Supplemental health insurance, often called Medigap insurance, is specifically designed to supplement Medicare’s benefits. Medigap insurance pays most, if not all, Medicare coinsurance amounts and may pay for Medicare’s deductibles, depending upon the plan purchased.

To make it easier to compare Medigap insurance coverage and costs, there are ten standard Medigap plans, designated “A” through “J.” Plan A is the basic plan (and least expensive one), and the other nine add different combinations of benefits (and cost) to meet the individual needs of the consumer.

Insurance companies must give you at least 30 days to review a Medigap policy. If you decide you don’t want the policy, send it back to the agent or company within 30 days and ask for a refund. Because of this 30 day review period, it is best never to pay for an insurance policy with cash. Instead, pay by check, money order, or bank draft.

Unless your supplemental plan is a converted group plan, which is discussed below, you only need one policy if it was purchased since 1992 (when the ten standard plans became law). If you have more than one standard Medigap policy, you should consider canceling one.

Supplemental insurance which is a converted group health plan is not required to have the same standard coverage as Medigap plans sold by insurance companies. If you have supplemental insurance from a converted group health plan, purchasing one of the ten standard Medigap plans could benefit you. Of course you should compare the benefits offered under your converted supplemental insurance with those offered by the standard Medigap plans to determine if you need additional coverage.

If you receive Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board benefits, you will automatically receive your Medicare Part A card at age 65.

If you have a retiree group health plan and you elect to keep it, it will convert to a supplemental health insurance plan and will probably pay for most medical expenses not covered by Medicare, but check with your health benefits offices to be certain.

If you are a retired state employee, your converted state group health plan may not pay for everything because it is not required to follow the same standards as those policies sold by insurance companies. Your converted state group health plan may cover almost everything, but you should compare its benefits to the standard Medigap plans to determine if you need additional coverage.

One final note, if you are not receiving Social Security retirement at age 65, you must contact a Social Security office to sign-up for Medicare.

Everyone’s insurance needs are different. Most of the senior adults I’ve talked to purchased either Medigap Plan C or Plan F. Medigap Plan C includes all the medical coverage under Plan A plus covers the hospital deductible and emergency medical care in foreign countries which are excluded under Medicare. Medigap Plan F is popular because it includes the same coverage contained in both Plan A and Plan C, and covers a percentage of any excess charge by doctors (and other medical suppliers) who do NOT accept assignment. Of course, Medigap Plan C and Plan F are usually more expensive than Plan A which has only the basic coverage.

Shopping for the best price and switching plans or insurance companies is relatively easy but you should ask your insurance agent about pre-existing conditions and open enrollment guarantees which could limit your coverage for a short time.

Also, Qualified Medicare Beneficiary or QMB and SLMB are programs which help low-income beneficiaries pay for their deductible, co-pay, and Medicare Part B premiums charges. The Medicaid program pays for most costs which Medicare does not for those individuals who meet its income and assets guidelines. Use this link to find the income eligibility guidelines for these programs.

Low-income individuals may inquire and sign-up for these programs at any Department of Human Services county office.

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