Selling Medicare Supplement Plans: A Practical Guide for Independent Agents
In short: A Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan works alongside Original Medicare and pays costs Medicare leaves behind, like deductibles and the 20% coinsurance. Plans are standardized by letter, so a Plan G has the same benefits from every carrier. What differs is price, rate history and service. The best time to sell a Medigap plan is the client’s 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period, when carriers can’t decline them for health reasons.
Medicare Supplement clients often stay with their plan and their agent for many years. They value freedom to see any doctor who accepts Medicare, and they like predictable costs.
That loyalty makes Medigap a strong foundation for an independent agent’s book. It also means the first recommendation matters a lot.
How Do I Explain What Medigap Covers?
Keep it simple. Original Medicare pays most of the bill. Medigap helps pay the rest.
- Clients can see any doctor or hospital in the U.S. that accepts Medicare.
- No network and no referrals.
- Plans are guaranteed renewable as long as premiums are paid.
- Medigap doesn’t include prescription drugs, so clients add a stand-alone Part D plan.
If a client is new to these terms, start by explaining deductibles, copays and coinsurance.
How Do I Compare Plan G and Plan N?
Most new-to-Medicare clients end up choosing between Plan G and Plan N.
| Feature | Plan G | Plan N |
|---|---|---|
| Premium | Higher | Lower |
| Part B deductible | Client pays it | Client pays it |
| Office visit copays | None | Up to $20 for some office visits |
| Emergency room copay | None | Up to $50 if not admitted |
| Part B excess charges | Covered | Not covered |
| Best for | Clients who want the most predictable costs | Clients comfortable with small copays to save on premium |
Plan F and Plan C are only available to people who were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020. Some carriers also offer a high-deductible Plan G for clients who want a lower premium.
What Should I Compare Besides the Plan Letter?
Because benefits are standardized, your value is in comparing everything else.
- Rating method. Ask whether the carrier uses community, issue-age or attained-age pricing. This affects how premiums rise over time.
- Rate increase history. A low first-year premium can climb quickly.
- Household discounts and other available discounts.
- Underwriting rules if the client may want to switch carriers later.
- Claims and customer service reputation.
A quoting tool that shows several carriers side by side saves time and helps you document a needs-based recommendation.
When Can Clients Buy Medigap Without Underwriting?
Timing is everything with Medicare Supplements.
- Medigap Open Enrollment Period: 6 months, starting the month the client is 65 or older and enrolled in Part B. Carriers must accept them at standard rates.
- Guaranteed issue rights: Certain situations, such as losing employer coverage or leaving a Medicare Advantage plan within the first year after joining it for the first time, give clients a right to buy certain plans without underwriting.
- Outside these windows: Carriers may review health history and can decline coverage or charge more.
Guaranteed issue rules and any extra protections vary by state. Always check your state’s current rules and the carrier’s guidelines before advising a client to switch. Our turning-65 enrollment guide covers how to use the open enrollment window well.
How Do I Keep Medigap Clients for the Long Term?
- Review every client’s Part D plan during each Annual Enrollment Period.
- Watch for rate increases and talk with clients before renewal notices surprise them.
- Re-shop only when it truly helps the client, and only if they can pass underwriting.
- Offer dental, vision, hearing and hospital indemnity coverage to fill gaps.
- Ask about life and final expense needs.
How Does Lourie Agent Partners Help You Sell Medicare Supplements?
- Contracts with many national and regional Medigap carriers, with direct appointments in your name.
- CSG Actuarial quoting for Medicare Supplement plans, with electronic authorizations and PDF quotes branded with your logo and contact information.
- Training on Medigap underwriting, rate methods and guaranteed issue rules.
- Commissions paid directly to you, fully vested from day one, so your renewals stay yours.
See our free enrollment and CRM software.
Frequently Asked Questions
The benefits are. A Plan G covers the same things with every carrier. Premiums, rate increases and service differ.
Only clients who were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020.
No. Clients usually add a stand-alone Part D plan.
Outside their Medigap Open Enrollment Period or a guaranteed issue situation, carriers may use medical underwriting and can decline coverage or charge more.
Medigap clients often keep their plans for years. With day-one vesting and commissions paid directly to you, the renewals you earn belong to you.
Build a Medigap Book That Lasts
The right Medicare Supplement recommendation can keep a client happy for years. Let us help you quote, compare and enroll with confidence. Get contracted with Lourie Agent Partners or call (803) 256-2067.