Humana Medicare Supplement Review
Humana offers nearly every Medicare Supplement plan. Its policies come with useful perks, including meal delivery services and discounts on vision care. However, the company is often expensive and has low customer service ratings. Because Medigap coverage is standardized across companies, you may want to compare quotes to find the best value.
Our thoughts: High rates and poor service
Humana Medicare Supplement plans are expensive, and the company receives a lot of complaints.
Humana's Medicare Supplement plans can help pay for health care costs that Original Medicare doesn't fully cover. Humana offers all Medicare Supplement plans except Plans D and M, although specific availability varies by your state.
However, Humana receives more complaints about its Medicare Supplement plans than other companies its size, and its average rates are high. We recommend comparing Medicare Supplement rates from several companies to make sure you get the best value.
- NCQA: 3.1 out of 5 (average performance)
- NAIC: More complaints than average
- AM Best: A- ("Excellent" financial strength)
- Price: Higher than average
Humana supplemental insurance plans have impressive add-on benefits, including discounts on vision, hearing and Lifeline medical alert systems. Humana Medigap doesn't include any dental benefits, but you could enroll in a Humana dental insurance policy for that coverage. For some, Humana's added perks may outweigh the high rates and below-average service. But for most, Humana's Medicare Supplement plans aren't the best option.
How much does a Humana Medicare Supplement plan cost?
Humana's Plan G Medicare Supplement policy costs nearly $200 per month, which is more expensive than many of the company's competitors.
Humana Medigap plans cost between $53 and $245 per month, depending on the option you choose. Plans with lower costs generally have less coverage, which means you'll pay more for your health care.
Find Cheap Medicare Plans in Your Area
Keep in mind that costs vary widely, and requesting a quote is the best way to know how much you would pay. Costs could be influenced by a range of factors.
- Plan type: Supplement plans have different levels of coverage and rates. Humana's Plan C costs more than twice as much as its Plan K, and the company's high deductible plans are the cheapest options.
- Location: State regulations can affect how much plans cost.
- Gender: Women usually pay less than men for Medicare plans.
- Age: In many states, your cost for a supplemental policy can increase as you age. Humana Plan G increases an average of 2% to 3% each year, for example.
- Medical issues: In many states, there are pricing tiers based on medical conditions or other risk factors, and healthier people can get a discounted rate.
Average monthly cost of Humana Medigap plans
Plan | Monthly Cost |
---|---|
High Deductible G | $53 |
High Deductible F | $57 |
K | $103 |
N | $146 |
L | $147 |
Humana also offers a few discounts, which might help offset the company's high rates.
- Get 6% off for getting a quote online in most states
- Save $2 per month for automatic payments
- Earn a household discount for multiple policyholders
Costs for Humana Plan G
Plan G is one of the most popular Medigap plans and our pick for the best option. A Medicare Supplement Plan G is more expensive with Humana than it is from other health insurance companies.
When choosing a plan, it can be helpful to look at both the costs when you sign up and the projected costs as you age. By requesting multiple quotes, you can determine which company has the best pricing overall. This might help you avoid rate surprises as you age.
Find Cheap Medicare Plans in Your Area
Humana uses a "community-rating" pricing model in nine states. This means age won't affect premiums. In five states, Humana uses "issue-age" rating, which means your rate is based on your age when you first bought a policy. But in 36 states and Washington, D.C., Humana uses "attained-age" rating, which means your rate will increase as you get older.
Average cost of Humana Plan G vs. competitors
Company | Monthly Rate at 65 | Monthly Rate at 85 |
---|---|---|
AARP UnitedHealthcare | $135 | $216 |
Aetna | $141 | $233 |
Blue Cross Blue Shield | $146 | $246 |
Humana | $196 | $307 |
Coverage and plan features
Each Medicare Supplement plan offers consistent coverage across all insurance companies. This means a Humana plan will have the same medical coverage benefits as a plan you get from another company.
Humana is one of the largest insurance companies in the U.S., and the company offers Medicare Supplement plans in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
Humana offers all Medicare Supplement plans except for Plan D and Plan M.
If you're looking for a Medicare Supplement Plan D or M but want coverage from Humana, a good alternative is Plan G, our recommendation for the best overall coverage. Plan G covers the cost of skilled nursing facilities, which can be an important type of coverage as you age. If you specifically want Plan D or M, you'll have to get coverage with another company.
