Medicare · Medigap

Medicare Supplement (Medigap)

Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plans work alongside Original Medicare to help cover your share of costs. These plans are identified by letters, such as Plan G or Plan N. Each letter represents a standardized set of benefits established by the federal government, so the coverage for the same letter is the same no matter which insurance company offers it.

How Medigap works

It fills the gaps Original Medicare leaves.

Original Medicare pays most of a covered bill and leaves you the rest. Medigap is what pays that rest.

Under Original Medicare on its own you’re responsible for deductibles, copayments and coinsurance, and there is no yearly limit on how much that adds up to. A Medigap policy takes over some or all of that share, depending on which plan letter you choose.

There’s no network. A Medigap policy works with any doctor or hospital in the country that accepts Medicare, with no referrals and nothing to check before you travel. For people who split their year between two states, or who want to keep a specialist they’ve seen for years, that’s usually the deciding factor.

It does one job and only that job. Neither prescriptions, routine dental, vision or hearing care are included. You’ll need to add a separate Part D plan.

Any doctor who accepts MedicareNo referrals, no network to checkBenefits set by law, identical across companies

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How does a Supplement compare to Medicare Advantage?

The two plans side by side. You choose one or the other. You can’t have both at once.

Medicare Supplement (Medigap)

How it works: Sits alongside Original Medicare and helps pay the share Original Medicare leaves to you, such as deductibles, copays, and coinsurance.
Seeing a doctor: Any provider in the country who accepts Medicare. There is no network to check.
Referrals: Not required. You keep Original Medicare’s rules.
Prescription drugs: Not included. You add a separate Part D plan; see Prescription Drugs.
Extras: None. Medigap does one job: covering Original Medicare’s cost-sharing.
What you pay: Typically a higher monthly premium, in exchange for fewer costs at the time you get care.
Changing later: Easiest when you first become eligible. Applying later can involve health questions, depending on your state and situation.

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Medicare Advantage (Part C)

How it works: Replaces Original Medicare as the way you get your Part A and Part B benefits. A private carrier administers the plan.
Seeing a doctor: Usually you use the plan’s network. Care outside it may cost more, or may not be covered at all; it depends on the plan type.
Referrals: HMO plans usually route you through a primary care doctor. PPO and PFFS plans generally don’t.
Prescription drugs: Many plans include Part D drug coverage in the same plan.
Extras: Some plans include benefits Original Medicare doesn’t cover, such as routine dental, vision, or hearing. What’s included varies by plan.
What you pay: Typically a lower monthly premium, with copays and coinsurance as you use care, up to the plan’s yearly out-of-pocket maximum.
Changing later: You can change plans during the Annual Enrollment Period each fall, and in some other qualifying situations.

Read about Advantage

The right choice depends on your doctors, prescriptions, location, and budget. No single option fits everyone, so compare before you choose.

The standardized plans

A through N, and what each one covers.

Medigap plans are standardized by law. Once you know which letter you want, the only remaining question is which company to buy it from.

What each standardized Medigap plan covers
Benefit	Plan A	Plan B	Plan C	Plan D	Plan F	Plan G	Plan K	Plan L	Plan M	Plan N
Part A coinsurance and hospital costs (up to an extra 365 days after Medicare benefits are used up)	Covered in full, Plan A	Covered in full, Plan B	Covered in full, Plan C	Covered in full, Plan D	Covered in full, Plan F	Covered in full, Plan G	Covered in full, Plan K	Covered in full, Plan L	Covered in full, Plan M	Covered in full, Plan N
Part B coinsurance or copayment	Covered in full, Plan A	Covered in full, Plan B	Covered in full, Plan C	Covered in full, Plan D	Covered in full, Plan F	Covered in full, Plan G	50% covered, Plan K	75% covered, Plan L	Covered in full, Plan M	Covered in full, Plan N
First three pints of blood	Covered in full, Plan A	Covered in full, Plan B	Covered in full, Plan C	Covered in full, Plan D	Covered in full, Plan F	Covered in full, Plan G	50% covered, Plan K	75% covered, Plan L	Covered in full, Plan M	Covered in full, Plan N
Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment	Covered in full, Plan A	Covered in full, Plan B	Covered in full, Plan C	Covered in full, Plan D	Covered in full, Plan F	Covered in full, Plan G	50% covered, Plan K	75% covered, Plan L	Covered in full, Plan M	Covered in full, Plan N
Skilled nursing facility care coinsurance	Not covered, Plan A	Not covered, Plan B	Covered in full, Plan C	Covered in full, Plan D	Covered in full, Plan F	Covered in full, Plan G	50% covered, Plan K	75% covered, Plan L	Covered in full, Plan M	Covered in full, Plan N
Part A deductible	Not covered, Plan A	Covered in full, Plan B	Covered in full, Plan C	Covered in full, Plan D	Covered in full, Plan F	Covered in full, Plan G	50% covered, Plan K	75% covered, Plan L	50% covered, Plan M	Covered in full, Plan N
Part B deductible	Not covered, Plan A	Not covered, Plan B	Covered in full, Plan C	Not covered, Plan D	Covered in full, Plan F	Not covered, Plan G	Not covered, Plan K	Not covered, Plan L	Not covered, Plan M	Not covered, Plan N
Part B excess charges	Not covered, Plan A	Not covered, Plan B	Not covered, Plan C	Not covered, Plan D	Covered in full, Plan F	Covered in full, Plan G	Not covered, Plan K	Not covered, Plan L	Not covered, Plan M	Not covered, Plan N
Foreign travel emergency (up to the plan’s limits)	Not covered, Plan A	Not covered, Plan B	80% covered, Plan C	80% covered, Plan D	80% covered, Plan F	80% covered, Plan G	Not covered, Plan K	Not covered, Plan L	80% covered, Plan M	80% covered, Plan N
Yearly out-of-pocket limit	Not covered, Plan A	Not covered, Plan B	Not covered, Plan C	Not covered, Plan D	Not covered, Plan F	Not covered, Plan G	Yes, has a yearly limit, Plan K	Yes, has a yearly limit, Plan L	Not covered, Plan M	Not covered, Plan N

