Medicare Supplement Insurance
What's Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap)?
Medigap, also known as Medicare Supplement Insurance, is offered by private insurers to help fill the coverage “gaps” in Original Medicare. While Original Medicare covers many healthcare services, it doesn’t pay for everything. A Medigap policy helps reduce your out-of-pocket costs by covering expenses such as:
Copayments
Coinsurance
Deductibles
Medigap policies don't cover everything
Medigap policies typically do not cover:
- Long-term care, such as non-skilled care in a nursing home
- Vision or dental services
- Hearing aids
- Eyeglasses
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Nsurance plans that aren't Medigap
Certain types of insurance are not considered Medigap plans. These include:
Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, PPO, or Private Fee-for-Service)
Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (Part D)
Medicaid
Employer or union group health plans, including the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP)
TRICARE (for military members and their families)
Veterans’ benefits
Long-term care insurance
Indian Health Service, Tribal, and Urban Indian Health programs
Medigap helps pay your Part B bills
With most Medigap policies, your insurance company receives your Part B claim information directly from Medicare and pays your doctor automatically. Some insurers also offer this direct payment service for Part A claims.
If your Medigap provider doesn’t offer direct payment, check if your doctor participates in Medicare—meaning they accept Medicare assignment for all patients. If so, your Medigap insurer is required to pay the doctor directly if requested.
How Do You Enroll in Medicare Supplement?
To enroll in a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan, you must first be enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B. If you only enrolled in Part A when you turned 65—often due to continuing employer coverage—you’ll need to contact the Social Security Administration to sign up for Part B.
Once you’re enrolled in both Parts A and B, you’re eligible to apply for a Medigap plan. You’ll have a six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period starting from your Part B effective date. During this time, you have a guaranteed issue right, meaning you can buy any Medigap plan available in your area without being denied coverage or charged more due to preexisting conditions.
