Medicare Supplements

What is a Medicare Supplement?

A Medicare Supplement policy, also known as a “Medigap” policy, is private health insurance designed to supplement Original Medicare, covering costs such as, copayments, deductibles, and coinsurance.

Important Facts about Medicare Supplements

• You must have Original Medicare (Medicare Part A and Part B)
• Plans are standardized and can be purchased with varying coverage options
• You pay a monthly premium for your Medicare Supplement Policy in addition to your monthly Part B premium
• A Medicare Supplement Policy only covers one person. Spouses must buy a separate policy
• Medicare Supplement plans have no provider networks
• You can’t have prescription drug coverage in both your Medicare Supplement policy and a Medicare drug plan–you must have one or the other
• You cannot buy a Medicare Supplement policy if you have a Medicare Advantage Plan. If you want to switch to a Medicare Supplement Policy you will need to disenroll from your Medicare Advantage Plan

Medicare Supplements generally cover:

• Medicare Part A coinsurance and hospital costs up to an additional 365 days after Original Medicare benefits expire
• Medicare Part B Copayment or Coinsurance
• Blood (First 3 pints)
• Part A Hospice Care Copayment or Coinsurance

The chart below gives an overview of standardized Medicare Supplement Plans available in most states (Exceptions: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Massachusetts)

Minnesota, Wisconsin and Massachusetts have different standardized Medicare Supplement Plans.

*Plans F and G also offer a high-deductible plan in some states. If you choose this option, you must pay for Medicare-covered costs up to the deductible amount of $2,700 in 2023 ($2,490 in 2022) before your Medicare Supplement plan pays anything. (Plans C and F aren’t available to people who were newly eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020.)

**For Plans K and L, after you meet your out-of-pocket yearly limit and your yearly Part B deductible ($226 in 2022), the Medicare Supplement plan pays 100% of covered services for the rest of the calendar year.

***Plan N pays 100% of the part B coinsurance, except for a copayment of up to $20 for some office visits and up to a $50 copayment for emergency room visits that don’t result in an inpatient admission.