Medicare Supplement Insurance

Medicare insurance coverage helps pay some of your share of the health care costs not covered by the Medicare Plan; such as deductibles, coinsurance, and copayment amounts. Some Medicare Supplemental insurance plans also cover certain hospital or medical services not covered by Medicare. 

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• An official "Welcome to Medicare" packet with important information about your coverage options.

• Your official "Medicare & You" handbook once you're enrolled and every year each fall.

• Mail from private insurance companies, agents and brokers, marketing the Medicare plans they offer.

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There are 3 main ways to get Medicare coverage:

Original Medicare – Includes Part A and Part B. You can use any doctor or hospital that takes Medicare, anywhere in the U.S.

• If you want drug coverage, you can join a separate Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (Part D) .

• To help pay your out-of-pocket costs in Original Medicare (like your 20% coinsurance), you can also shop for and buy supplemental coverage like a Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policy.

If you don't get Part D or a Medigap policy when you're first eligible, you may have to pay more to get this coverage later. For Part D, this could mean a lifetime premium penalty.

Medicare Advantage – An "all in one" alternative to Original Medicare. These "bundled" plans include Part A, Part B, and usually Part D. Most plans offer extra benefits that Original Medicare doesn't cover – like vision, hearing, dental, and more.

• Plans may have lower out-of-pocket costs than Original Medicare.

• In most cases, you'll need to use doctors who are in the plan's network.