Best Medicare Supplement Plans in Wisconsin 2024

See plan information, top companies and price comparisons for Medigap policies in Wisconsin.
Alex Rosenberg
By Alex Rosenberg 
Edited by Holly Carey

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Wisconsin has nearly 1.3 million Medicare beneficiaries

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Medicare Monthly Enrollment: January 2024. Accessed May 9, 2024.
. Over 550,000 of those beneficiaries have Original Medicare (Part A and Part B).

Wisconsinites with Medicare Part A and Part B can purchase Medicare Supplement Insurance, or Medigap, to help cover certain out-of-pocket expenses like copays, coinsurance and deductibles left over after Medicare pays for covered services. Over 300,000 people in Wisconsin had Medigap coverage as of the end of 2022

National Association of Insurance Commissioners. 2022 Medicare Supplement Loss Ratios. Accessed May 9, 2024.
.

Here’s what you need to know about finding the best Medigap policy for you in Wisconsin.

Compare the best Medicare Supplement plans in Wisconsin

How Medicare Supplement Insurance works in Wisconsin

In most states, there are 10 standard Medigap plan types, but Wisconsin uses a different system.

In Wisconsin, all Medicare Supplement Insurance plans must cover these basic benefits, according to the Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance

Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance. 2024 Guide to Health Insurance for People with Medicare in Wisconsin. Accessed May 9, 2024.
:

  • Part A copayment through day 150 of hospitalization.

  • Part A copayment for days 21 to 100 of skilled nursing care in a skilled nursing facility.

  • Part B coinsurance or copayment.

  • Blood transfusion (first three pints).

  • Inpatient mental health coverage: 175 additional lifetime days beyond what Medicare covers.

  • Home health care: 40 additional visits per year beyond what Medicare covers.

  • Non-Medicare-covered chiropractic care.

  • Non-Medicare hospital and ambulatory surgical center charges.

  • Anesthetic for dental care.

  • Non-Medicare-covered breast reconstruction.

  • Medically necessary non-Medicare skilled nursing facility care: 30 days.

You can choose to add coverage for any or all of these optional benefits as a rider for an additional premium:

  • Part A deductible: 50% or 100% coverage.

  • Home health care: up to 365 medically necessary visits per year.

  • Part B excess charges (if a provider is permitted to charge more than Medicare’s approved amount and does so).

  • Medicare-covered emergency services while traveling abroad.

You can also choose a Part B copayment or coinsurance rider that makes you responsible for certain copays or coinsurance. After you meet the Part B deductible, you would owe 20% of the covered cost of doctor’s office and emergency room visits not resulting in hospitalization, up to a maximum of $20 for doctor’s office visits or $50 per emergency visit.

Unlike the optional benefits that require additional premiums, the rider to add copays or coinsurance generally makes your premiums less expensive. You pay less in premiums, but more out of pocket, similar to how Medigap Plan N works in other states.

Alternative Medicare Supplement plan options in Wisconsin

In addition to the basic plan described above, Wisconsin Medicare beneficiaries have several alternative options for Medicare Supplement plan structures, which might offer lower monthly premiums than the basic plan.

  • High-deductible plan: You pay out of pocket up to a deductible of $2,800 in 2024, after which the standard plan benefits kick in.

  • 50% cost-sharing plan: You owe 50% of most covered out-of-pocket costs, while the plan covers the other 50%. There’s an out-of-pocket maximum of $7,060 in 2024, after which you won’t pay any more out of pocket for the year. (This option is similar to Medigap Plan K in other states.)

  • 25% cost-sharing plan: You owe 25% of most covered out-of-pocket costs, while the plan covers the other 75%. There’s an out-of-pocket maximum of $3,530 in 2024, after which you won’t pay any more out of pocket for the year. (This option is similar to Medigap Plan L in other states.)

Although adding Part B copayments or coinsurance is technically a rider you can choose to add to the basic plan, some insurance companies might show a copay/coinsurance plan as a separate option with lower premiums.

Top Medicare Supplement Insurance companies in Wisconsin

The federal government regulates Medigap plans, but private insurance companies sell them. Here are the five most popular Medicare Supplement Insurance companies in Wisconsin as of the end of 2022

National Association of Insurance Commissioners. 2022 Medicare Supplement Loss Ratios. Accessed May 9, 2024.
:

Insurance company

Share of Wisconsin Medigap members

1. Wisconsin Physicians Service

19.9%.

18.8%.

12.1%.

9.1%.

5.1%.

Medicare Supplement Insurance prices in Wisconsin

It’s worth comparing companies to find the lowest price. The benefits of each Medigap plan are standardized, so you get the same Medicare benefits regardless of the company you choose.

Here are the prices for the basic Medigap plan from the five Medigap companies with the most members in Wisconsin. The table below shows price estimates for a 65-year-old female nonsmoker in Madison, Wisconsin, as filed with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Find a Medigap Policy That Works For You. Accessed May 9, 2024.
. (Some Medigap prices may be higher for men.)

Note that these prices are for the base plan only, without any additional riders. Companies can offer benefit riders individually or in packages at a variety of prices, so compare carefully to find the best price for the benefits you want included in your plan.

Insurance company

Basic plan monthly premiums

Wellabe

$109.

AARP/UnitedHealthcare

$117.

Wisconsin Physicians Service

$123.

Aetna

$125.

Physicians Select Insurance Company

$129.

Medicare resources in Wisconsin

Find the right Medicare Supplement Insurance plan

Because Medigap plans are standardized, you can get precisely the same Medicare benefits from any company offering the plan. So when you shop, keep these considerations in mind to find the best policy to fit your needs:

  • Is your preferred plan available? Health insurance companies don’t always sell every plan, so check who sells the plan you want to buy in your area.

  • What are the premiums? Prices for the same plan can vary between companies, so check to find the most competitive rates.

  • Will your premiums change over time? Most policies cost more as you age, but some companies offer policies that let you lock in a price when you sign up.

  • Are there extras? Medigap plans’ core benefits are standardized, but in certain cases, some companies include such perks as discount programs or gym memberships.

If you have additional questions about Medicare, visit Medicare.gov or call 800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227, TTY 877-486-2048).

Medicare Supplement Insurance ratings methodology

NerdWallet’s Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) ratings are based on pricing, discounts, plan types offered, complaint data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, consumer experience, additional perks and benefits, and more. To calculate each health insurance company's rating, we adjusted the scores to a curved 5-point scale, rounded to the nearest half star.

NerdWallet reviewed 13 Medicare Supplement Insurance companies based on highest enrollment and greatest online search volume. At the national level, our scored reviews include companies covering about two-thirds of all Medigap beneficiaries. At the state level, our research includes at least one of the two largest Medigap insurance companies in 48 of the 50 states, plus Washington, D.C.

These ratings are a guide, but we encourage you to shop around and compare several insurance quotes to find the best coverage and rate for you. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines and full ratings methodology for Medicare Supplement Insurance.

Insurer complaints methodology

We examined complaints received by state insurance regulators and reported to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. To assess how insurers compare to one another, the NAIC calculates a complaint index each year for each subsidiary, measuring its share of total complaints relative to its size, or share of total premiums in the industry. To evaluate a company’s complaint history, we calculated a similar index for each insurance company, weighted by market shares of each subsidiary. We score companies based on this index of how many complaints the company receives relative to its market share. NerdWallet conducts its data analysis and reaches conclusions independently and without the endorsement of the NAIC.

This roundup includes only insurance companies that sell Medicare Supplement Insurance in Wisconsin.