A Medicare supplement (Medigap) insurance, sold by private companies, can help pay some of the health care costs that Original Medicare doesn’t cover, like copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles.
Since Medigap policies fill the gaps in Original Medicare Plan coverage including when Medicare is exhausted, it is necessary that the patient continue to require skilled nursing just as he or she did when they were under Medicare coverage.
Choosing the Medigap for You
We highly recommend reading Choosing a Medigap Policy: A Guide to Health Insurance for People with Medicare and exploring Medigap policies at medicare.gov.
Requirements & Coverage
When you buy a Medigap policy, in most all cases, you must have Medicare Part A and Part B.
Medigap policies, most often, do not cover long-term care, vision or dental care, hearing aids, eyeglasses, or private-duty nursing.
The Cost
Premiums vary depending on the plan you choose. You will have to pay the monthly Medicare Part B premium in addition to the monthly Part B premium that you pay to Medicare.
Your Medigap policy won’t cover any health care costs for your spouse, so you and your spouse must each buy separate Medigap policies.
Medigap policies do not require specific language regarding use at a religious non-medical health care institution (RNHCIs).
