What is Medicare Supplemental Insurance?

Medicare Supplemental insurance is a kind of health insurance policy sold by private insurance companies to fill the "gaps" in Original Medicare Plan coverage.

    Who is Eligible?

You must be Medicare-eligible (in general, over age 64.5 years old) and covered under Original Medicare. Medigap policies don't work with any other type of health insurance, including Medicare Advantage Plans, employer/union group coverage, Veterans Administration (VA) benefits, or TRICARE.

Anyone who is on Medicare Part A and Part B, or is about to become Medicare-eligible can buy a Medigap policy.

    The Benefits

Medigap policies help pay some of the health care costs that your Original Medicare Plan doesn't cover. If you are in the Original Medicare Plan and have a Medigap policy, then Medicare and your Medigap policy will pay both their shares of covered health care costs. You and your spouse must each buy separate Medigap policies. Your Medigap policy won't cover any health care costs for your spouse. Medigap is add-on insurance policy for each eligible individual that covers medical expenses not covered under Original Medicare.

    How Much Does It Cost?

In each standardized Medicare Supplemental insurance plan, benefits are identical from one company to the next. This makes plan comparison far easier than it is for general individual health insurance. However, premiums may vary between companies. In most cases, you should compare plans from different carriers.

For Medicare Supplemental coverage, you will pay a monthly premium to the insurance company providing you with coverage. While we cannot provide pricing on this page, you can get price quotes by filling out our Quote Request form.

    Comparing Medicare Supplemental Plans?

Every Medicare Supplemental policy, in order to be designated a "Medicare Supplemental" or "Medigap", plan has to follow federal and state laws designed to make the buying process easier for the consumer. Medigap insurance companies can only sell you a "standardized" Medigap policy identified by letters A through L. Each standardized Medigap policy must offer the same basic benefits, no matter what insurance company sells it. Cost is usually the only difference between Medigap policies sold by different insurance companies. (You should, however, compare insurance companies on other measures such as customer service and reputation.)

Medigap policies are structured in standard packages (Plans A through L), making pricing comparisons easier for consumers.