Skip to main content

Medicare Supplement Insurance

Find the right fit to help manage costs.

Home » Life & Health » Medicare Supplement Insurance

Medicare supplement insurance, operating since 1939.

Medicare supplement insurance can be a complicated topic. Our representatives can help you to determine which plan is the best fit for you.

A Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policy helps pay some of the health care costs that Original Medicare doesn’t cover, like copayments, coinsurance and deductibles. Some Medigap policies also cover services that Original Medicare doesn’t cover, like medical care when you travel outside the U.S.

If you have Original Medicare and you buy a Medigap policy, here’s what happens. Medicare will pay its share of the Medicare-approved amount for covered health care costs. Then, your Medigap policy pays its share.

Here are some things you should know about Medigap policies:

  • You must have Medicare Part A and Part B.
  • A Medigap policy is different from a Medicare Advantage Plan. Those plans are ways to get Medicare benefits, while a Medigap policy only supplements your Original Medicare benefits.
  • You pay the private insurance company a monthly premium for your Medigap policy. You pay this monthly premium in addition to the monthly Part B premium that you pay to Medicare.
  • A Medigap policy only covers one person. If you and your spouse both want Medigap coverage, you’ll each have to buy separate policies.
  • Any standardized Medigap policy is guaranteed renewable even if you have health problems. This means the insurance company can’t cancel your Medigap policy as long as you pay the premium.
  • Some Medigap policies sold in the past cover prescription drugs. But, Medigap policies sold after January 1, 2006 aren’t allowed to include prescription drug coverage. If you want prescription drug coverage, you can join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (Part D).
  • It’s illegal for anyone to sell you a Medigap policy if you have a Medicare Advantage Plan, unless you’re switching back to Original Medicare.
Start Quote RequestBook Appointment
Our Partners
Which insurance solution is right for your family?

Explore how having the right insurance can protect you from the unexpected.

Medicare
Who Is Medicare For?
Get health coverage for your unique situation.

When you’re retired, unable to work due to disability, or have end-stage renal disease, your options for health coverage become much more limited. Medicare is available to most people aged 65 or older who have paid Medicare taxes while working, as well as some younger people with disabilities or end-stage renal disease. The program is currently administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

What Are the Four Parts of Medicare?
Understand the Medicare options.

Perhaps one of the more surprising and often confusing things about Medicare is that it’s divided into four parts, and each part covers something different. The different parts of Medicare are Part A, Part B, Part C (Medicare Advantage), and Part D. Medicare Parts A and B are sometimes referred to as Original Medicare. Your health needs will help determine which parts you need or qualify for.

What Is Medicare Part A?
Get coverage for hospital-related expenses.

Medicare Part A covers many hospital-related expenses. These could include hospital stays, hospice, stays in a psychiatric facility, and even home health care in some instances. However, it’s important to note that there are limitations on some of the coverages, such as psychiatric care and long-term care.

How Does Medicare Part A Work?
Learn about enrollment, costs, and more.

You become eligible to enroll in Medicare at 65 and must enroll during specific enrollment windows. Part A is available at no cost to individuals and their spouses who have paid Medicare taxes for at least ten years. Those who cannot receive it free may be eligible for Part A coverage and pay a premium for it. Medicare Part A will pay a portion of the costs associated with a hospital stay, but there are limits and caps to that coverage based on factors like your length of stay and the treatments you receive.

What Is Medicare Part B?
Get coverage for your non-hospital expenses.

Medicare Part B is perhaps easiest to understand as the opposite of Part A. It covers many medical expenses that are not associated with hospital stays, including doctor visits, some outpatient care, and more. For instance, Medicare Part B can cover ambulance rides, vaccines, and certain health screenings. Similar to Part A, there are limitations on certain coverages to take note of.

How Does Medicare Part B Work?
Pay attention to the premiums you’ll have to pay.

Unlike Part A, Part B requires you to pay a premium, and enrollment in the program is voluntary. Enrollment for Part B typically coincides with Part A, but you must still enroll during specific windows. Part B can cover some of the costs associated with diagnosis, treatment, and preventative care. Similar to private insurance, most preventative services are provided at no cost. However, many other services are typically subject to a deductible and coinsurance.

What Is Medicare Part C?
Medicare Part C offers another option for your needs.

Also known as Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part C plans are often considered the alternative to Original Medicare. You need both Medicare Parts A and B to join a Medicare Advantage plan. Medicare Part C usually has the same rules as Medicare Parts A and B, but their out-of-pocket costs may differ, and you may have to seek different avenues for care than you would under Original Medicare. Unlike Medicare Parts A and B, Part C can sometimes offer prescription drug coverage.

