Medicare supplement plans (Medigap)
Original Medicare (Parts A and B) doesn’t cover everything. It only covers a portion of your costs for covered services — and it doesn’t limit what you pay out-of-pocket for health care expenses each year.
To help fill these coverage gaps, many private insurance companies offer Medicare Supplement, or “Medigap”, insurance policies that help pay for your health care costs. When you have a Medigap policy, Medicare continues to pay its share of the approved amount for covered services. Your Medigap policy then pays its share.
Here are some important things to know about Medigap policies:
- You must have Original Medicare (Parts A and B) to buy one.
- They have a monthly premium that you pay to the insurance company.
- You must also continue to pay your Medicare Part B premium.
- They don’t include prescription drug coverage — you must purchase a Part D plan separately.
- They generally don’t cover things like long-term care, vision, dental, hearing or private-duty nursing.
- They only cover one person — if you and your spouse want Medigap coverage, you’ll each need separate policies.
