What's Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap)?

Medigap is Medicare Supplement Insurance that helps fill "gaps" in Original Medicare and is sold by private companies. Original Medicare pays for much, but not all, of the cost for covered health care services and supplies. A Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policy can help pay some of the remaining health care costs, like:

• Copayments
• Coinsurance
• Deductibles

Medigap policies don't cover everything

Medigap policies generally don't cover:

• Long-term care (like non-skilled care you get in a nursing home)
• Vision or dental services
• Hearing aids
• Eyeglasses
• Private-duty nursing

nsurance plans that aren't Medigap

Some types of insurance aren't Medigap plans, they 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

Medigap helps pay your Part B bills

In most Medigap policies, the Medigap insurance company will get your Part B claim information directly from Medicare. Then, they pay the doctor directly. Some Medigap insurance companies also provide this service for Part A claims.

If your Medigap insurance company doesn't provide this service, ask your doctors if they "participate" in Medicare. This means that they "accept assignment" for all Medicare patients. If your doctor participates, the Medigap insurance company is required to pay the doctor directly if you request it.

How Do You Enroll in Medicare Supplement?

To enroll in a Medicare Supplement plan, you must first enroll in Medicare Parts A and B. If you only sign up for Medicare Part A when you turn 65, usually because you or your spouse are still working, then you will need to contact the Social Security Administration to enroll in Part B.  Once you are enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B, you can enroll in a Medicare Supplement plan. It’s important to know that in the first six months of Medicare Part B enrollment, you can purchase a Medicare Supplement plan without worrying about preexisting conditions or being accepted. This is called the guaranteed issue right period.