Medicare Supplement (Medigap) Insurance

Medicare Supplement policies cover certain expenses not included under Medicare Part A and Part B.

Your open enrollment period for a Medicare Supplement plan lasts six months, beginning on the first day you’re enrolled in Medicare Part B, without consideration of your health history.

Medicare was designed not to cover all your medical expenses but to help reduce them by providing a foundational set of benefits. It covers a substantial portion of your medical costs, but only some things, and often not in full for the services it does cover.

Your Medicare Supplement policy allows you to choose your doctor without restrictions. However, you might need to file a claim with your insurance provider to get reimbursed.

The core benefits included in your individual Medicare Supplement policy are just the starting point. Your insurer may also offer additional optional benefits priced and sold separately from the standard policy.

Medicare mandates deductibles and many expenses under Part B are only covered at 80% of the approved rate by Medicare. You can buy Medicare Supplement policies from insurance companies to help cover the remaining 20% of Medicare-approved costs not paid by Medicare.