What Is Covered And Not Covered By The Medicare Supplement Plans

By Author: William Richards
Total Articles: 366
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The Medigap Insurance or Medicare supplement plans helps the Medicare beneficiaries to bear that extra medical cost that are left aside by the original plans. The name Medigap is suggested because it is believed that these policies bridges the gap between the Medicare coverage and the original expenses or the total bill charged. However in the recent studies it is seen that in the United States about 18% of the people having original Medicare policy goes for the supplement plans also.

A Medigap policy is health insurance sold by private insurance companies to fill gaps in Original Medicare coverage. Medigap policies can help pay your share (coinsurance, copayments, or deductibles) of the costs of Medicare-covered services. Some Medigap policies also cover certain benefits Original Medicare doesn't cover. Medigap policies don't cover your share of the costs under other types of health coverage, including Medicare Advantage Plans, stand-alone Medicare Prescription Drug Plans, employer/union group health coverage, Medicaid, Veterans Administration (VA) benefits, or TRICARE. ...
... Also, except for Medicare Prescription Drug Plans, while you have any of these other types of health coverage, insurance companies generally aren't allowed to sell you a Medicare Supplemental Plans.

Part A Medigap plan is your hospital insurance. It helps you to pay for the medical treatment that you receive in a hospital or skilled nursing facility. It also covers some of your home health care and hospice care, if you are ill for a time being.

Part B is that part of the insurance coverage that helps you pay for the medical services that are not covered by the Part A policy. It also includes the Doctor's charge. It is rather helpful when you are having a Part A policy. Part C is that part of the insurance coverage or such a Medicare supplement plan that combines both Part A and B coverage. It also provides some additional services. The Part C Medicare supplement plan is offered only through Medicare approved private insurance companies.

The Part D Medicare supplement plan is for your prescription drug coverage. It helps you pay for the medications prescribed by your doctor. In this case it is to be mentioned that the policy holders who enroll themselves for standalone Part D plan may not retain the drug coverage portion of their Medigap policy.

But along with these facilities it should be remembered that there are some limitations of the Medigap plans. As for example, none of the standard Medigap plans covers the following points:

1. Long term care to help you bathe, dress, eat, or use of bathroom
2. Vision or dental care
3. Hearing aids
4. Prescription drugs

Besides these there are some extra benefits that are offered by Medigap policies. And it is seen that people are willing to pay more for the benefits offered by Plans B through J. The Plans F and J also provide a high-deductible option. In these plans you have to pay lower premium rates but the fact is that you need to pay off more amount of money from your pocket before these policies begins to pay the benefits.

If you are looking for the Supplemental Medicare Plans the choice of the Best Medicare Supplemental Insurance is the most important thing for the Best Medicare Supplemental Coverage.