Medicare Supplement Insurance Policy

 

To fully understand how Medicare Supplement Insurance works, a little history is necessary…

 

Long ago, when Medicare was born, private insurance companies began writing policies that would cover the medical costs that Medicare did not pay.  Originally called “Medigap” insurance, over time, this name has morphed into “Medicare Supplement Insurance”.  

 

Back in the day, it was the “Wild-Wild West” for private insurance companies writing these Medigap policies.  As competition increased, companies started adding whistles and bells to their policies to make them more attractive.  Eventually, Medigap Insurance became so confusing to consumers that our government stepped in, condensed, and standardized these plans into a dozen or so.  These new Medicare Supplement plans were labeled alphabetically* “A,B,C, D… etc…” so as to distinguish them apart from one another.  Federal guidelines were established so each plan type was identical.  This means that a Plan G from company A and Plan G from company B were identical… the only difference is their premium cost.  

  

Today, a Medicare Supplement Insurance Policy is a popular way to cover the medical cost gaps of Original Medicare (Parts A & B).  You must have both Parts A & B to purchase a Medicare Supplement policy.