Medicare Supplement Insurance or "Medigap" helps fill "gaps" in Original Medicare and is sold by private companies. Original Medicare pays for much, but not all, of the cost for covered health care services and supplies.

A Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policy can help pay some of the remaining health care costs, like:

-Copayments

-Coinsurance

-Deductibles

Some Medigap policies also cover services that Original Medicare doesn't cover, like medical care when you travel outside of the United States. In most cases a Medicare Supplement plan cannot be combined with a Medicare Advantage Plan.

No, Medigap Insurance is voluntary. Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) is extra insurance you can buy from a private insurance company to help pay your share of costs in Original Medicare. 

You must have Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) to buy a Medigap policy. A Medigap policy only covers one person, so if you and your spouse both want Medigap coverage, you each have to buy your own policy.

If you have a Medigap policy and get care, Medicare will pay its share of the Medicare-approved amount for covered health care costs. Then, your Medigap policy will pay its share. You’re responsible for any costs that are left.

Once you buy a policy, you'll keep it as long as you pay your Medigap premiums. All standardized Medigap policies are automatically renewed every year, even if you have health problems. Your Medigap insurance company can only drop you if:

-You stop paying your premiums

-You weren't truthful on the Medigap policy application

-The insurance company goes bankrupt or goes out of business

Medigap & Medicare Advantage Plans

A Medigap policy is different from a Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C). A Medicare Advantage Plan is another way to get your Medicare coverage besides Original Medicare. A Medigap policy is a supplement to Original Medicare coverage. When you’re getting started with Medicare, you can either buy Medigap or enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan, but you can’t have both.

If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan, you can’t buy and don’t need a Medigap policy. It's illegal for anyone to sell you a Medigap policy unless you're switching back to Original Medicare. If you want to switch to Original Medicare and buy a Medigap policy, contact your Medicare Advantage Plan to see if you're able to disenroll.

If you have a Medigap policy and join a Medicare Advantage Plan for the first time, you may want to drop your Medigap policy because you’ll be paying for coverage you can’t use. If you’re not happy with your Medicare Advantage Plan, you’ll have a single 12-month period (your trial right period) to get your Medigap policy back if the same insurance company still sells it once you return to Original Medicare. After that period, you might have to wait to drop your Medicare Advantage Plan, and you might not be able to buy a Medigap policy, or it may cost more

Many people ask the question “Should I get a Medicare Advantage plan or Medicare supplement insurance?” Both are offered by private insurance companies, and with either choice, you continue to pay your monthly Part B premium to Medicare.

The main things to think about when deciding which is right for you are:

•Are you comfortable choosing a health care provider from within a provider network or do you want to be able to choose any provider that accepts Medicare patients?

•Would you rather have prescription drug coverage included in one plan or buy a separate Part D prescription drug plan?

•Would you rather pay a low or $0 monthly premium and copays for in-network services as you use them or potentially pay more in monthly premiums and have lower out-of-pocket costs for services you receive. Use this chart to help quickly compare plans.

(Information provided by United Healthcare Insurance Company)