What Medigap policies don’t cover


Medigap policies don’t cover long-term care (like care in a nursing home), vision or dental care, hearing aids, eyeglasses, and private-duty nursing.

Types of coverage that are NOT Medigap policies


• Medicare Advantage Plans (Part C), like an HMO, PPO, or Private Fee-for-Service Plans
• Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (Part D)
 • Medicaid
 • Employer or union plans, including Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP)
 • TRICARE
• Veterans’ benefi ts
• Long-term care insurance policies
• Indian Health Service, Tribal, and Urban Indian Health plans

• Generally, you must have Medicare Part A and Part B to buy a Medigap policy.

• You pay a premium for your Medigap policy to the private insurance company, in addition to the monthly Part B premium that you pay to Medicare.

• A Medigap policy only covers one person. If you and your spouse both want Medigap coverage, most likely, you each will have to buy separate Medigap policies.

• You can buy a Medigap policy from any insurance company that is licensed in your state to sell one to you.

• If you want to buy a Medigap policy, follow the “Steps to buying a Medigap policy.”

 • Any standardized Medigap policy is guaranteed renewable even if you have health problems. This means the insurance company can’t cancel your Medigap policy as long as you pay the premium.

• Although some Medigap policies sold in the past cover prescription drugs, no new Medigap policies are allowed to include prescription drug coverage.

• If you want prescription drug coverage, you may want to join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (Part D) offered by private companies approved by Medicare.