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
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.
Things to know about Medigap policies
- You must have Medicare Part A and Part B.
- With Original Medicare and a Medigap, a primary care doctor is not required. You can visit any doctor who accepts Medicare anywhere in the US. No referrals, no networks.
- 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.
- You will need to choose a prescription drug plan (PDP) in addition to a Medigap.
- 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.