Covered in full Not covered50% / 75% / 80%: the share the plan pays

*Plan N pays the Part B coinsurance in full, except for a small copay on some office visits and on emergency room visits that don’t lead to an inpatient admission.

Plans K and L are the only two with a yearly out-of-pocket limit. Once you reach it, the plan pays 100% of covered services for the rest of the year. The limit is set by Medicare and changes each year; Medicare.gov lists the current amounts, or ask me.

Source: Medigap benefits are standardized by federal law, and this grid reproduces the official one published at Medicare.gov. Every insurance company must offer the same benefits under the same plan letter; what differs between companies is the price and the service. Plans C and F are not available to people who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. Massachusetts, Minnesota and Wisconsin standardize their plans differently, so this grid does not describe coverage in those three states.

Don’t skip this

Why you still need Part D.

A Medigap policy does not cover prescriptions. That’s not a gap in your plan; it’s a separate plan you need to add.

People who take few or no regular medications often decide to skip Part D because it seems unnecessary. The concern is the late enrollment penalty.

If you go without creditable prescription coverage after becoming eligible for Part D, enrolling later can trigger a penalty added to your premium. It’s not a one-time penalty charge. It can last as long as you have Part D and grow the longer you go without coverage.

If you have drug coverage from somewhere else (an employer, a union, or the VA), it may count as creditable, in which case there’s no penalty for delaying. Whether yours counts is worth confirming rather than assuming.

Read about Part D Verify Coverage

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How I help

Medigap starts with a conversation.

There’s no enroll online button on this page on purpose. Timing, state rules, and health questions all decide what you can actually get, and a form can’t tell you that.

I’m an independent broker who works with multiple insurance companies. I’ll help you compare the options available to you, explain the differences, and point out when a change may not actually improve your situation.

My role is to help people compare Medicare Supplement plan options from highly rated insurance companies. Ratings reflect financial strength and ability to pay claims, not price, service, or policy guarantees.

After you enroll, I stay your agent. If you have any concerns regarding a rate change you don’t understand or a move to another state, call me.

Talk to Lisa · (972) 639-7639 Text me

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Questions

Questions about Supplement plans.

Is a Plan G from one company different from a Plan G from another?

Not in what it covers. The benefits under each plan letter are set by federal law, so every Plan G covers the same things. What differs between companies is the price, how they raise prices over time, and what they’re like to deal with when you need something.

When should I buy one?

Your Medigap open enrollment period starts the month you’re 65 or older and enrolled in Part B, and it runs six months. During it, you can buy any Medigap policy sold in your state regardless of your health. That protection is the reason timing matters so much here.

What if I apply after that window?

Outside of your open enrollment period and outside certain guaranteed-issue situations, companies may ask health questions and can decline your application or charge more based on the answers. The rules vary by state. If you’re past your enrollment window, call me before you apply anywhere.

Does a Medigap policy cover my spouse too?

No. Medigap policies cover one person. If you and your spouse both want coverage, that’s two policies.

Can I keep it if I move to another state?

Generally Yes. Medigap isn’t network-based, so it travels with you. Tell me when you move anyway, because pricing and available plans can differ, and it’s worth a look.

Does it cost extra to buy through you?

No. The premium for a given policy is the same whether you go direct or through me. What you get by going through me is someone who compares the companies with you and stays reachable afterwards.

Get in touch

Finding the Right Plan and Company

That’s a fifteen-minute conversation. No cost, no obligation, and no pressure to decide on the call.

Medicare Supplement (Medigap)

It fills the gaps Original Medicare leaves.

How does a Supplement compare to Medicare Advantage?

Medicare Supplement (Medigap)

Medicare Advantage (Part C)

A through N, and what each one covers.

Why you still need Part D.

Medigap starts with a conversation.

Questions about Supplement plans.

Finding the Right Plan and Company

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