Tacoma is a reasonably large city that houses one of the largest ports in America. There are nearly 142,000 Medicare beneficiaries that reside in Tacoma, Washington.

Medicare plans in Tacoma, Washington

The figures in the charts below will be based on a male aged 65. This article will discuss the most affordable Medicare Advantage plans and the cheapest Medicare Supplement options.

After that, we’ll cover the average cost of the prescription drug plans and what special needs plans are available. Finally, we’ll look at frequently asked questions and how to get a supplemental plan to enhance your Tacoma, Washington Original Medicare.

Medicare Advantage plans

Medicare Advantage plans continue to grow in popularity. They combine your Medicare benefits into a convenient all-in-one plan option that gives additional coverage not offered by Traditional Medicare.

In Tacoma, over 56,000 Medicare members are enrolled in Medicare Part C options. That comes out to about 40% of beneficiaries on Medicare. There are 53 Medicare Advantage plans to choose from in Pierce county.

Several insurance carriers provide Medicare Advantage plans in Tacoma, Washington, and we’ve listed some of the most affordable options in the chart.

Regarding Medicare and your options, you’d be hard-pressed to find a conversation that didn’t include UnitedHealthcare. They are the largest provider of Medicare plans nationwide. AARP, one of the most well-known senior advocacy groups, also endorsed them.

A star rating system rates Medicare plans. Kaiser Permanente has a very small network of providers but focuses on VIP-style care. This has earned them a 5-star rating on their HMO in Tacoma.

Regence BlueShield is the division of BCBS that operates in Tacoma. Blue Cross has been one of the most trusted names in the insurance industry for some time. While BCBS primarily focuses on group plans, they also offer some significant Medicare options.

The average cost of Medicare Advantage plans in Tacoma, Washington

PLAN PREMIUM MOOP Plan Type Star Rating
Aetna $0 $6,500 HMO-POS 3
Regence BlueShield $0 $5,900 HMO 4
Amerigroup $0 $5,900 HMO 3
UnitedHealthcare $0 $5,500 LOCAL PPO N/A
Kaiser Permanente $0 $6,600 HMO 5

Medicare Supplement plans

While many Medicare beneficiaries choose the path of Medicare Advantage plans, there is another way to get comprehensive coverage with Medicare.

Medicare Supplement plans in Tacoma, Washington, provide gap coverage for Original Medicare. These plans work together with Traditional Medicare to help cover your responsible costs.

Since Medigap plans work with Medicare, you don’t need a referral to see a specialist. Letter names distinguish these plans. Next, we’ll talk about the top three plans.

Plan F

Plan F is the most comprehensive plan you can buy. Once Medicare pays its portion, Plan F pays your costs. Medicare Plan F is usually the most expensive plan because it offers the most coverage.

Plan G

Plan G is the most popular plan for new Medicare beneficiaries. Its coverage level is precisely the same as Plan F, with one exception. You’re responsible for the small, annual Part B deductible. Once that’s paid, the coverage is the same. Like the F, Plan G has a high deductible option called the HDG.

Plan N

Plan N is a top-rated plan for money-conscious seniors. This plan has excellent coverage similar to Plan G. The difference in coverage between plans G and N are as follows.

Once the Part B deductible is met, you’ll pay a copay of up to $20 for doctor visits and up to $50 for an emergency room visit. Other than that, being responsible for excess charges is the only difference between the two plans.

The average cost of Medicare Supplement plans in Tacoma, Washington

LETTER PLAN LOWEST PREMIUM HIGHEST PREMIUM
PLAN A $132.00 $334.52
PLAN B $199.11 $372.83
PLAN C $234.68 $461.14
PLAN D $206.46 $398.06
PLAN F $235.84 $465.99
PLAN HDF $44.00 $73.17
PLAN G $99.35 $279.16
PLAN HDG $44.00 $66.22
PLAN K $61.24 $121.00
PLAN L $136.80 $147.25
PLAN M N/A N/A
PLAN N $139.78 $210.00

Medicare Part D prescription drug plans

Regarding prescription drugs you get from the pharmacy, you have two options with Medicare. If you choose the Medicare Advantage route in Tacoma, Washington, you can get drug coverage built into the Part C plan. If you decide to stay on Original Medicare or add a supplement, you’ll want to enroll in a stand-alone Part D Plan.