What Is Medicare Part D?
Get coverage for prescription drugs.

If you have both Medicare Part A and Part B, you could enroll in Medicare Part D as an optional coverage through a private insurance company. Part D helps to cover some of the costs associated with prescription medication. Similar to private health insurance, the price of your prescriptions depends on a number of factors, including the formulary, the “tier” your drug falls under, the pharmacy you use, and more. You’ll pay a premium for this coverage, and charges will be subject to a deductible and coinsurance. After a certain amount is spent, you may enter the coverage gap, or “donut hole,” where the plan won’t pay any benefits. If you incur significant expenses, you may get past this gap and move into “catastrophic coverage,” where you’ll pay very little for your prescriptions.

What Services Does Medicare Not Cover?
There are limitations to your Medicare coverage.

While it may seem like Medicare covers many of your medical needs, there are some things that it doesn’t. For instance, dental, vision, and hearing visits and treatments are typically not covered. Long-term custodial care is also not covered. These health expenses would need to be paid out-of-pocket or via a supplemental insurance policy. In addition, if you’re interested in any cosmetic medical procedures or procedures outside of the US, those typically aren’t covered either.

What Are Medicare Supplement Plans?
Boost your Medicare plan with supplemental coverage.

Medicare supplement plans, also known as Medigap, are optional coverage plans available to individuals who have both Medicare Parts A and B who want to supplement their Medicare coverage. These supplement plans can help cover more of the out-of-pocket costs of your health expenses, including copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles. However, as of 2006, Medigap plans do not provide prescription drug coverage and often don’t cover long-term care, hearing, dental, or vision-related expenses

What Is Final Expense Insurance?
Prepare for end-of-life expenses.

Funerals and other end-of-life expenses can be significant, costing your loved ones a lot of money. Unfortunately, Medicare only covers medically-necessary expenses, meaning those needed to diagnose or treat a condition or illness, and funerals don’t fall into that category. That’s where final expense insurance comes in. You can typically get a plan for a relatively low cost without a medical exam. Final expense insurance isn’t part of Medicare, but it can help cover expenses such as embalming, cremation, hearse fees, and more that Medicare does not cover.

What Are Hospital Indemnity Plans?
Consider extended coverage for your hospital stay.

Even though Medicare Part A and Medicare Advantage provide coverage for many of your hospital stay expenses, you are still responsible for some out-of-pocket costs, which can add up quickly. A hospital indemnity plan can help supplement your Medicare Part A or Medicare Advantage coverage. Although these plans will differ from one company to another, they often provide a cash benefit for every day you are in the hospital within your chosen benefit period, which can help cover the out-of-pocket costs you incur.

Does Medicare Include Dental, Vision, and Hearing Coverage?
You’ll need to look into standalone plans.

Unfortunately, Medicare plans only cover expenses that are considered medically necessary. That means most of your dental, vision, and hearing needs—including dental exams and procedures, vision exams and glasses, and hearing aids, for example—are not covered under Medicare, and only a handful of Medicare Advantage plans may provide this kind of coverage. You’ll need to turn to standalone plans offered by private insurance companies to fill the gaps in your Medicare plan. You can often find plans where these policies are bundled together, or you can choose to get separate plans.

What If You’re Younger Than 65?
If you don’t qualify for Medicare yet, there may be a solution.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) and short-term medical plans may offer you the health coverage you need. ACA differs from short-term medical insurance, so it’s important to consider your needs when choosing between the two. ACA is subject to federal regulations that mandate minimum coverage, and you can’t be turned away because of a pre-existing condition, which can result in higher premiums. Short-term medical plans typically have lower premiums, but they have more limitations on your coverage, and you can be turned away based on your health.

It’s important to know that Medigap policies don’t cover everything. They generally don’t cover long-term care, vision or dental care, hearing aids, eyeglasses or private-duty nursing. Another thing to be aware of is the fact that some types of insurance aren’t Medigap plans.

These include:

  • Medicare Advantage Plans (like an HMO, PPO, or Private Fee-for-Service Plan)
  • Medicare Prescription Drug Plans
  • Medicaid
  • Employer or union plans, including the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP)
  • TRICARE
  • Veterans’ benefits
  • Long-term care insurance policies
  • Indian Health Service, Tribal and Urban Indian Health plans

Medicare insurance can be a complicated issue, so please contact us today if you want to talk about your options.

Medicare Supplement Insurance Quote Request

As an independent agency, we offer multiple options at competitive prices.