What Are the Best Medicare Supplement Plans in Wisconsin?
Mutual of Omaha sells the best Base Medigap plans in Wisconsin. The company has a low average rate for Wisconsin's Base Medigap plan. It also has the cheapest high-deductible plan and high customer satisfaction. If you want to split your medical costs with your insurance company, Wisconsin Physicians Service has the best plans. And if you want added benefits, AARP/UnitedHealthcare (UHC) is the best choice.
Medicare Supplement plans in Wisconsin
Wisconsin Medigap plans are different from plans in the rest of the country. Essentially, Wisconsin allows you to build your own Medigap policy. You start with the "Base" plan, the foundation of every Medigap plan in Wisconsin. The Base plan pays the largest portion of your medical bills compared to the other variations in the state.
You can make adjustments to the Base plan. You can add a $2,700 deductible to create the state's "high-deductible" plan. Or you can opt to split your medical costs with your insurance company in one of two ways. You can choose to pay 50% or 25% of your medical costs, while the insurance company picks up the rest. These are called the 50% cost-sharing plan and the 25% cost-sharing plan. Choosing one of these plan variations might lower your monthly rate. These plans all cover the same benefits as the Base plan.
Finally, you can add extra benefits to give yourself coverage for more medical situations. This allows you to create a more comprehensive policy and to choose only the coverage you think you'll use.
What's the best Medicare Supplement company in Wisconsin?
Mutual of Omaha sells the best Medicare Supplement plans in Wisconsin.
If you want a cost-sharing plan, though, Wisconsin Physicians Service is the best choice. AARP/UnitedHealthcare has more extra perks than other companies, so it's an option for added value.
Top Medicare Supplement companies in Wisconsin
Company | Base plan rate |
Customer satisfaction (out of 5.0)
| |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $111 | 1.0 |
| Mutual of Omaha | $119 | 4.0 |
| Wisconsin Physicians Service | $119 | 2.5 |
| Medico, a Wellabe company | $124 | 1.5 |
| Aetna | $140 | 3.5 |
Best Base plan: Mutual of Omaha
-
Editor rating
- High-deductible: $53
- Base: $119
If you want a Base plan, Mutual of Omaha has the best Medicare Supplement plans in Wisconsin because of its low rates and high customer satisfaction. A Base plan costs $119 per month, or about 18% less than the state average. The company is also a good choice for a high-deductible plan.
A high-deductible plan from Mutual of Omaha costs 32% less than the state average.
A high-deductible plan means you'll have to pay the first $2,700 of your health care yourself before your coverage begins. But the plans can be a good choice if you only want coverage for catastrophic health events, like a bad injury or a severe illness.
United World Life Insurance Co., which is part of Mutual of Omaha, handles the company's Medicare Supplement plans in Wisconsin. United World has 47% fewer complaints than an average company its size, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). None of the complaints filed in 2022 were in Wisconsin, which means Wisconsin residents tend to be satisfied with the company's service.
Best cost-sharing plan: Wisconsin Physicians Service
- 50% cost-sharing: $89
- 25% cost-sharing: $114
- Base: $119
Wisconsin Physicians Service is one of the few companies that offers the state's cost-sharing plans, and it has low rates. Cost-sharing plans usually have a cheaper monthly premium since you'll be paying a portion of your medical bills yourself.
A 25% cost-sharing plan from Wisconsin Physicians Service is 23% cheaper than the state average.
The 50% cost-sharing plan is also a good value, at 20% cheaper than the state average. Remember, though, that you will have to pay part of your medical bills. If you need a lot of health care or have high medical bills, a cost-sharing plan might not be the best choice.
Wisconsin has two cost-sharing plans available. With the 50% plan, you evenly split your medical bills with the insurance company. With the 25% plan, you only pay for 25% of your expenses and the insurance company pays 75%. Cost-sharing plans cover the same medical situations as the Base plan. The only difference is how you split the cost with your insurance company.
Best for added perks: AARP/UnitedHealthcare
-
Editor rating
- Base: $151
If you want to boost your Medigap coverage with extra perks, AARP/UnitedHealthcare is the best choice. The AARP membership gives you access to the company's long list of benefits, including discounts, games, travel perks and additional insurance coverage. AARP/UnitedHealthcare also offers a policy benefit that covers your Medicare Part A Deductible, Part B excess charges, and preventive care.
To get a Medigap plan from AARP/UnitedHealthcare, you need an AARP membership. You can sign up when you enroll in a policy. The membership costs $16 per year.
A Base plan from AARP/UnitedHealthcare costs $6 more per month than the state average, but it could be worth it considering the company's high level of customer satisfaction. AARP/UnitedHealthcare has 61% fewer complaints than average, according to the NAIC. The company only sells Base plans in Wisconsin, so it's not an option if you want a cost-sharing or high-deductible plan.
