Medicare Supplement Plans (Medigap)
Medicare Supplement plans, sometimes called Medigap plans, are sold by private companies to help fill gaps in Medicare Part A and Part B coverage. These Parts, called Original Medicare, pay for many — but not all — health care costs associated with medical supplies and services.
- Written by Terry Turner
Terry Turner
Senior Financial Writer and Financial Wellness Facilitator
Terry Turner has more than 35 years of journalism experience, including covering benefits, spending and congressional action on federal programs such as Social Security and Medicare. He is a Certified Financial Wellness Facilitator through the National Wellness Institute and the Foundation for Financial Wellness and a member of the Association for Financial Counseling & Planning Education (AFCPE®).
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Matt Mauney
Matt Mauney
Financial Editor
Matt Mauney is an award-winning journalist, editor, writer and content strategist with more than 15 years of professional experience working for nationally recognized newspapers and digital brands. He has contributed content for ChicagoTribune.com, LATimes.com, The Hill and the American Cancer Society, and he was part of the Orlando Sentinel digital staff that was named a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2017.
Read More- Reviewed By
Brian Hickey, CLU®, CLTC®, FLMI
Brian Hickey, CLU®, CLTC®, FLMI
Vice President of Insuractive
Brian Hickey is vice president of Insuractive, an Omaha-based company providing direct-to-consumer Medicare plans, life insurance and wealth protection to individuals. With 24 years’ experiencein Medicare, long-term care, life insurance and wealth protection, Brian leads and develops Insuractive’s strategic initiatives with a focus on direct-to-consumeroptions for insurance information and solutions.
Read More- Published: May 7, 2020
- Updated: October 26, 2023
- 5 min read time
- This page features 5 Cited Research Articles
What Are the Benefits of Medicare Supplement Plans?
Medigap coverage may be a better option for certain retirees than Medicare Advantage plans or relying solely on Original Medicare.
These supplemental insurance policies can help you pay out-of-pocket costs, including deductibles, coinsurance or copayments.
Features of Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans- Coverage of most out-of-pocket costs not covered under Medicare Part A and Part B, with the amount of coverage depending on the plan selected.
- Coverage of coinsurance or copayments for Medicare Part B.
- Coverage of Medicare Part A coinsurance costs for another 356 days after your Medicare benefits run out.
- Coverage of Part A coinsurance or copayments for hospice care.
- Portable coverage that allows you to take your Medigap plan anywhere in the United States.
- You can go to any doctor who accepts Medicare patients.
- You do not need a referral to see a specialist.
- You will have guaranteed coverage for life as long as you pay your premiums.
To purchase a Medicare supplemental policy, you must first enroll in Medicare Part A and Part B. Medicare supplemental plans are different from Medicare Advantage plans.
A Medicare Advantage plan is an alternative way to get Part A and Part B Medicare benefits while a Medigap plan simply supplements your Original Medicare coverage. You cannot enroll in both a Medicare Supplement plan and Medicare Advantage. You have to choose one or the other.
Have you selected your 2024 Medicare Supplement plan?Maximize your Medicare savings by connecting with a licensed insurance agent. Annual Enrollment is open until December 7th.What Medigap Does Not Cover
While Medicare Supplement plans can help with some out-of-pocket costs, there are still some things that it will not pay for.
Services Not Covered by Medicare Supplement Plans- Dental care
- Hearing aids
- Long-term care
- Private-duty nursing care
- Vision care, eyeglasses or contact lenses
Medigap policies sold after Jan. 1, 2006, also do not cover prescription drugs. But you can purchase Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage along with a Medigap plan.
John Clark, CLTC®, NSSA® | 0:32 Who is typically looking for a Medicare Supplement plan (Medigap)?
Get Free Help Pricing and Building Your Medigap PlanReplay VideoFind out if a Medigap plan is right for you from John Clark, licensed insurance advisor and owner of Senior Solutions Insurance Agency.Types of Medicare Supplement Plans
There are eight standardized Medicare Supplement plans available in 47 states, all sold by private insurers. Each plan offers the same coverage, regardless of the company that sells it.
The 10 plans are given letter names: A, B, D, G, K, L, M and N. These should not be confused with the parts of regular Medicare. For example, Medicare Supplement Plan A is different from Medicare Part A.
