 | $6,700 | LOCAL PPO | 4 |
Clover Health | $0 | $7,550 | LOCAL PPO | 3 |
Medicare Supplement plans
A Medigap plan is the other route beneficiaries go when they enroll in Medicare. These plans supplement Traditional Medicare to help cover your portion of the costs. These plans essentially pay the costs you would normally be responsible for.
The majority of enrollees choose one of the top three plans. Medicare standardizes Medicare Supplement plans. This means the coverage is exactly the same, no matter where you live or who you enroll in. The only difference is the price.
The most popular plan is Plan F. If you were eligible for Medicare prior to 2020, you can still enroll in this plan. Plan F covers all of your portion of the Medicare cost-share. If you’re looking to save a little on the monthly premium, you can consider the high-deductible version, the HDF.
New Medicare members prefer Plan G. This option has the exact same coverage level as Plan F, except you’re still responsible for the Part B deductible. Similar to the F, there is a high deductible option called the HDG.
The most affordable plan, and the one that many financially savvy seniors are choosing, is Plan N. Plan N is similar to Plan G. The main difference is that in addition to the Part B deductible, you’re responsible for copays of up to $20 to visit the doctor or $50 for an emergency room visit.
The average costs of Medicare Supplement plans in Nashville, Tennessee
LETTER PLAN | LOWEST PREMIUM | HIGHEST PREMIUM |
PLAN A | $59.59 | $238.75 |
PLAN B | $127.37 | $336.25 |
PLAN C | $145.33 | $415.75 |
PLAN D | $124.38 | $242.00 |
PLAN F | $128.29 | $418.00 |
PLAN HDF | $25.00 | $78.28 |
PLAN G | $107.01 | $384.18 |
PLAN HDG | $25.00 | $76.35 |
PLAN K | $55.18 | $138.62 |
PLAN L | $74.08 | $243.62 |
PLAN M | $88.65 | $243.37 |
PLAN N | $81.41 | $355.17 |
Medicare Part D prescription drug plan
Prescription drugs are an important part of your healthcare. Neither Traditional Medicare nor Medicare Supplements cover prescriptions you get from the pharmacy. Most people get their drug coverage from either a Medicare Advantage or a stand-alone prescription plan.
Part D is the stand-alone prescription plan you add to your Original Medicare or Medigap plan to cover your scripts. These plans must be as good as the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services model. These plans can have better coverage than the standard model.
Medicare has outlined a four-phase model that plans are required to follow. You will move through these phases as you pick up your drugs throughout the year. They are the deductible, initial coverage, coverage gap, the donut hole, and the catastrophic.
Cheapest isn’t always the best, but in many cases, it can be. Aetna’s drug coverage brand SilverScript is one of the top plans for prescription coverage. They even have a plan with a premium of under $7.
Next, we have Wellcare. They are one of the most recognizable names in Medicare insurance. Over the past few years, they have become a premier Medicare plan provider.
In third place, we have a new insurance company, Clear Spring. Their drug plans have competitive copays and costs for many prescriptions. They have a below-average star rating but are working on improving those aspects.
The average costs of Medicare Part D plans in Nashville, Tennessee
PLAN | PREMIUM | DEDUCTIBLE | STAR RATING |
Aetna | $6.50 | $480 | 3 |
Wellcare | $12.90 | $480 | 3 |
Clear Spring | $16.30 | $480 | 2 |
Humana | $22.70 | $480 | 4 |
$29.30 | $310 | 4 |
Medicare Special Needs plans
Unfortunately, we don’t get healthier as we age. May retirees have chronic health conditions and struggle financially. Medicare Advantage plans have Special Needs Plans to help individuals in these situations. An SNP will have benefits that cater to beneficiaries with certain extraneous circumstances.
There are three different Medicare SNP options in Nashville, Tennessee.
Plans that are designed for chronic health issues are referred to as C-SNP plans. These chronic special needs plans usually have additional coverage and benefits to further assist with the needs of these conditions. Some conditions with special needs plans are COPD, heart disease, and diabetes.
A Medicare beneficiary with Medicare and Medicaid can qualify for a D-SNP. The dual special needs plans have low to no copays for services and usually have additional benefits to help low-income people with everyday items like food.
Some beneficiaries are living in an institutionalized setting. These individuals will qualify for an I-SNP plan. Institutional Special Need Plans have benefits catering to an institution’s beneficiaries.
As you can see, most of the top SNP plans in Nashville are D-SNPs. Wellcare has one of the top D-SNPs. In some areas, they even assist with utility assistance.
Bluecare Plus is part of Blue Cross Blue Shield. BCBS is one of the leaders in the healthcare industry. While many BCBS plans involve people under 65, they also have a presence in the Medicare Market.
also provides SNP plans in Nashville. Endorsed by , they are the largest Medicare plan providers in the US.
The average costs of Medicare Special Needs plans in Nashville, Tennessee
PLAN | PREMIUM | MOOP | Plan Type | Eligibility |
Wellcare | $0 | $3,400 | HMO | Dual |
Bluecare Plus | $0 | $7,550 | HMO | Dual |
Amerigroup | $0 | $7,550 | HMO | Dual |
$0 | $7,550 | HMO | Dual | |
Cigna | $0 | $7,550 | HMO | Dual |
How to sign up for Medicare plans in Nashville, Tennessee
Regarding additional Medicare options, there is no shortage of options in Nashville. While it’s great to have options, sometimes that can make decisions more difficult as you have more data to compare. Fortunately, you have an advocate. We’re here to educate you on your options and guide you through the process.
Our licensed brokers are specialists when it comes to Medicare. We can help with everything from checking your prescriptions and drugs, determining the right plan for your needs to walking you through the enrollment process. Simply fill out our online request form or give us a call.