My nephew cleaned and updated my computer for me while I was gone. He said (I cannot find it) that someone sent a note about where my family was able to get such cheap Medigap insurance. It was BCBSM. They were, until last year, a not for profit in our state but covered everyone who was turned away from other healthcare insurance companies. The state negotiated with them and they donate that money to different health organizations in the state now because with the new national health insurance everyone in our state can get insurance. A few weeks ago they donated over 20 million to clinics, set up areas to train others to help people sign up for the best plan for them and many other places to help people. Every state has a SHIP agency or did and you can get all the help you need to see if Medicare or MA is best for you and get all the information about both.
MCBSM still have a plan that is still in the $30 dollar range a month for a plan. There are several Medigap plans available. The Medigap plans are rated by community and age related, community health rated (with no age related issues), or by age related. If your community has a good healthcare system in your area, or your seniors have good health by having non-smokers, people who eat and exercise and have few type 2 diabetes etc their insurance is lower if the plan is community rated. If you get a plan that is rated by age and you are older you pay more. If you get a plan that is rated by average age in your community the premium will again be different.
There are many senior agencies that will inform you if you go to them. If you buy from an insurance broker they don't have to offer you all of the information but only answer questions you ask. So like with everything you have to know the questions to ask.
The insurance brokers are paid a commission so they have an incentive to sell certain plans that help their customers but not necessarily be the best and cheapest one for them. I know when Part D first started the bonus for each sale of one particular plan was $1,000 for each plan sold.
Also with some MA plans you are not always able to switch to Medicare and have everything covered because there will be a waiting period for existing conditions if you had certain MA plans and insurance brokers will not always let you know that.
If you go to a senior agency, or call the SHIPS number in your state, or read all there is to about the different Medicare plans you can learn a lot about what you did not know.