If you rely on Medicare for your medical insurance coverage, you are probably aware of the fact that not everything is paid for under the plan. You will still need to pay a deductible on most hospital stays and a co-pay for doctor visits. Dental and vision coverage is not part of Medicare Part A or Part B either. This can be quite costly; especially when you are on a fixed income. Luckily, you can get extra help by purchasing a Medigap plan from an insurance company. While this plan does not cover dental or vision expenses, it will still save you quite a bit of money annually. Here are some things you need to understand when searching for this type of Medicare supplement.
Cost
As with most insurance policies, you have options as to what you want to be covered and how much of a deductible you can pay. In addition, each insurance company will have different policy costs. This is why it is a good idea to sit down with an insurance broker who can sell all the different Medigap policies instead of one who can only sell policies from one insurance underwriter. You should discuss any current medical issues you have as well as things you feel will come up in the future due to your lifestyle and family history. Together you can decide on the plan that will work best for you.
General Coverage
While there are a number of different policies, there are some things that they all cover for you completely, and some other things they cover partially. Here are the things they cover completely:
- Medicare Part A hospital coinsurance. You will not have to pay any co-pay for a hospital stay.
- Medicare Part B preventive medicine coinsurance. You will not need to pay a co-pay for any diagnostic tests or any preventive medicine doctor visits.
- Hospital stays longer than the one-year limit on Medicare Part A.
Here are things that may be partially covered by some policies but not all:
- Medicare Parts A and B deductible. Some policies will pay a portion of your regular Medicare deductibles.
- Medicare Part B general coinsurance. Some policies will pay all or a portion of the bills incurred for treating medical conditions. These include ambulance services, the purchase of necessary medical equipment and supplies, the cost of getting a second opinion, and outpatient services.
While a Medigap plan is important to help cover medical costs, you need to purchase the policy that will be most beneficial to your situation. Medical insurance coverage is confusing at best, and mind-boggling when it comes to the different Medicare options. Talk with an insurance agent who can explain Medigap plans to you and help you choose your best options.
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