How much does a Medigap plan cost in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin Medicare Supplement plans cost between $78 and $148 per month.
Rates vary depending on the company and plan options you choose. In Wisconsin, you have the option to choose extra coverage benefits, which will cost more.
Your age, gender and health also affect your rates. For example, a 65-year-old woman who doesn't smoke pays an average of $145 per month for a Base plan. But a man the same age pays an average of $161 per month. The same plan for a 75-year-old woman costs $191 per month, on average, while a 75-year-old man can expect to pay $213 per month.
Wisconsin Medicare Supplement plan costs
Medigap plan | Monthly cost |
|---|---|
| High-deductible | $78 |
| 50% cost-sharing | $111 |
| Base | $145 |
| 25% cost-sharing | $148 |
How does Medigap work in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has its own system for Medigap plans that differs from the rest of the country.
When you buy a Medicare Supplement plan in Wisconsin, you start with a Base plan. The Base Wisconsin Medigap plan sets the coverage standards for Medigap in the state. The Base plan covers:
- Your part of Medicare Part A costs for hospital, skilled nursing facility and hospice care
- Inpatient mental health care for 175 days (in addition to what Medicare already covers)
- 40 home health care visits (in addition to what Medicare already covers)
- Your part of Medicare Part B doctor visit costs
- Three pints of blood per year for transfusions
- All other benefits that the state of Wisconsin mandates, like some cancer testing and diabetes treatment
Next, you can modify your plan by turning it into the high-deductible version or into one of two cost-sharing plans.
If you opt for the high-deductible version of the Base plan, you have to pay the first $2,700 of your health care costs each year before your Medigap plan will start covering things. After that, your plan will pay all your covered costs.
The cost-sharing versions require you to split your health care costs with your insurance company each year until you reach an out-of-pocket maximum. For the 50% cost-sharing plan, you pay half of your medical costs until you reach $6,940. For the 25% cost-sharing plan, you pay 25% of your medical costs and your health insurance company pays 75% until you reach $3,470.
Finally, you have the option to add on extra benefits to create a policy that covers the medical situations you might face. These optional benefits might include:
- Coverage for your full Medicare Part A deductible
- Extra home health care
- Coverage for your full Part B deductible
- Coverage for Part B excess charges
- Foreign travel emergency care
- Coverage for half of your Part A deductible
- Coverage for any Part B copayments
Not all insurance companies offer the same options, though. If you want coverage for a specific situation, make sure to confirm that your company offers the option to add the benefit.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Medicare Supplement plans in Wisconsin?
Mutual of Omaha has the best Base Medicare Supplement plans in Wisconsin. The company has low rates and good customer satisfaction. Wisconsin Physicians Service is the best option for cost-sharing plans, and AARP/UnitedHealthcare has the best added perks.
How much is Medigap in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin Medigap plans cost between $78 and $148 per month, on average. The cheapest option is the high-deductible plan and the most expensive option is the 25% cost-sharing plan. You might pay a different amount based on your age, gender and health, as well as the company you choose and any added coverage benefits you buy.
Why are Medigap plans different in Wisconsin?
The state of Wisconsin structures its Medicare Supplement plans differently than the rest of the country. In Wisconsin, you start with a Base plan and then you can add extra coverage to build a more comprehensive plan. You can also choose a high-deductible or cost-sharing plan. In other states, you can choose between several different Medigap plans, but you can't alter the coverage of the plans.
Methodology and sources
Medicare Supplement rates are averages based on actuarial data for private health insurance companies in Wisconsin. All costs are averages for a 65-year-old woman who does not smoke, unless otherwise noted. The rates represent costs when enrollees are initially eligible for a plan and have preferred rates with no medical underwriting factored in. Only companies that insure 7,500 or more individuals were included in our review.
We chose the best companies based on an analysis of their rates, customer satisfaction scores and financial strength ratings from AM Best. Other sources include Medicare.gov and the Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance.
Customer satisfaction was ranked based on average complaint data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). The data was converted into a ranking on a five-point scale. Lower scores mean fewer complaints, which translates to better customer service.
Satisfaction score | Customer complaints adjusted for company size |
|---|---|
| 5.0 (top rating) | Over 75% fewer complaints than typical |
| 4.5 | 50% to 75% fewer complaints than typical |
| 4.0 | 25% to 50% fewer complaints than typical |
| 3.5 | 0% to 25% fewer complaints than typical |
| 3.0 | An average rate of complaints |
| 2.5 | 0% to 50% more complaints than typical |
| 2.0 | 50% to 100% more complaints than typical |
| 1.5 | 100% to 250% more complaints than typical |
| 1.0 | Over 250% more complaints than typical |
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