Best Medicare Advantage Plans in Alaska 2024
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More than 110,000 people in Alaska are signed up for Medicare.
However, Medicare Advantage is not available in Alaska, according to the Alaska Department of Health. Older adults interested in Medicare must sign up for Original Medicare (Medicare Parts A and B).
Original Medicare is the federal health insurance program for people 65 and older. It consists of Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) and Medicare Part B (medical insurance). You also have the option to buy Medicare Part D for prescription drug coverage and/or Medicare Supplement Insurance, or Medigap.
Medigap plans cover the “gaps” in Original Medicare coverage — i.e., the deductibles, coinsurance and copays you’d pay out of pocket if you need care. There are 10 Medigap plan types available, and the plans themselves are standardized, so all Plan G policies (for instance) offer the same base benefits regardless of provider.
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Compare the best Medicare Supplement plans in Alaska
How to sign up for Medicare in Alaska
Enrollment in Medicare happens through the Social Security Administration. You can do any of the following:
Enroll online on the Social Security Administration's website.
Call the SSA at 800-772-1213 (TTY: 800-325-0778).
Visit your local SSA office. Alaska has offices in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau.
When to sign up for Medicare in Alaska
Generally, most people sign up for Medicare when they turn 65, but there are three enrollment periods:
Initial enrollment period: This is a seven-month period of eligibility around your 65th birthday, including the three months before and after your birthday month. If your birthday is on the first of the month, this period includes the four months before your birthday month and the two months after.
Special enrollment period: This is a period of eligibility that may apply if you meet certain criteria, such as moving states or losing your group health insurance because you’re retiring after age 65.
General enrollment period: If you miss your initial enrollment period and don’t qualify for a special enrollment period, you can sign up for Medicare during the general enrollment period every year from Jan. 1 to March 31. However, late penalties may apply if you miss certain Medicare enrollment deadlines.
Medicare resources in Alaska
Alaska Commission on Aging: Administers programs and services to help older adults in Alaska.
Alaska Medicare Information Office: Offers counseling to Medicare beneficiaries and their families, tips on spotting Medicare errors and fraud, and Medicare classes.
Alaska Aging and Disability Resource Centers: Acts as a resource for older adults and people with disabilities.
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.
You can use Medicare’s plan finding tool to compare plans in your area.
Medicare Advantage review methodology
The Medicare Advantage marketplace is concentrated among just a handful of companies; in many places, one insurer serves more than half of the market. NerdWallet reviewed 26 Medicare Advantage brands, with some insurers having more than one brand under their umbrella. (For example, Blue Cross Blue Shield includes the brands Anthem and Highmark.) At the national level, these reviews include nine of the 10 largest brands by enrollment. At the state level, our research includes at least one major insurer in 47 of the 49 states that offer Medicare Advantage plans, and includes the top two insurers in 35 of those states. (Alaska doesn't offer Medicare Advantage plans.) We also look at online search volume to identify regional and other notable players in the space.
NerdWallet’s Medicare Advantage reviews are based on ratings data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, as well as pricing, plan availability by state, plan types available, consumer experience, extra benefits offered and more. These reviews are a guide, but we encourage you to shop around and compare several plans to find the best coverage and rate for you. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines for additional information.
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 Alaska.
