Page 1 - Cover letter and evaluation for Thomas Barr

October 16, 2017

Mr. Thomas L. Barr
151 Ridgeway Circle
Arnold, MD 21012

Dear Mr. Barr:

Your Medicare evaluation is enclosed. Please check the information on the client data sheet on
page 5 to make sure it is correct. In most cases the costs shown in your evaluation are
estimates for the entire 2018 plan year.

But some of Medicare’s costs are the 2017 numbers since Medicare has not yet said how much
Part B premiums and the Part B deductible will be next year. Moreover, the cost-sharing
amounts for various Medicare-covered services haven’t been released yet, so on pages 6-7 Ithe
2017 numbers are used. But the estimated prescription drug costs on pages 3 and 4 are for the
2018 plan year and your Medigap premium estimates should be fairly close to what you will pay
next year.

You indicated that you are interested in comparing both types of coverage – Medigap policies
and Medicare Advantage plans. The evaluation compares three Medigap plans (F, N, and L), all
of which provide good coverage. Plans F and N are similar, while Plan L involves a more cost
sharing but unlike the other two has an out-of-pocket limit. In addition, one Medicare
Advantage plan is compared in your evaluation.

Medigap plans

It might help to review features that all Medigap policies share (you may already be aware of
these). They can be purchased during the first six months you have Part A and Part B without
your having to answer health-related questions, although premiums will be adjusted for your
age.

After that six-month period has past, if you want to acquire a Medigap policy, switch to another
insurance company to reduce your Medigap premiums or perhaps upgrade to a more
comprehensive Medigap plan, you will likely have to answer questions about your health
before receiving a premium quote (people who have serious pre-existing conditions could be
denied coverage).

Perhaps the most desirable attribute of Medigap policies is the flexibility they offer. You do not
need referrals to see specialists and you will be covered when you see any provider who
accepts Medicare (as some 99% of doctors and public hospitals do). That means you can see