Friday, April 18th
2025 Medicare Supplement Plan Reviews
HealthCare
- Comparison service
- Prices based on other companies
- Broker model
HealthCare appears as a potential starting point for your Medicare Supplement Plans search. However, in the fine print, HealthCare clarifies that they function solely as a comparison service, not brokers or agents in the sale of insurance products.
No pricing or support
On top of this, they don't offer post-plan purchase support. This means we couldn't get any solid pricing from HealthCare, even with the details from our fictional 65-year-old customer's details. As the company doesn't handle anything itself and just redirects you to outside insurers and brokers, it's impossible to say how many states are served by the company or how many options you might expect to see.
Expect to be redirected away from HealthCare
You kick things off by entering your zip code, and HealthCare promptly informs you if there are licensed insurance agents in your area available through their toll-free number (844-874-1250, Monday through Friday from 9am to 6pm EST). Alternatively, you can proceed with HealthCare's questionnaire, covering details like your enrollment in Original Medicare, existing coverage plans, date of birth, gender, and finally, personal contact information, including your name, street address, email address, and phone number.
Prepare for unwanted calls
It's crucial to be aware that by providing your contact details, you're granting them permission to contact you. Unfortunately, the fine print discloses that HealthCare's partner companies and their commercial affiliates may also contact you. While many partner companies make sense, the extensive list raises concerns, including seemingly unrelated businesses like Drips, Enginefish, and Fresh Leads, potentially resulting in unwanted communication.
HealthCare doesn't handle the quote process
Assuming you decide to proceed by sharing your contact information, the next step introduces a pop-up box connecting you to a licensed agent (during business hours). Or, you can choose to view quotes, but selecting this option redirects you to a thank-you page, instructing you to check your inbox for information. Working with HeathCare means you have to compare plans from various Medicare Supplement Plan brokers, making your search process even more complex. When calling their toll-free number (844-223-2128), you're promptly informed that inquiries about existing plans require direct contact with your insurer. This stands in contrast to comparable broker services offering support throughout your entire experience.
No prices and outsourced calls
When we dialed for a quote, we encountered an amiable and knowledgeable agent who provided a clear explanation tailored to our test case. However, the twist was that the agent turned out to be the owner of a third-party company, not affiliated with HealthCare. This revelation raises concerns about HealthCare functioning as a broker of brokers, lacking transparency about the intermediary they connect you with when you call their toll-free number. As such, we couldn't get any prices from HealthCare specifically even with our detailed fictional persona. This, more than any other feature, put HealthCare right at the bottom of the list.
Terrible ratings and no privacy
This lack of clarity is further compounded by HealthCare's ratings. While the company used to have a just-average "B" rating on the Better Business Bureau, it now holds an alarming "F” rating instead. The third-party broker we were connected to didn't appear in a BBB search either. The uncertainty of not knowing who will handle your coverage and whether they provide honest information poses significant drawbacks. On top of these other concerns, HealthCare only has an average rating of 1.2 stars across different third-party review sites. Customers complained about being called constantly by third-party partners of HealthCare. For example, one review noted receiving over 300 different calls within a few days. So, among other problems, HealthCare doesn't support customer privacy at all.
Not trustworthy
In light of these questionable practices, HealthCare earns our lowest rating, and we recommend exploring other companies on our list for a more reassuring experience. Given that you can't buy from Medicare Supplement Plans through HealthCare nor get any solid pricing without going to a completely different site, and you'll be bombarded with third-party contacts, calls, and emails, it's not worth even getting started with this company.
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Which Medicare Supplement Plan is the Best?
If you or a family member is approaching the age of 65, or if you are soon eligible for Medicare Parts A and B due to other qualifying reasons, now is the perfect time to start looking at additional coverage options for your Medicare. While Medicare insurance covers many of your medical expenses, it doesn't cover everything. To help pick up the extra slack, you can dive into a Medicare Supplement plan, often referred to as "Medigap”.
These plans work to address the gap between the 80% of medical concerns covered by Medicare and the remaining 20% that isn't covered. This way, you can reduce your out-of-pocket medical expenses and feel safer and more comfortable with your coverage.
Medicare Supplement Plan FAQ
Continued from above...
The Medicare Supplement Plans are assigned letter names to differentiate them, which can sometimes lead to confusion. With an ever-evolving landscape of plans and their coverage, keeping up with changes like swapping Plan F (once a popular choice but was discontinued for new enrollees after January 1, 2020) with its successor, Plan G, (which offers similar benefits but introduced an annual deductible) can be extremely confusing. Paying attention to the changes in the market will help you make a more informed decision about your healthcare coverage and help you recognize what coverage you need and what you don't.
One thing to keep in mind as you plan for your Medicare journey is the "guaranteed issue period”. This is a period that spans the six months following your 65th birthday. During this period, you can get a Medicare Supplement Plan without any prerequisites beyond paying your premiums.
For example, this means that while health conditions won't disqualify you, being a smoker might result in higher premiums. However, once this six-month grace period concludes, insurers may request more detailed health information, such as your history of diabetes or heart conditions that may potentially impact your premiums and change what plans are available to you.
When it comes to purchasing a Medicare Supplement Plan, you have two primary options: buying directly from an insurance company or getting your plan through the services of a broker. Going with an insurance company means you might be able to continue using a company you already trust, which may be appealing due to lower rates or trustworthy insurance adjusters. On the other hand, if you choose to go with a broker, the company gives you access to a range of insurance providers, so you can compare rates and plans side by side, including the rates offered by your preferred insurance company.
Regardless of whether you choose to work with a broker or purchase directly from an insurance company, the most important thing about choosing a Medicare Supplement Plan is that you need to do your research. While you can initially explore various providers' websites, keep in mind that Medicare rules dictate plans must be sold either in person or over the phone, so you should be prepared to talk with a representative to finalize your Medicare Supplement Plan.
If you're not sure where to start with your Medicare Supplement Plan, we've put together a few things that might help you narrow down your options:
- Cost. When it comes to the cost of Medicare Supplement Plans, your health and your pre-existing conditions may change the costs depending on which company you choose. To manage costs effectively, you'll want to compare companies to find the most budget-friendly options. However, keep in mind rates can also change over time.
- Coverage. There are tons of different plans and different names to choose from. As you look through Medicare Supplement Plans, make sure that you spend your time researching providers that offer coverage in your state. Given the time-consuming nature of this process, you may not want to have a phone call with a company that turns out not to have competitive plans or prices in your state.
- Reputation. To get a smooth and stress-free experience, it is recommended to select a reputable company. Whether you go through an insurance company directly or a broker, checking reviews and the Better Business Bureau ratings can provide valuable insights into the company's track record so you can pick one that really cares about its clients.
To help you stress less about your Medicare plans, Top Consumer Reviews has reviewed and ranked the best Medicare Supplement Plans available today. This way, you can save both time and money in your search. All you need to worry about is finding the best provider using our handy list and detailed reviews and getting back to enjoying your golden years stress-free!
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