Medicare Supplements

Medicare Supplement INSURANCE Plans Defined

Private insurance companies offer health insurance to cover a variety of out-of-pocket expenses not covered by Original Medicare, Part A and Part B. Called Medicare Supplement plans, these plans are also known by other names, including Medigap and MedSupp.

Generally the best time to sign up for a Medicare Supplement plan is during your Medigap Open Enrollment Period, which starts on the first day of the month that you are both 65 years or older and enrolled in Medicare Part B and lasts for six months. During this time, insurance companies may not reject your application due to a health condition, and can’t require medical underwriting. Waiting periods may apply.

Medicare Supplement plan types

MedSupp plans may help pay Original Medicare’s out-of-pocket costs, such as copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles. Each type of plan offers a different level of coverage, and is named with a different letter (such as Plan A).

In most states, the plans are standardized, so that all plans of the same letter offer the same benefits. However, the premiums can differ among these private insurance companies and some companies may offer additional benefits.

Plan C and Plan F will not be available to new beneficiaries aging on or after January 1, 2020. However, if you already have Plan C or Plan F, you can keep it.

Once you reach the out-of-pocket limits (including the Part B deductible), both Medicare Supplement Plans K and L pay 100% of covered services in the above chart for the remainder of the calendar year.

Plan N pays 100% of the Part B coinsurance costs, except up to $20 copayment for some office visits and up to $50 for emergency room visits.

Plan G will offer a high deductible option starting Jan 1, 2020. It will not cover the Part B deductible, but the Part B deductible will count towards filling the Plan G high deductible

We are Always Ready to Assist Our Clients

call for a free consultation 210-239-6817

More facts about Medicare Supplement plans

Although Medicare Supplement plans are standardized by letter, prices may vary across different insurance companies, so you may want to comparison-shop before enrolling.
Medicare Supplement plans don’t work with Medicare Advantage If you’re enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, a Medicare Supplement plan won’t cover your out-of-pocket costs under the Medicare Advantage plan.
Beneficiaries with Medigap plans may want to buy Medicare prescription drug plans, since Medigap plans don’t offer this coverage (Medigap plans sold before 2006 did include prescription drug coverage).
Medicare SELECT is a Medigap plan that requires beneficiaries to use hospitals or physicians within its network of healthcare providers to be eligible for full plan benefits. Any of the ten Medigap plan types may be offered in a Medicare SELECT version by an insurance company.
Insurance companies offering Medicare Supplement insurance don’t necessarily offer all ten plan types. An insurer may choose to offer only some of the plans.

Medicare Supplement insurance plans are not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program. n