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The article cited includes this sentence:
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts also offers a Medicare Select Medigap plan, in addition to the Core Plan and Supplement 1 (Prior to 2006, Massachusetts also had Medicare Supplement 2, which included coverage for prescription drugs; nationwide, all Medigap plans that included prescription drugs ceased to be available for purchase after the end of 2005 — people began enrolling in Medicare Part D instead — but people who had Supplement 2 in Massachusetts were allowed to keep it if they wanted to).
The part in parentheses, which I bolded, is what I referred to above.
No, the article does not answer your question about the current situation. It does show Massachusetts' prior response to a major previous change in Medicare coverage. I think it is reasonable to assume that a similar type change will be made in Supplement 1 wording for 2020 in regard to the part B deductible.
Since we are talking about government(s) and insurance, anything is possible, but I think it highly unlikely that the federal government would allow a state government an exception from a national policy meant to reduce usage of an underfunded federal entitlement program.
Note, I am not an insurance agent, but I certainly would not encourage any 2020 and later newly entitled Massachusetts residents to expect to be able to have medigap insurance coverage for the Part B deductible.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts also offers a Medicare Select Medigap plan, in addition to the Core Plan and Supplement 1 (Prior to 2006, Massachusetts also had Medicare Supplement 2, which included coverage for prescription drugs; nationwide, all Medigap plans that included prescription drugs ceased to be available for purchase after the end of 2005 — people began enrolling in Medicare Part D instead — but people who had Supplement 2 in Massachusetts were allowed to keep it if they wanted to).
The part in parentheses, which I bolded, is what I referred to above.
No, the article does not answer your question about the current situation. It does show Massachusetts' prior response to a major previous change in Medicare coverage. I think it is reasonable to assume that a similar type change will be made in Supplement 1 wording for 2020 in regard to the part B deductible.
Since we are talking about government(s) and insurance, anything is possible, but I think it highly unlikely that the federal government would allow a state government an exception from a national policy meant to reduce usage of an underfunded federal entitlement program.
Note, I am not an insurance agent, but I certainly would not encourage any 2020 and later newly entitled Massachusetts residents to expect to be able to have medigap insurance coverage for the Part B deductible.
