Medicare Supplement Insurance

Discover How MACRA May Impact Your Medicare Supplement Insurance

How the new law affects your 2020 enrollment

New legislation makes some changes to the coverage offered through Medicare supplement insurance plans. Here’s some background followed by a few frequently asked questions to help keep you informed of the changes.

What is MACRA?

The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) was signed into law in 2015. MACRA prohibits the sale of Medicare supplement policies that cover Part B deductibles to “newly eligible” Medicare beneficiaries. These beneficiaries are defined as those individuals who: (a) have attained age 65 on or after Jan. 1, 2020; or (b) first become eligible for Medicare due to age, disability, or end-stage renal disease on or after Jan. 1, 2020.

To clarify, the Part B deductible rider and Plans C and F are not being discontinued; they are being restricted to those beneficiaries who become eligible for Medicare prior to Jan. 1, 2020. Beneficiaries already insured with a WPS Medicare supplement with the Part B deductible rider or those with Plans C or F are able to keep that coverage.

Here are some common questions about how the changes work:

Does MACRA affect me?

• If you are currently age 65 or will be 65 before Jan. 1, 2020, MACRA does not affect you.
• If you first become eligible for Medicare due to age, disability, or end-stage renal disease before Jan. 1, 2020, MACRA does not affect you.
• If you become eligible for Medicare on or after Jan. 1, 2020, MACRA does affect you.