Medicare Supplement · Chapter 3 · NC & SC Licensed
Medicare covers a lot, but not everything. Your timing matters.
Original Medicare (Parts A and B) leaves you with deductibles, coinsurance, and no cap on what you could owe. A Medicare Supplement plan, also called Medigap, pays much of that for you. Duane will walk you through it in plain language, with no pressure.
Two moments when timing matters most
Medigap is not tied to the fall enrollment season. It follows your situation, and for some people the window to buy with no health questions is limited.
New to Part B
Your Medigap Open Enrollment lasts six months.
It starts the month you are 65 or older and enrolled in Part B. During those six months an insurance company must sell you any Medigap plan it offers in North Carolina, with no health questions and no higher price because of your health.
After the window closes, most companies can ask health questions and may decline you. If you are about to start Part B, this is the best time to talk.
Thinking about leaving Medicare Advantage
Know your rights before you cancel anything.
Some people have a guaranteed right to buy Medigap when they leave Advantage. For example, if you joined Advantage when you first became eligible and leave within the first year, or if your plan leaves your area. Others will be asked health questions and could be declined.
Do not cancel your Advantage plan until your new Medigap policy is approved. Duane will tell you honestly which group you are in before you decide anything.
What Medicare Supplement does
Medigap plans are standardized by letter. A Plan G from one company covers exactly what a Plan G from another company covers. The difference is price and the company behind it.
You can use any doctor or hospital in the country that accepts Medicare. There is no network, no referral requirement, and the bill goes from the provider to Medicare and then to your supplement.
What Medigap does not include: prescription drug coverage (that is a separate Part D plan), dental, vision, or hearing. Duane will tell you up front where it stops.
How Duane works
No carrier quota.
Duane has no sales quota to meet. He will tell you what fits your situation, and when something does not.
Straight answers on timing.
He starts with two questions: when did or will your Part B begin, and what coverage do you have now. That tells you whether you have a guaranteed right to buy or will answer health questions.
Part of the bigger picture.
Medigap often connects to long term care planning, final expense insurance, and preneed planning. Duane can cover them together or separately, whichever you prefer.
The most common plans, in plain language
The most complete plan open to people newly eligible for Medicare. It covers nearly everything Original Medicare leaves, except the yearly Part B deductible. Best for people who want predictable costs.
Covers most of what Plan G does, but with small copays of up to $20 at the doctor and up to $50 at the ER, and it does not cover Part B excess charges. Usually a lower monthly premium.
The basics: hospital coinsurance, the first three pints of blood, and hospice coinsurance. Lower premium but much more exposure. Worth considering mainly when budget is the main limit.
What a first conversation looks like
- You tell Duane your birth date, your Part B start date, and what coverage you have now.
- He tells you whether you are inside a guaranteed window, and what that means for your choices.
- You see the plan options side by side. Nothing is submitted without your say-so.
- You decide, or you take your time. About 15 minutes is usually enough to get pointed in the right direction.
Medicare Supplement coverage is offered in North Carolina and South Carolina. Duane Cutlip is a licensed insurance agent in both states (NPN 13599313). Plans, rules and open-enrollment protections vary by state. He does not offer every plan available in your area. For information about all your options, contact Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE or medicare.gov, or the state SHIIP free counseling program (in NC, through the NC Department of Insurance).
Not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program.
Getting Your Affairs in Order
Most people don't need all of these at once — but knowing which chapter you're in helps.
Turning 65, starting Part B, or wondering if you're in the right plan?
Call or text (919) 822-2010. A 15-minute conversation is usually enough to tell you where you stand and what your timing allows.