Woodmen Life Medicare Supplement Review

Who Is WoodmenLife?

WoodmenLife, a fraternal benefit society that provides insurance, was founded in 1890 by Joseph Cullen Root in Omaha, Nebraska. By 1898, its membership had grown to nearly 90,000; in 1966, it had over $1 billion of life insurance in force.

They offer a variety of products for the senior market, including Life Insurance, Annuities, and Medicare Supplements. When you purchase one of their insurance products, you automatically become a member of the society at no additional cost.

WoodmenLife (Woodmen Life) gives all their Medicare Supplement policyholders access to additional benefits as a member, including:

• Online templates for legal documents, including wills, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives
• Discounts at over $30,000 retail stores
• Up to $1,000 if you’ve been part of a natural disaster
• $25,000 for families of non-military first responders who die in the line of duty

Which Medicare Supplement Plans Does Woodmen Life Offer?

WoodmenLife offers Medicare Supplement plans A, F, G, High Deductible G, and N.  Each plan includes a few different benefits than the other and costs different amounts.  Choose the plan that best fits your needs from the chart below.

*High Deductible G (HDG) pays the same benefits as a Plan F after you meet the annual deductible.  You are responsible for paying the annual deductible amount set by Medicare for each calendar year.  The annual deductible is $2,800 for the calendar year of 2024.

Plan A

Plan A covers the coinsurance and copays for basic services, including:

• Hospitalization: Part A coinsurance plus coverage for 365 additional days after Medicare benefits end
• Medical Expenses: Part B coinsurance (generally 20% of Medicare-approved expenses) or copayments for hospital outpatient services
• Blood: First three pints of blood each year
• Hospice: Part A coinsurance

Plan F

Plan F pays all of the coinsurance, deductibles and copays like plan A.  It also covers:

• Part B annual deductible
• Part A annual deductible
• Skilled nursing facility coinsurance
• Part B excess charges which can be as much as 15% more that Medicare approves.  Some states don’t allow providers to charges these fees.
• $50,000 for emergency coverage when you’re traveling outside of the United States

Plan G

Plan G is identical to plan F except it won’t pay pick up the annual Part B premium.  If you turned 65 after January 1 of 2020, Plan G is the highest level of coverage you can get.

High Deductible G

High Deductible G acutually covers everything that Plan F covers.  The annual deductible includes the Part B deductible so you don’t pay it again.

Plan N

Plan N is the step down from plan G.  You get all the coverage of a G except you’ll have a $20 office visit copay, $50 emergency room copay if you’re not admitted to the hospital and no coverage for the Part B excess up to 15%.

What Does A Woodmen Life Medicare Supplement Cost?

The cost of a Medigap (Medicare Supplement) depends on where you live, your age, gender, and tobacco use. Your premiums can increase regardless of what company you have or which plan you enroll in, even if they use issue-age rates. Issue-age-rated plans only protect you from rate increases due to age, not inflation.  Use the comparison tool below to compare rates without entering your personal contact information.  If you see the rate that interests you, continue the request to know the name of the company and to be contacted by a licensed agent.

How To Apply

Call or Text (614) 402-5160

If you want us to call you, just fill out the Customized Quote formal request and choose WoodmenLife at the bottom of the drop down list. Or simply enter your information below.  It’s important to use an independent agent who will work on your behalf.  There is no cost savings to going direct. You’re actually at a disadvantage if you don’t use an independant agent that can help you resolve a problem or find other coverage when the rates increase.

Pros and Cons

Why Choose A Woodmen Life Medicare Supplement?

• Financially solid and A+ rated by A.M. Best
• Highly competitive rates within the top 5 companies for 65 year olds in most states
• Up to a 10% household discount (discount may vary by state)
• The cost is the same amount in total for the year whether you pay annual, semi-annual, quarterly or monthly
• Choose any doctor, hospital, or facility for your care anywhere in the United States that accepts Medicare – No networks ever!
• You don’t need a referral to see a specialist
• Your benefits will NEVER change, and your coverage can never be canceled as long as you pay your premiums
• Secure your plan with a 12-month rate guarantee
• You don’t need a pre-authorization from WoodmenLife for medical services
• Get extra benefits of being a member of the society at no additional cost
• Use your plan in any state
• If you move, you don’t need to change your plan
• Get 30 days to review your plan after your coverage starts.  If your not satisfied you’ll get a full refund for any reason
• No pre-existing condition exclusions for any applicant including Part B Open Enrollment applicants, Guaranteed Issue applicants, or even if you haven’t had another Medicare Supplement in the last 6 months

The Downside

• $25 one-time application fee (sometimes called a policy)-  The application fee is fully refundable if you are not accepted for coverage, or you cancel within the 30 day free-look period
• The product is fairly new, so there’s no rate increase or claims ratio history to help predict future rate increases
•  Not available in all 50 states as of March 1, 2024

Reveiw Results

The company has a long history and is exceptionally rated A+ by A.M. Best, the second highest rating available.  The application process is quick and simply done over the phone with an agent.  There’s no need to see an agent in person.  Customer Service is excellent and easily accessable with relatively short hold times.  The price is highly competitive with other companies, and in some cases is lower than any other company.

WoodmenLife product is new to the Medicare Supplement market,  so there’s no history to predict what will happen to the rates in the future.  The good news is it’s a new line of business so you’ll be joining a fresh group of enrollees that don’t have a high amount of claims from people who have aged over the years.

We’ve given WoomenLife a STRONG recommendation if you’re looking for a Medicare Supplement for the first time, or shopping for lower rates.