Medicare 101
Everything You Should Know About Medigap Policies
by Christian Worstell | Published March 31, 2021 | Reviewed by John Krahnert
Medigap Policies are insurance policies purchased through private insurers that can help cover some of Original Medicare's out-of-pocket costs such as copayments, coinsurance and deductibles.
There are 10 standardized Medigap plans available in most states (excluding Massachusetts, Wisconsin and Minnesota, which each have their own options). Because Medigap policies are standardized, Medigap Plan F purchased in Washington will provide the same benefits as Medigap Plan F purchased in Virginia, and so on.
Keep in mind, however, that health insurance companies set their own prices for Medigap policies, so it is important to shop around and compare rates before purchasing a plan.
Medigap Eligibility
Anyone who is age 65 or older and enrolled in Original Medicare is eligible for a Medigap policy. Medicare recipients under the age of 65 may be eligible for a Medigap policy in some states, but not all.
Currently, the states that require insurers to offer Medigap policies to Medicare recipients under the age of 65 are Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin.
Note: People enrolled in Medicare Advantage are not eligible for Medigap.
Medigap Policy Comparison Chart
The following chart compares the ten Medicare Supplement Insurance plans side by side.
Scroll to the right to continue reading the chart
Medicare Supplement Benefits
Part A coinsurance and hospital coverage
Part B coinsurance or copayment
Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment
First 3 pints of blood
Skilled nursing facility coinsurance
Part A deductible
Part B deductible
Part B excess charges
Foreign travel emergency
| Medicare Supplement Benefits | A | B | C* | D | F1* | G1 | K2 | L3 | M | N4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part A coinsurance and hospital coverage | ||||||||||
| Part B coinsurance or copayment | 50% | 75% | ||||||||
| Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment | 50% | 75% | ||||||||
| First 3 pints of blood | 50% | 75% | ||||||||
| Skilled nursing facility coinsurance | 50% | 75% | ||||||||
| Part A deductible | 50% | 75% | 50% | |||||||
| Part B deductible | ||||||||||
| Part B excess charges | ||||||||||
| Foreign travel emergency | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% |
* Plan F and Plan C are not available to Medicare beneficiaries who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. If you became eligible for Medicare before 2020, you may still be able to enroll in Plan F or Plan C as long as they are available in your area.
+ Read more1 Plans F and G offer high-deductible plans that each have an annual deductible of $2,490 in 2022. Once the annual deductible is met, the plan pays 100% of covered services for the rest of the year. The high-deductible Plan F is not available to new beneficiaries who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020.
2 Plan K has an out-of-pocket yearly limit of $6,620 in 2022. After you pay the out-of-pocket yearly limit and yearly Part B deductible, it pays 100% of covered services for the rest of the calendar year.
3 Plan L has an out-of-pocket yearly limit of $3,310 in 2022. After you pay the out-of-pocket yearly limit and yearly Part B deductible, it pays 100% of covered services for the rest of the calendar year.
4 Plan N pays 100% of the Part B coinsurance, except for a copayment of up to $20 for some office visits and up to $50 copayment for emergency room visits that don’t result in an inpatient admission.
- Read lessWhen to Enroll
It is important to enroll in Medigap during your open enrollment period, which is the six-month period that begins when you are both 65 years old and enrolled in Medicare Part B. Failing to enroll in a Medigap plan during your open enrollment period could cause your premiums to be higher or could prevent you from enrolling at all.
Speak With a Licensed Agent
Before you choose a Medigap policy, it is important to determine how much coverage you need and how much you can afford to pay for a monthly premium. The plans with more benefits typically cost more than the plans with less coverage. It is also important to verify whether or not the plan you want is available in your area. A licensed agent can help answer all of these questions for you and match you with a Medigap plan that works for you.
Speak with a licensed agent today at 1-800-995-4219.
