Medicare is a federal health insurance program available for people who are above the age of 65, people with disabilities, and people suffering from End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). Health insurance is mandatory in the country, and Medicare is one of the popular options to provide the necessary health cover.

Original Medicare includes Part A cover for hospital insurance and Part B cover for medical insurance. Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage plan), on the other hand, is private insurance provided by third party companies. The Federal insurance program also features Part D drug coverage that pays for medical costs that are not covered by original Medicare.

Original Medicare provides primary medical insurance cover. However, applicants can also benefit from supplement plans that will pay for copayment, coinsurance, and deductibles. Medigap policies feature ten types of plans, each with its own set of benefits and coverage options.

One must also be aware of the insurance plans that are not considered Medigap policies. These include Medicare Advantage Plans featuring HMO, PPO or private fee-for-service plans, Medicare prescription drug plans, Medicaid, Federal employee and union health plans, TRICARE, Veterans Benefits, and long-term care insurance among others.

Things to know about Medicare supplement plans (Medigap)

• Applicants must have original Medicare insurance before they can opt for additional insurance coverage.
• Note that Medicare supplement plans (Medigap) and Medicare Advantage plans are two different policies.
• A Medigap policy only supplements the additional costs that original Medicare does not cover or include.
• One must pay an additional premium for a Medigap policy along with the original Medicare’s cost for comprehensive health insurance coverage.
• A single Medigap policy will only cover one person. Thus, this makes it mandatory for every additional member of the family to purchase individual policies to pay for health care costs.
• One can buy Medigap policies from private insurance companies that are licensed by the state to sell supplement plans.
• Plan F is one of the most popular Medicare supplement plans.
• Policies and plans will vary slightly in terms of benefits as Plan F can only be availed through private insurance companies to get additional coverage with the original Medicare policy.
• Plan F provides comprehensive coverage for copayment and coinsurance costs that ensures there is no need to pay for additional out-of-pocket expenses. This plan significantly reduces the cost of buying health insurance, making Medicare supplement plans a popular choice for third-party health insurance.

Medicare supplements plans are a safety net and are beneficial in most cases as these policies provide the necessary cover for expenses that are not a part of original Medicare. Note that Medicare supplement plans are different in the states of Minnesota, Massachusetts, and Wisconsin.

Here is a brief overview of the coverage applicable across policies in these states to help applicants understand their benefits.

Medigap in the state of Wisconsin

Coinsurance is a fixed percentage of payment made by a third-party insurance provider for medical services available with original Medicare. Copayment, on the other hand, is a fixed amount for the original cover. Medical supplement plans in the state of Wisconsin provide basic benefits for Part A coinsurance for inpatient hospital care, Part B coinsurance to cover medical costs, 3 pints of blood each year, and Part A hospice copayment.

Other cost-sharing plans cover deductibles, home health care, excess charges, and emergencies during foreign travel. A Medigap policy in the state of Wisconsin offers the bare minimum when it comes to supplementing original Medicare.

Medigap in the state of Massachusetts
There are limitations when it comes to availing benefits of Medical supplement plans in the state of Massachusetts. Policies include the basics with Part A inpatient hospital care for 365 extra days after Medicare is no longer applicable, medical cost coverage up to 20% of the approved amount, 3 pints of blood per year, and Part A hospice coinsurance and copayment.

Inpatient hospital deductibles, skilled nursing facility coinsurance, regular deductibles, foreign travel emergency, mental health facility costs, and other state-mandated health benefits are a part of plans available in Massachusetts. The Medigap Core plan and Supplement 1 plan include or exclude these aspects depending on the type of health insurance taken.

Medigap in the state of Minnesota

Medicare supplement plans are slightly different in the state of Minnesota for applicants looking to benefit from the federal health insurance program. The primary benefits include inpatient hospital care that provides for Part A coinsurance, a certain percentage of Part B medical costs, and 3 pints of blood coverage as part of the policy that renews each year. The plan also provides for hospice, home health services, and supplies on a cost-sharing basis.

Applicants must also note that medical supplement plans in the state of Minnesota include comprehensive coverage for Plans K, L, M, N, and F to suit different insurance needs. One can avail of Medigap in Minnesota with two policies including the basic plan and extended basic plan. The extended plans include coverage for foreign travel emergency, outpatient mental health preventative care, physical therapy, and other state-mandated medical benefits depending on the plan one picks.