Medicare Supplement Coverage - Medigap
Medicare supplement insurance, sometimes
called Medigap, is private insurance that fills in the gaps left by
Medicare. For instance, when you have a
hospital or doctor bill, Medicare pays its approved amount first, then the
supplemental insurance pays other costs, such as deductibles and copays.
There are several different Medicare supplement plans, and each is
identified by a letter. The type and
amount of benefits covered by each plan determines how expensive it is. Here is a chart listing the various benefits
provided by each plan:
All insurance companies must offer the same benefits under a
given plan. In other words, Medicare
Supplement Plan A will have the same benefits regardless of which company sells
it. However, the premium you pay for
that plan may differ from one company to another. It is important to note that most Medicare
supplement plans do not include dental or vision coverage.
An alternative to Original Medicare and Medicare supplement
insurance is Medicare Part C or Medicare Advantage. These Medicare-approved health plans are run
by private insurance companies and provide benefits for hospitals, doctors, and
other healthcare provider services covered under Original Medicare Parts A and
B as well as supplemental benefits that vary by plan. The insurer receives money from Medicare and
may also charge you a premium in some cases, depending on the benefits covered.
Medicare Advantage might require you to
use certain doctors and hospitals.
Prescription drug coverage is available under Medicare Part
D. Prescription drug benefits are
included in some Medicare Advantage plans but otherwise must be purchased
separately.
One other important piece of information to note is that,
unlike many employer or private insurance policies, you and your spouse must
purchase individual policies. Your
policy will not cover your spouse.
Need More Help?
Though we can’t recommend any specific plans, we may be able
to help answer some questions. Visit our Consumer Services page to learn more.