Anthem Medicare Supplement Insurance 2024 Review

Anthem Medicare Supplement Insurance pros and cons

Our full review

Anthem Medicare Supplement Insurance rating

Anthem Medicare Supplement Insurance earned 4 stars out of 5 for overall performance. NerdWallet’s ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account pricing, coverage options, online quote availability, complaint data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and more.

Based on these ratings, Anthem Medicare Supplement Insurance is one of the highest rated options on our list of the best Medicare Supplement Insurance companies.

Anthem Medicare Supplement Insurance plans

Anthem generally offers three Medicare Supplement Insurance plan types for purchase by any Medicare member:

• Medigap Plan A — the basic benefits included in every Medigap plan without any extras.

• Medigap Plan G — the highest-coverage option available to new Medicare members.

• Medigap Plan N — a plan with lower premiums but higher copays.

Anthem also offers Medigap Plan F for qualifying beneficiaries who were eligible to enroll in Medicare prior to 2020. Newer Medicare members can’t buy these plans from any company.

In addition, Anthem offers Medicare Supplement Insurance in Wisconsin that fits the state’s standards, which differ from the standardization system used in the majority of the country.

Medicare Select policies add network requirements

In some locations, Anthem offers both standard and Medicare Select versions of certain Medigap plans.

According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Medicare Select is "a type of Medigap policy sold in some states that requires you to use hospitals and, in some cases, doctors within its network to be eligible for full insurance benefits (except in an emergency)"^[0]

In exchange for the network restrictions, Medicare Select plans might offer lower premiums than their non-Select counterparts.

Review the materials for a Medicare Select policy you’re considering to learn about the network limitations and in-network facility list for the policy.

Add-on coverage for dental and vision

In some locations, Anthem offers the option to add on coverage with cost sharing for services not included in standard Medigap plan types. For example, Anthem Extras packages can cover some costs for dental cleanings, dental procedures and eye exams, plus an allowance for eyeglasses or contact lenses.

This add-on coverage requires its own premiums, which vary according to your location and the coverage level you select.

Cost for Anthem Medicare Supplement Insurance

Anthem’s premiums varied considerably between plan types in the estimates obtained for this review. Plan G premiums were competitive, at about 21% higher than the least expensive option in the area. Plan N prices were less competitive, at about 64% higher than the cheapest alternative.

Plan G

Plan N

Dental and vision add-ons

Costs for Anthem Extras packages vary depending on your location and the level of dental and vision coverage you choose, but they’re the same regardless of your choice of Medigap plan. For example, a basic Anthem Extras package could cost $25 per month whether you’re buying it with Medigap Plan G or Plan N.

Here are the example price ranges for Anthem Extras packages offered in the three states with price estimates in this review:

• California: $19.48 to $63.40 per month.

• Georgia: $19 to $48.40 per month.

• Colorado: $23.66 to $58.61 per month.

Discounts

Here are some examples of discounts Anthem offers to qualifying Medicare Supplement Insurance applicants:

• Household: Some members can receive a discount for each additional household member who also has a Medigap policy from Anthem. The discount percentage varies by location.

• Automatic payments: Some members can receive $2 per month off of premiums if they pay with automatic bank draft withdrawals.

• Annual payment: Some members can receive $48 per year off of premiums by prepaying for a whole year of coverage.

Available discounts may vary according to factors such as your location, household status and how you apply for a policy.

Anthem member complaints

5% more complaints than average

Anthem members file complaints about their Medicare Supplement Insurance policies about 5% more often than the average for all Medigap companies, according to 2022 and 2023 data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners for Anthem and its subsidiaries that sell Anthem-branded Medigap policies^[0]

NerdWallet conducts its data analysis and reaches conclusions independently and without the endorsement of the NAIC.

Anthem’s spending on care

75.9% for member benefits

Anthem Medigap plans spent about 75.9% of premiums on member benefits, according to the most recent annual data^[0]

Medicare Supplement Insurance companies must report data on the premiums they collect and how much they spend to provide benefits for members. The minimum required by law for individual Medigap policies is 60%^[0]

Additional benefits

Medigap plans have standardized Medicare benefits, but companies can offer additional perks. Here are examples of extras included with some Anthem Medicare Supplement Insurance policies:

• Fitness: The SilverSneakers fitness program gives qualifying members access to participating gyms, pools and classes, plus on-demand videos for home workouts.

• Prescription drug discounts: Qualifying members can use a discount card to save on prescription drugs not covered by insurance at participating providers.

• Health and wellness discounts: Anthem offers discounts on certain vision, hearing, fitness and alternative medicine products and services.

Anthem Medicare Supplement Insurance service area

Anthem offers Medigap policies in 14 states.

Anthem covers slightly fewer than 700,000 Medigap beneficiaries and has about a 5% share of the total Medicare Supplement Insurance market^[0]

Anthem Medigap customer service

Here’s how Anthem members can contact customer service:

• Call a state-specific phone number. Log in or select your state on Anthem’s Contact Us page to find the number and hours.

• Chat on Anthem.com or in Anthem’s Sydney Health app for Android or iOS.

• Email [email protected].

» MORE: Read our review of Anthem Medicare Advantage