If you live in Wisconsin, Minnesota or Massachusetts, Medigap insurance plans may offer different options from policies sold in the rest of the country.
Medigap Plan CoverageMedigap Benefits A B D G K L M N Part A coinsurance and hospital costs* Part B coinsurance or copayment 50% 75% Blood (first three pints) 50% 75% Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment 50% 75% Skilled nursing facility care coinsurance 50% 75% Part A deductible 50% 75% 50% Part B excess charge** Foreign travel exchange (up to plan limits) 80% 80% 80% 80% Out-of-pocket limit in 2022 N/A N/A N/A N/A $6,620 $3,310 N/A N/A *Covers up to 365 additional days after Medicare benefits run out. **An excess charge is the amount a doctor or other health care provider may legally charge above the Medicare approved amount for Medicare Part A or Part B.Plans C and F Phased Out
Medicare Supplement Plans C and F have been phased out for those new to Medicare. If you were eligible for Medicare on or after Jan. 1, 2020, you are not able to purchase either of these plans. But if you had one of these plans already, you can keep it.
Plan F offered a high deductible. You may still be eligible for a high deductible Medicare Supplement Plan G, but it will not cover the Medicare Part B deductible.
Bob Glaze | 1:31 What are some tips for comparing Medigap (Medicare Supplement insurance) plans?
Get Free Help Pricing and Building Your Medicare PlanReplay VideoBob Glaze, a licensed insurance agent, provides some tips on how to compare Medigap plans.Costs of Medicare Supplement Insurance
While the coverage in Medicare Supplement insurance plans is standardized, the costs are not. Different insurers may charge different premiums for the same lettered plan.
Insurers may set their premiums in three different ways, resulting in different prices for monthly premiums.
Medicare Supplement Plan Pricing Methods- Community No-Age-Rated
- Plans have the same monthly premiums, regardless of you your age.
- Issue-Age-Rated
- Plans that base monthly premiums on your age when you first enroll, meaning the younger you are when you enroll, the cheaper your premiums will be.
- Attained-Age-Rated
- Monthly premiums are based on your age when you first enrolled, but they go up as you get older.
Learn More About Medigap CostsShopping around for Medigap providers could turn up a plan that better fits your needs. But regardless of what type of plan you choose, premiums may still increase over time because of inflation or other factors not related to your age.
Medigap Eligibility and Enrollment
The best time to enroll in a Medicare Supplement plan is when you are first eligible, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
This is the six-month open enrollment period, starting the month you turn 65 and have enrolled in Medicare Part B.
During that open enrollment period, you can purchase any Medigap policy sold in your state.
John Clark, CLTC®, NSSA® | 1:09 Why should I sign up for Medigap during open enrollment?
Get Free Help Pricing and Building Your Medigap PlanReplay VideoJohn Clark, licensed insurance advisor and owner of Senior Solutions Insurance Agency, speaks to the importance of signing up for a Medigap plan when you are first eligible to avoid future eligibility issues.The open enrollment only lasts those six months. It can’t be changed or repeated, and after it closes you may not be able to enroll in a Medigap plan. If you are able to enroll later, it may cost you more to buy a plan.
Remember that Medigap and Medicare Advantage plans are different from one another, and you can only enroll in one, not both.
Last Modified: October 26, 2023Share This Page
Terry Turner Senior Financial Writer and Financial Wellness Facilitator- Association for Financial Counseling & Planning Education (AFCPE®) member
- Holds six Health Literacy certificates from the CDC
- Emmy® Award winner
Edited By
Matt Mauney Financial EditorReviewed By
Brian Hickey, CLU®, CLTC®, FLMI Vice President of Insuractive5 Cited Research Articles
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2020, October 6). K and L Out-of-Pocket Limits Announcements. Retrieved from https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Health-Plans/Medigap/KandL
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). How to Compare Medigap Policies. Retrieved from https://www.medicare.gov/supplements-other-insurance/how-to-compare-medigap-policies
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). When Can I Buy Medigap? Retrieved from https://www.medicare.gov/supplements-other-insurance/when-can-i-buy-medigap
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). What’s Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap)? Retrieved from https://www.medicare.gov/supplements-other-insurance/whats-medicare-supplement-insurance-medigap
- AARP. (n.d.). Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans. Retrieved from https://www.aarpmedicareplans.com/medicare-education/medicare-supplement-plans.html
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