Medicare Prescription plans have to be as good or better than the Medicare-approved standard model. The approved model includes four phases of coverage.

Remember that the premium isn’t the biggest deal with prescription drug plans. Reviewing your drugs against the plans is considerably more important to ensure you have the best plan for your needs.

SilverScript by Aetna is one of the leading part D plan sponsors. They consequently have the lowest premium Tacoma, Washington, Part D plan. If you’re not currently taking prescriptions, this is definitely the plan to roll with.

Next up is Wellcare. They have the second-lowest premium. They are one of the premier Medicare providers in the United States.

Clear Spring is a newer carrier that has only been in business for a few years. Despite a low star rating, we see their plans come up at the top quite often when we review prescription options for our clients.

The average cost of Medicare Part D plans in Tacoma, Washington

PLAN PREMIUM DEDUCTIBLE STAR RATING
Aetna $7.70 $480 3
Wellcare $11.60 $480 3
Clear Spring $16.20 $480 2
Elixir $20.30 $480 3
Humana $22.70 $480 4

Special Needs plans

Medicare Part C in Tacoma, Washington also has options that are built explicitly for beneficiaries with specific situations. These plans are referred to as Special Needs Plans. To qualify to enroll in an SNP, you must have the special needs that the plan is set up to assist with.

SNP plans are divided into three categories; dual, chronic, and institutionalized.

Dual SNPs are designed to help beneficiaries that have both Medicare and Medicaid. They will usually offer a plethora of services and benefits that specifically help low-income individuals.

Chronic SNPs are put together to assist those with certain chronic health conditions. The most common are plans that help individuals with diabetes, COPD, or heart conditions.

Institutional SNPs are formulated to cater to individuals that live in an institutionalized setting.

Amerigroup is a small insurance company that only offers plans in a few states. They focus on the areas where they do business, and they have a CSNP – HMO with a zero-premium.

Humana is one of the leading Medicare companies in the US. They have a great Dual SNP plan to help low-income beneficiaries in Tacoma.

Molina is a small company that works similarly to Kaiser. They offer VIP-style care in a tight network. Companies that take this approach can benefit the beneficiaries but can significantly limit access to doctors.

The average cost of Medicare Special Needs plans in Tacoma, Washington

PLAN PREMIUM MOOP Plan Type Eligibility
Amerigroup $0 $5,900 HMO Chronic or Disabling
Wellcare $0 $3,450 LOCAL PPO Dual
Humana $0 $6,700 HMO Dual
Molina Healthcare $0 $7,550 HMO Dual
Community Health $0 $7,550 HMO Dual

How to sign up for Medicare plans in Tacoma, Washington

When you live in an area like Tacoma, there is no shortage of options when it comes to Medicare. We can assist you with determining the coverage that works best for your needs. Since everyone is different, the plan best for you may be different than a friend or family member’s choice.

Let our licensed experts help decipher the Medicare world and help you with this crucial choice. Give us a call, or fill out our online request form. We’re here to assist in every step of the process.

Written By:
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Lindsay Malzone, Lindsay Malzone is the Medicare editor for Medigap.com. She's been contributing to many well-known publications since 2017. Her passion is educating Medicare beneficiaries on all their supplemental Medicare options so they can make an informed decision on their healthcare coverage.
Reviewed By:
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Rodolfo Marrero, Rodolfo Marrero is one of the co-founders at Medigap.com. He has been helping consumers find the right coverage since the site was founded in 2013. Rodolfo is a licensed insurance agent that works hand-in-hand with the team to ensure the accuracy of the content.