Best Medicare Plans in Kansas

Are you living in the Sunflower State and considering your options for Medicare as you approach 65? If so, we’ve got you covered. Benzinga has put together an article full of information on the best Medicare Kansas has to offer.  

The Best Medicare in Kansas:

• Best Overall in Kansas: Humana
• Most Affordable in Kansas: Aetna
• Best for Additional Discounts: BCBS

Best Medicare Insurance Providers in Kansas

We’ve narrowed down some of the very best providers that Kansas has to offer to make things as simple as possible when choosing a Medicare provider.

1. Humana

Regardless of what your particular health needs are, you can be safe knowing you’ll find something tailored to you at Humana. The company, which has been in operation for more than 50 years, serves more than 13 million customers across the U.S. and has consistently high feedback rankings on its Medicare plans.

Its plans also include in-network doctors that are outside of your local area, which makes travel a breeze. Lastly, Humana also offers several supplemental health care coverage options. 

2. Aetna

Aetna is one of the biggest insurance providers in the U.S. and beyond.

It offers numerous HMO and PPO plans with very low to no premium charges and has a price advantage when it comes to prescription medications thanks to its partnership with a large network of pharmacies. 

4. Blue Cross Blue Shield

Not only does Blue Cross Blue Shield serve 250,000 people in the U.S., but it also serves several thousand in the Sunflower State alone!

BCBS offers solid Medicare plans and they all come with discounts that include things like membership and access to up to 10,000 gyms, wearable devices to track your activities, hearing and vision discounts, travel discounts and more. Check out BCBS’ site for specific information on how much you can save. 

What is Medicare?

Medicare has a handful of complexities, so we’ll simplify it for you. Medicare is a federally-funded insurance program that covers medical and health care expenses for U.S. citizens and residents 65 and older. Plus, those below the age of 65 can qualify for Medicare if you suffer from end-stage renal disease, ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) or have been receiving Social Security disability insurance for at least 2 years. 

We’ve narrowed down the different types of Medicare here: 

Part A: Parts A and B are also known as “original Medicare” and provide the most basic coverage. Part A is commonly referred to as hospital insurance. It covers things like inpatient hospital stays, skilled nursing facility care and home health care. You’ll automatically be enrolled in Part A when you sign up for Medicare. 

Part B: Part B differs from A because it covers things outside of hospitalization. This includes doctor visits, outpatient care, blood tests and X-rays. A physician’s visit on Plan B may leave you footing around 20% of the bill but the full cost of lab tests will be covered on this plan. 

Part C: Part C, also known as a Medicare Advantage plan, takes you from public offerings to private and packages Parts A and B together. You can add prescription drug coverage into the mix (see Part D). Enrolling in this type of program is not mandatory nor is it for everyone. It boils down to what’s most important to you in a health care coverage plan. For example, dental, hearing, and vision coverage are possible inclusions in Part C coverage, which are not covered in Plans A and B. 

Part D: Part D focuses on prescription medication. You’ll need to pay a deductible and varying portions of prescription medication costs. That being said, it can save you a boatload of money if medications are something you frequently take.

Legalities of Medicare in Kansas

The regulation of Medicare is carried out by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The state of Kansas, has a specific branch, Senior Health Insurance Counseling For Kansas (SHICK), dedicated to counseling and services centered around Medicare. 

SHICK offers the following specific services interested in learning more about Medicare services:

• Free, confidential counseling
• Employment and Medicare information
• Disability and Medicare information
• Supplemental rate comparisons via the Kansas Insurance Department website
• Assistance with Medicare Part D 

Types of Medicare Advantage Plans

Medicare Advantage plans, as we talked about in Plan C, are a great option if you are not interested in fee-for-service plans and want your health goodies bundled together in a single package. There are still options between 1 advantage plan and the other. Preferred provider organizations (PPOs) and health maintenance organizations (HMOs) are great options: 

HMO: A health maintenance organization plan offers lower costs — both monthly and out of pocket premiums — but has more restrictions than a PPO. In order to dodge additional fees, you’ll need to remain within your HMO network of physicians and you’ll be restricted to seeing a specialist only after receiving a referral from your doctor. 

PPO: A preferred provider organization gives you the freedom you desire, but it costs a lot compared to an HMO. In addition to being able to freely see doctors both in and out of network, no referral is required to see specialists of any kind. Lastly, the plans often include prescription drug packages, which offer another added benefit. 

How to Sign Up for Medicare in Kansas

You may have signed up for Social Security before you hit 65. In that case, you’re automatically enrolled in Plan A. However, if you want to squeeze any more juice out of what Medicare has to offer, you’ll need to take additional steps. 

Regardless of which type of plan you choose, make sure you are, in fact, signed up. The very specific 7-month window to enroll begins 3 months before your 65th birthday and ends exactly 3 months after. It’s a deadline you don’t want to miss. 

Are you after a Medicare Advantage plan? If so, it’s best to shop around on various websites for the one that is right for your specific health care needs. You can call 1-800-MEDICARE to actually enroll in your plan. Here are some additional pointers to help you narrow down your options. 

Average Cost of Medicare Advantage Plans in Kansas

As stated earlier, the cost of a plan will vary widely based on its offers and inclusions. Here’s an example of 5 different plans for an eligible participant in Lawrence, Kansas.

Stay Safe in the Sunflower State 

Just over 500,000 Kansans were registered for Medicare in 2019. That’s about 18% of the population — right on par with the national average. Make sure you do your due diligence to end up with a Medicare plan that fits you and your health needs. That way, you can live your best years in comfort and convenience.