Medigap (also known as Medicare Supplement Insurance) is designed to work alongside Original Medicare (Parts A and B) to help cover the out-of-pocket costs that Medicare doesn’t fully pay. There are no networks (HMO/PPO) so you can see any doctor nationwide as long as they accept Medicare. Here’s how it works in more detail:

• Primary Coverage: When you receive healthcare services, Original Medicare is billed first. Medicare covers its portion, typically 80% of approved services after deductibles.
  
  

• Secondary Coverage with Medigap: Once Medicare has paid its share, your Medigap policy steps in to cover some or all of the remaining costs. This includes things like:
  
  

  • Deductibles(the amount you pay before Medicare begins to cover).
    
    

  • Coinsurance (your share of the costs after meeting your deductible, 20%).
    
    

  • Copayments (fixed amounts for certain services, like doctor visits or hospital stays).
    
    

• Plan Flexibility: Medigap plans are offered by private insurance companies, but they are standardized by Medicare. This means that Plan A from one company will offer the same benefits as Plan A from another, though premiums may vary. There are 10 standardized plans (labeled A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, N), each offering different levels of coverage.
  

  *There are some differences with Medicare Supplement plan standardization in Massachusetts, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

• What Medigap Doesn’t Cover:
  
  

  • Prescription drugs : You need a separate Part D plan for medications.
    
    

  • Long-term care: Medigap does not cover services like nursing home care or home healthcare.
    
    

  • Vision, dental, hearing aids, and routine eye exams: These services are also not included and would require separate insurance.