Supplemental (Medigap) Coverage

What is Medicare Supplemental (or Medigap) Insurance?

A Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policy helps pay some of the health care costs that Original Medicare doesn’t cover, like:

• Copayments
• Coinsurance
• Deductibles

Medigap policies are sold by private companies.

Not all Medicare Supplemental plans cover medical care outside the U.S. – Contact us to make sure you have coverage!

Compare the costs of Medicare Supplemental Plans!

Hafetz and Associates is licensed with multiple carriers in most states to help you compare costs easier. Insurance companies may charge different premiums for the same exact policy. As you shop for a policy, be sure you’re comparing the same policy. For example, compare Plan A from one company with Plan A from another company. 

Changing your Medicare Supplemental Plan

Every month of the year you can change your Medicare Supplemental plan.  Once it has been over 6 months from your Medicare Part A & B effective date, you will have to answer medical questions on the application to determine acceptance. At Hafetz and Associates we can help you through this process to make sure the carrier you are applying for is a good fit and that will accept your new choice of plans.

Things to know about Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policies 

• You must have Medicare Part A and Part B.
• A Medicare Supplement (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. Medicare Advantage becomes your primary insurance over Medicare, where as with a Supplement plan, Medicare remains primary with the Advantage plan as a secondary. 
• 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.
• Benefits never change unless you cancel or drop the plans coverage.
• Portable coverage – policy stays in force even if you move or change jobs.
• A Medigap policy only covers one person. If you and your spouse both want Medigap coverage, you’ll each have to buy separate policies. Some carriers offer discounts for multiple members of the household.
• You can buy a Medigap policy from any insurance company that’s licensed in your state to sell one.
• 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.
• Medigap policies sold after January 1, 2006 aren’t allowed to include prescription drug coverage. If you want prescription drug coverage, you can join a stand-alone Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (Part D).
• It’s illegal for anyone to sell you a Medigap policy if you have a Medicare Advantage Plan, unless you’re switching back to Original Medicare.
  
  
  For more information click here or call (888) 805-7701.

Data from Medicare.gov