Does the Health Insurance Marketplace offer Medigap plans?

The Health Insurance Marketplace does not offer Medicare Supplement insurance plans. The Marketplace also does not sell any other Medicare coverage plans, such as Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage plans) or Medicare Part D (prescription drug plans). The health insurance exchange, HealthCare.gov, was created as a result of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also referred to as Obamacare, to help people without insurance enroll in a plan. The website offers various health insurance plans for individuals ranging in age, but the website does not offer Medicare-related coverage plans. If you are currently enrolled in the Medicare program, you cannot enroll in a Marketplace plan to supplement your Medicare coverage. According to HealthCare.gov, “It’s against the law for someone who knows you have Medicare to sell you a Marketplace plan.”

Meeting Obamacare coverage requirements with Medicare

HealthCare.gov states that if you have Medicare Part A coverage, you are covered under the ACA rules, and you meet the ACA requirement of “minimum essential coverage.” However, if you have only Medicare Part B coverage, you do not meet the ACA minimum coverage requirement and may have to pay the coverage penalty. In this situation, your options would be to enroll in Medicare Part A or pay the fine.

Minor exceptions

Although you cannot have Original Medicare and a Marketplace plan, HealthCare.gov details 2 exceptions when you can choose a Marketplace plan instead of a Medicare plan:

1. If you currently pay the Medicare Part A premium; or
2. If you are eligible for Medicare but have not yet enrolled.

If you currently pay the Medicare Part A premium because you or your spouse did not pay Medicare taxes while working, you can drop your Medicare coverage and enroll in a Marketplace plan instead. If you are eligible for Medicare but have not yet enrolled, you can enroll in a Marketplace plan until you are enrolled in Medicare. For example, if you qualify for Medicare because of a disability, but you want to keep your Marketplace plan, you can keep this plan until you are ready to switch to Medicare. Medicare.gov provides a full list of special exceptions for Marketplace and Medicare coverage.

Buying Medigap coverage

If you want to compare and purchase a Medigap plan, you can submit your ZIP code at the top of this page or call one of our licensed insurance agents at 1-800-966-9487 . Medicare.gov provides more information about enrolling in Original Medicare, a Medicare Advantage plan, or a Medicare prescription drug plan.