Sky Insurance

Medicare supplement plans have been standardized for several years now. For example, if you want to buy a Medicare Supplement Plan F, the coverage will be the same regardless of whether you buy it from Insurance Company X or Insurance Company Y. Because the plans are standardized, the only difference most folks recognize is the financial rating of the insuring company.

However, some medicare supplement insurance companies are now offering "value added services". These services are generally provided without an additional charge to your insurance policy rates. Whether or not your agent can tell you about these value added benefits before you enroll, it is at the very least important for you to know that they do exist.

What specific benefits may be possible?

Nurse Hotline: How would you like to be able to speak with a registered nurse at anytime 24/7, 365 days a year? With the Nurse Hotline benefit that's exactly the type of service you'll enjoy. You could get treatment decision support, information on doctors or hospitals, schedule appointments, prescription help, self-help tips, and pre-recorded messages on more than 1,000 health and wellness topics. Obviously, a nurse hotline is not a substitute for a doctor's care, but it is nice to be able to speak with a health professional when you need them.

Vision Discounts: Would you like to get immediate savings on your routine eye exams or eyewear purchases? If you get this value added service you can look forward to discounts at major chains nationwide.

Pharmacy Savings: Would getting a discount on your mail-order prescriptions help you save money? If you get this benefit, you could enjoy savings on your mail-order prescriptions as well as discounts at major retail chains all over the nation.

Fitness Membership: Some value added services include a health club membership. This one extra benefit could save you $100's of dollars every year if you're currently paying your own membership fees. You'll need to check and see which specific health clubs participate in the program, but you can generally expect to enjoy free access to amenities such as treadmills, weights, heated pools and fitness class at many locations. There may also be specific fitness classes suited especially for you. These programs are not available in all states. At the time of this writing Texas is included in one of the more popular value added program.