American Retirement Life Insurance Company: Medicare Supplement Plan Reviews
American Retirement Life Insurance Company sells Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) plans in some areas as a subsidiary of Cigna. Learn about the Medigap plans available from American Retirement, and find out if which Medicare Supplement plan could be right for you.
American Retirement Life Insurance Company (ARLIC) is a subsidiary of Cigna, one of the largest insurance companies in the nation. Like their parent company Cigna, American Retirement Life sells Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) in select states.
In this review of American Retirement Medicare Supplement insurance plans, we outline what types of plans ARLIC offers along with some information about the company and how you can compare plans that are available where you live.
As with nearly any insurance company that offers Medicare Supplement plans, the selection of plans provided by American Retirement may vary from one state to another.
In general, American Retirement sells four of the 10 standardized Medigap plans that are available in most states. These include Medigap Plans A, F, G and N.
It’s important to remember that the coverage provided by each type of Medicare Supplement plan is standardized by the federal government, so the benefits of a particular plan sold by American Retirement will be the same as those of the same plan letter sold by any other insurance company, though they may offer different discounts or additional optional perks.
| Medicare Supplement Benefits | A | B | C1 | D | F1 | G | K | L | M | N |
| Part A coinsurance and hospital costs | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Part B coinsurance or copayment | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 50% | 75% | ✓ | ✓ |
| First 3 pints of blood | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 50% | 75% | ✓ | ✓ |
| Part A hospice care co-insurance or co-payment | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 50% | 75% | ✓ | ✓ |
| Co-insurance for skilled nursing facility | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 50% | 75% | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Medicare Part A deductible | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 50% | 75% | 50% | ✓ | |
| Medicare Part B deductible | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||||
| Medicare Part B excess charges | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||||
| Foreign travel emergency | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | ||||
| 1. Plans C and F are not available to new beneficiaries who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. 2. Plans F and G also offer a high deductible plan which has an annual deductible of $2,700 in 2023. Once the annual deductible is met, the plan pays 100% of covered services for the rest of the year. The high deductible Plan F is not available to new beneficiaries who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. 3. Plan K has an out-of-pocket yearly limit of $6,940 in 2023. Plan L has an out-of-pocket yearly limit of $3,470 in 2023. 4. Plan N pays 100% of the Part B coinsurance, except for a copayment of up to $20 for some office visits and up to $50 for emergency room visits that don’t result in an inpatient admission. View an image version of this table. |
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Medicare Supplement Plan A is the most basic plan and provides coverage for each of the following:
- Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) coinsurance
- Medicare Part B (medical insurance) coinsurance or copayments
- The first three pints of blood used for a transfusion
- Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayments
As the most basic Medigap plan, Plan A may cost less than other plans provided by the same insurance company in the same location, though this isn’t always the case.
Plan F is the most comprehensive Medigap plan available and is the only plan to offer coverage in each of the nine benefit areas covered by standardized Medicare Supplement plans.
Medigap Plan F covers each of the four out-of-pocket Medicare costs covered by Plan A, and it also helps pay for:
- Skilled nursing facility care coinsurance
- Part A deductible
- Part B deductible
- Part B excess charges
- Foreign travel emergency care
Plan F is the most popular Medigap plan. But because of its complete coverage, Plan F can sometimes be the most expensive option within each carrier’s plan lineup.
Medigap Plan F is only available to beneficiaries who became eligible for Medicare prior to January 1, 2020. Anyone who became eligible for Medicare on or after that date is not eligible to enroll in Plan F with American Retirement or any other insurer.
If you had Plan F before 2020, you can keep your plan. And if you were eligible for Medicare before 2020, you can still enroll in Plan F if it’s available where you live.
In some states you may find a high-deductible version of Plan F. This option allows you to pay a lower monthly premium in exchange for an annual deductible.
Plan G is the second most popular Medigap plan after Plan F. Plan G covers the same Medicare costs as Plan F except for the Medicare Part B deductible. The annual Part B deductible is $226 in 2023.
Because Plan F is no longer available to incoming Medicare beneficiaries, it is likely that Plan G will eventually take over as the Medigap plan with the highest enrollment.
Like Plan F, Plan G also includes a high-deductible version available in certain areas.
Plan N helps cover many of the basic out-of-pocket Medicare costs you may face, and it uses a unique cost-sharing structure to help keep monthly premiums more affordable.
Plan N covers everything found in Plan A, as well as:
- Skilled nursing care coinsurance
- Part A deductible
- Foreign travel emergency care
While Plan N covers Part B coinsurance, there may be a copayment requirement of up to $20 for certain doctor’s office visits and up to $50 for emergency room visits that do not result in an inpatient admission.
Medicare Supplement Insurance plans, including those sold by ARLIC, do not cover prescription drugs.
Prescription drug coverage through Medicare is available only with Medicare Part D prescription drug plans or Medicare Advantage (Medicare Part C) plans that include prescription drug coverage.
Some of the benefits of an American Retirement Medicare Supplement Insurance plan include:
- Nationwide coverage
A Medigap plan from American Retirement is accepted anywhere Original Medicare is accepted with no network restrictions. - Easier insurability
If you enroll in a Medigap plan after your Medigap Open Enrollment Period has ended or during another time when you don’t have what are called guaranteed issue rights, an insurance company reserves the right to conduct medical underwriting to determine your rates.
While many other insurers may use just two health categories to determine your plan premium costs or deny you coverage altogether due to your health, American Retirement uses four categories to encompass a broader spectrum of pre-existing conditions.
You only have to go through this medical underwriting process if you apply for a Medigap plan outside of a period when you have guaranteed issue rights. - 24/7 support
American Retirement Life Insurance Company employs a customer service team that is available around the clock to answer questions and concerns from members. - Household discounts
If both spouses in a household enroll in a Medigap plan from ARLIC, the total household may be able to receive a 7% discount. - Cigna Healthy Rewards
American Retirement Medigap members are eligible to participate in the Cigna Healthy Rewards program that provides discounts on nutrition and weight-loss programs along with certain vision and hearing services. - Fitness program membership
American Retirement Medicare Supplement plans can include a membership to a low-cost fitness program designed to promote better health and aging. - Flexible payment dates
American Retirement allows members to choose the date on which their monthly premium is due.
You can call to speak with a licensed insurance agent to learn about the Medicare Supplement Insurance plans available in your area from American Retirement and from other insurance companies.
Medicare Supplement Insurance benefits are standardized, so the deciding factor for many beneficiaries may come down to the cost of the plan premiums. Plus, there may be other carriers selling additional plans in your area that are not available from American Retirement and may be a better fit for your needs.
Work with an agent to find out which Medigap plans are available where you live and from which carriers so you can determine the best plan for you. You can also compare plans online to find the right fit for you.
