Minnesota Medicare questions, answered plainly

Nothing. Independent Medicare agents are paid by the insurance carriers when you enroll, so comparing plans, answering questions and reviewing your coverage each year is free to you. Your premium is the same whether you enroll through us, another agent or the carrier directly.

No. Minnesota standardizes Medicare supplements its own way: a Basic plan and an Extended Basic plan, with optional riders on Basic. Basic plus the Part A deductible and excess-charge riders is the closest thing to a federal Plan G. See our Medicare supplement page.

Yes, in 21 counties for 2026: Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Goodhue, Itasca, Kanabec, Koochiching, Lake, Le Sueur, McLeod, Meeker, Mille Lacs, Pine, Pipestone, Rice, Rock, St. Louis, Sibley, Stevens, Traverse and Yellow Medicine. They are sold by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota and Medica, and they ended in the Twin Cities metro in 2019.

Under Minnesota Statutes §62A.31 as amended in 2025, people aged 65 through 70 can buy a Medicare supplement one time, outside their original six-month window, by applying during the Annual Election Period (October 15 to December 7) or the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1 to March 31), without medical underwriting or pre-existing-condition limits. Insurers may charge a surcharge above the community rate for as long as the policy is in force: 15% for first use in 2026, 20% in 2027, 25% in 2028, 30% in 2029, and 35% from 2030. August 1, 2026 is the law’s effective date, not an enrollment month.

You get a Special Enrollment Period to choose a new plan and, because you lost coverage through no fault of your own, generally a guaranteed-issue right to buy a Minnesota Basic or Extended Basic supplement without health questions, usually within 63 days of the coverage ending. Call before the deadline on your notice.

A Minnesota supplement with Original Medicare works anywhere in the U.S. A Cost plan covers you out of area through Original Medicare. Most Medicare Advantage HMOs cover only emergencies out of area; some PPOs and travel benefits go further. See our snowbird guide.

Mayo Clinic accepts Original Medicare, and therefore every supplement and Cost plan. It contracts with some Medicare Advantage plans and not others, and the list changes yearly. If Mayo is your care, we confirm the plan’s Mayo status in writing before you enroll.

A voluntary program for people 65+ who have Medicare Parts A and B and qualify for Medical Assistance. One health plan covers Medicare, Medical Assistance, Part D and long-term services with a care coordinator. It is Minnesota’s version of a Dual Special Needs Plan.

Your Initial Enrollment Period is the seven months around your 65th birthday. The Annual Election Period runs October 15 to December 7; Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment runs January 1 to March 31. Cost plans accept enrollment year-round where they are sold, life events such as moving counties or losing a plan open Special Enrollment Periods, and since August 2026 people aged 65 through 70 have a one-time chance to buy a supplement without underwriting during those election periods, with a surcharge.

Part B premium $202.90 a month, Part B deductible $283, Part A hospital deductible $1,736 per benefit period, Part D out-of-pocket cap $2,100. Higher earners pay IRMAA surcharges above $109,000 (single) or $218,000 (joint) of 2024 income. Our costs page has the full chart and calculators.

Possibly. Minnesota’s Medicare Savings Programs (QMB, SLMB, QI) pay the Part B premium for people with limited income, and Minnesota’s asset limits ($10,000 single, $18,000 married) are higher than most states’. Apply through your county human services office, or call Minnesota Aging Pathways at 800-333-2433.

Minnesota Aging Pathways, formerly the Senior LinkAge Line, is Minnesota’s State Health Insurance Assistance Program: 800-333-2433, Monday to Friday. You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE or use Medicare.gov. We are an independent agency, not a government program, and we say so on every page.

No. We represent a number of insurance organizations and products in Minnesota, not all of them, and we will always say so. For the complete list, use Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE or Minnesota Aging Pathways. For help choosing among the plans we do offer, call (702) 706-6564.

We work with Minnesotans statewide by phone and video, which is how most people prefer it. Our sister agency has walk-in offices in Mesa and Sun City, Arizona, for snowbirds.