Member resources and unique benefits
In addition to the standard Medicare benefits, such as being able to go to almost any doctor or medical facility, Humana policyholders also get access to the following programs:
- 24/7 nurse line
- Vision discount through EyeMed
- Discounts on hearing aids and services
- Drug discount program
- SilverSneakers fitness program
- Discount on Lifeline medical alert (fall-detection and on-demand help)
- MyHumana app to review claims or find health information
- Meal delivery program after an overnight stay at a hospital or nursing facility
Customer reviews and complaints
The main reason that we don't recommend Humana is because the company has a high rate of complaints from policyholders.
One of the largest companies within Humana has nearly five times as many complaints about its Medicare Supplement plans versus the average, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). Each of Humana's underlying companies has its own complaint index, and ratings vary. Generally, though, Humana's Medicare Supplement products have more complaints than average.
The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) rates Humana's customer satisfaction as average, giving the company a score of 3.1 out of 5.
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) also shows customers are often frustrated with Humana's service. Even though Humana has an A+ rating, showing it actively tries to resolve issues, customers gave the company an average of 1.34 stars out of 5. Humana's most common complaints include denial of claims, unsatisfactory claims resolution, delays and poor overall service.
The MyHumana app also receives low scores and may not be the most helpful tool. The app has a score of 2.9 out of 5 for iOS. Users complain that the app does not track their coverage accurately, doesn't load well and won't function properly. The Android version has a score of 4.2 out of 5, but recent reviews have low ratings and mention the same issues that iOS users face.
However, when it comes to Humana's historical ability to pay claims, it has an excellent financial rating, receiving an A- financial strength rating from AM Best with a stable outlook.
Alternatives to Humana Medigap
If Humana Medicare Supplement plans aren't the right fit for you, you might want to check out AARP UnitedHealthcare for cheap rates and additional benefits.
- Cheapest rates: AARP UnitedHealthcare
- Better service: AARP UnitedHealthcare
- Useful perks: Tie
Humana plans include SilverSneakers, Lifeline and drug discounts. AARP UnitedHealthcare plans include benefits for dental, mental sharpness and driver safety.
Another option is to choose a Medicare Advantage plan that brings together multiple types of coverage into a single insurance policy. Medicare Advantage and Medigap have key differences in coverage, deductibles and health care provider networks. We recommend Humana as the best Medicare Advantage provider.
- The high rate of complaints is a company-wide problem.
- Humana Medicare Advantage has better-than-average customer satisfaction according to J.D. Power.
- Humana is the second-largest Medicare Advantage company in the country and has nearly 5.1 million members.
Frequently asked questions
Does Humana sell Medigap plans?
Yes, Humana offers all Medigap plans except for Plan D and Plan M. For the best overall coverage, we recommend Plan G. The cheapest options are Plan K and the high deductible versions of Plan F and Plan G. You can only purchase Plans C and F, including the high deductible version of Plan F, if you were eligible for Medicare prior to 2020.
Is Humana supplemental insurance good?
We don't recommend Humana Medigap plans. The company's average rates are high, and its customer service ratings are poor. Humana does offer plenty of extra benefits, though, which might outweigh the drawbacks for some shoppers. Remember that Medicare Supplement plans are the same across companies. This means that Humana's plans have the same coverage as the plans you'd find elsewhere. When you're shopping for Medigap coverage, you should review average rates, customer service ratings and any added perks that the company offers.
Does Humana Medicare Supplement include SilverSneakers?
Yes, Humana Medicare Supplement plans include SilverSneakers Fitness for gym access and exercise classes, as well as a walking program through SilverSneakers Steps. Availability may vary by ZIP code, so check your policy details.
Do customers like Humana Medigap?
Humana has a higher rate of complaints than is typical for an insurer of its size. However, its high rating from the Better Business Bureau shows that it actively works to resolve issues.
Sources and methodology
Our data on average Medicare Supplement rates includes rates for all private insurance companies. Average rates are for a 65-year-old nonsmoking woman. We used open enrollment rates with preferred or guaranteed-issue status, and we did not factor medical underwriting rates into our analysis.
National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) ratings are based on an average of all the rated Humana companies.
Additional sources include the Better Business Bureau (BBB), the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), AM Best financial strength rating services, Google Play, the Apple App Store, Kaiser Family Foundation and J.D. Power.
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