Medicare Supplement Part G | Medigap

Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan G

Medicare Supplement Insurance, also known as Medigap, helps pay some of the costs that Original Medicare doesn't cover, like:

• Deductibles
• Copays
• Coinsurance

Original Medicare and Medicare Supplement Insurance work together:

• First, Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) pays its share of the Medicare-approved amount for your covered health care costs
• Then, your Medicare Supplement Insurance pays its share

You can buy Medigap policies through private insurance companies. It's a good idea to shop around, so you can find the Medicare Supplement Plan that works best for you.

Comprehensive Benefits, You Pay Your Part B Deductible

Among the various Medicare Supplement policies, Plan G offers some of the most comprehensive benefits. These benefits will fill in most of the gaps in your Original Medicare coverage.

When comparing plans, it helps to know that Plan G offers the same benefits as Plan F, with one difference. Plan G does not cover your Original Medicare Part B deductible. This means that you will have to pay your Part B deductible out-of-pocket. After you meet your Part B deductible amount, you will then be responsible for paying 20% of the cost of Medicare-approved Part B services.

Important note: Plan G does cover Part B excess charges.

9 Things Medicare Supplement Plan G Covers:

• Part A deductible
• Part B excess charges
• Part B coinsurance costs for preventive care
• Part A hospital and coinsurance costs (up to an additional 356 days after your Original Medicare benefits are exhausted)
• Part B copays or coinsurance
• First three pints of blood for an approved medical procedure (yearly)
• Part A hospice care copays or coinsurance
• Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) coinsurance
• Emergency medical care when you're traveling outside the United States

Medicare Supplement Plans generally don't cover long-term care, private-duty nursing, vision care, dental care, hearing aids and eyeglasses.

Medicare Supplement vs. Medicare Advantage

It's important to know that a Medicare Supplement Plan is different from a Medicare Advantage Plan. A Medicare Advantage Plan is another way to receive Medicare benefits. A Medicare Supplement Plan (Medigap policy) works together with your Original Medicare benefits and supplements them. Before you decide which option fits your needs, it's a good idea to read about these choices and talk with a Medicare specialist.

Things to remember:

• You must have Original Medicare (Part A and Part B)
• You must continue to pay your Part B premium
• You will also pay a monthly premium for your Medigap policy
• You can buy a Medigap policy from any insurance company that's licensed in your state to sell one
• Your Medigap policy cannot be canceled by the insurance company as long as you pay your monthly premium
• Medigap policies are not allowed to offer prescription drug coverage

For more information:

• Visit Medicare.gov
• Contact the private insurance companies that sell Medigap policies
• Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) (TTY: 711) 24 hours a day, seven days a week
• Call your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)