A 78-year-old man in Santa Cruz, California, who was looking to lower his Medicare supplement premiums received a warning from fellow Reddit users.
The man was considering switching from Blue Shield's Plan F Extra to Plan G to save money in 2027, but commenters questioned whether he had fully explored his existing coverage.
Here's what to know
His view of the extra benefits hinged on whether local providers accepted Medicare. Writing on Reddit, he said opticians, dentists, and hearing-aid providers in his area did not, so he considered those benefits unusable.
"None of the 'extras' are of any use to me … so I want to save on premiums for 2027 by switching to Plan G," the original poster wrote.
He expected the annual premium savings to outweigh what he understood would be a $292 deductible under Plan G.
His wife's Medicare supplemental insurer, United Healthcare, was another option he was weighing. He hoped her existing coverage would make him eligible for a family discount.
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His comparison of UnitedHealthcare and Blue Shield, however, showed premiums within a dollar of each other. That small difference prompted one commenter to question whether he understood the benefits he would lose by switching.
More background
The relevant question, one commenter argued, was how the Extra coverage worked. It was not just whether a provider accepted Medicare. Blue Shield's Extra benefits could provide allowances or access to contracted dental providers.
Paying an additional $20 to $30 a month for Extra in their area provided benefits worth hundreds of dollars. The commenter was describing the California Blue Shield Extra plan they knew, which offered dental, vision, and over-the-counter benefits. In response, the original poster clarified their stance.
"When I retired and switched to Medicare (67) i was told by my dentist that he didn't accept the Medicare dental plan and the same for my optician," they revealed. "This appears to be a common problem around here. They say that the amount of paperwork involved makes it not worth the effort, so I have never bothered."
Another commenter noted that Blue Shield of California also offers a 7% family discount, giving the man another potential way to save before changing insurers.
Whether he needed to cancel his old policy separately was another question the original poster raised about enrolling with a new insurer. He paid his existing Blue Shield premiums through direct withdrawals from his bank account.
What can be done?
Several commenters pointed to the birthday-rule protection available to California Medigap policyholders, which allows coverage changes without medical underwriting. One described a window extending 60 days after a birthday, while others recommended exploring that option before applying outside the window.
"The birthday rule is your best friend here, makes the switch way easier than it usually is for most folks," a commenter wrote. "You'd enroll in the new UH plan first and then cancel the old Blue Shield one after it's active, don't cancel ahead of time or you'll have a gap."
The same commenter recommended calling United Healthcare directly rather than enrolling online so a representative could address the household discount associated with his wife's coverage. Another commenter suggested asking a broker to compare Plan G premiums.
The OP popped back in to say that they had a November birthday, which could facilitate the move.
Where can I learn more?
Switching Medigap plans to save on premiums means weighing deductibles, benefits, and eligibility for replacement coverage.
• A $245 Plan G quote raises the question of whether high-deductible Medigap could be a better fit.
• A Florida couple asking about high-deductible Plan G faced an agent's scare tactics.
• A Medicare shopper said a broker discouraged guaranteed-issue coverage before he was denied coverage.
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