What Medicare Supplement Plans are Available

There are ten Medicare Supplements, labelled alphabetically as Plan A, B, C, D, F (HDF), G, K, L, M, and N.

Insurance agencies have the option to offer some or all of the said plans, though they are required to make available Plan A. In addition, if the companies are providing other policies besides Plan A, they must also offer Plan C or Plan F to existing Medicare members, and either Plan D or Plan G to the new enrollees.

Plans E, H, I, and J are absent from the list because they are no longer being sold, though you can continue using them if you are already enrolled in them. Also, Plans D and G that took effect on or after June 1, 2010 have different benefits from the policies that were sold before the said date.

Basic Inclusions of a Medigap Policy

ALL Medigap policies offer the following:

• Medicare Part A coinsurance and hospital fees (up to an extra 365 days)
• Medicare Part B copayment or coinsurance
• First 3 pints of blood
• Part A hospice care copayment or coinsurance

There are other benefits, but their coverage varies according to the plan that you choose:

• Skilled nursing facility care coinsurance
• Part A and Part B deductibles
• Part B excess charges
• Foreign travel emergency (up to plan limits)

What Medicare Supplements Do Not Cover

Medicare supplements do not cover vision or dental care, eyeglasses, hearing aids, long-term care (as with living in a nursing home), and private-duty nursing services. Some products may be given, but as a factor of a medical necessity.

Note that in order to avail any of the Medigap plans, you have to already be enrolled in Original Medicare Part A and Part B. Medigap plans come with monthly premiums, and these costs will vary depending on the insurance provider. The premiums you pay for your Medicare Supplement is in addition to what you are already paying for Original Medicare Part B.

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Healthcare Policies that are Not Medicare Supplements

To prevent confusion, note that the following insurance products are not part of Medigap, so their benefits are different and they also are purchased separately, as needed.

• Medicaid
• Medicare Advantage Plans (ex. PPOs or HMOs)
• Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan
• TRICARE
• Veterans’ Benefits
• Employer or Union Plans
• Long-term Care Insurance Policies