AARP Medicare Supplement insurance (also called Medigap) is meant to help people with some health care costs that Medicare Part A and Part B do not cover, such as deductibles, co-payment and coinsurance; it also covers further services, such as health care, when one takes a trip outside the United States.
AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) is a nonprofit organization that assists people aged 50 and more with enhancing their lives’ quality, by promoting adequate and reasonably priced medical care. It is the largest organization for people over 50 in the United States and has agencies in all states.
What is Medicare?
Medicare is the medical insurance for people aged 65 and over, for people under 65 with particular disabilities and for all those with ESRD (End-Stage Renal Disease). Each part of Medicare covers certain services:
– Part A – hospital insurance
– Part B – medical insurance
– Part D – medical prescription drug coverage
What is AARP Medicare Supplement and what does it Cover?
Medigap is private health insurance that supplements the “gaps” in Medicare Part A and Part B. When you have both Medigap and Original Medicare, each will pay its share for covered medical treatment costs. Every such supplement policy follows state and Federal laws designed to protect the insured party and, no matter where you buy it from, it provides the same basic benefits. However, not all types of the AARP Medicare Supplement insurance policies may be available in every state.
What you must know when you buy the AARP Medicare Supplement.
– You must have both Part A and B Medicare.
– You can keep your doctor and hospital.
– You can apply for Medigap even if you have a Medicare Advantage Plan, but you must leave the latter before the Medigap policy begins.
– In addition to the monthly payment for your Medicare cover, you must provide to your insurance company a monthly payment for your Medigap policy.
– One Medigap policy covers a single person and thus, if both you and your spouse want AARP Medicare Supplement insurance, you will have separate policies.
– Medigap policies can be purchased from the insurance companies licensed to sell them in each state.
– Plans E, H, I and Plan J are no longer among the existing offer, but if you have already purchased one, you can keep it.
– A standardized Medigap policy is renewable and, even if you have medical issues, it cannot be canceled by the insurance company as long as you pay the monthly cost.
– If you want to drop the Medigap policy, all you have to do is call your insurance company.
What does AARP Medicare Supplement Insurance Not cover?
– Long-term care, hearing aids, eyeglasses, dental care and private-duty nursing.
– Part C and Part D.
– Veterans’ benefits.
– Employer or union plans.
– Indian Health Service.
When is it best to purchase a Medigap policy?
It is best to buy it during the open enrollment-period, namely in six months beginning with the first day of the month in which you are enrolled in Part B. During this period, an insurance company cannot refuse to sell you any Medigap policy due to prior health issues.
What are the benefits of this supplement?
– Up to one year of additional hospitalization after Medicare benefits are used.
– Co-payments for Part B.
– First three pints of blood yearly.
– Part A co-payment for hospice care.
– Skilled nursing facility coinsurance.
– Deductibles for Part A and Part B.
– Excess charges not covered by Part B.
– Emergency care for foreign travel.
It is very important to have an adequate insurance coverage that guarantees proper medical care, in case you get ill or injured, and understanding the benefits of AARP Medicare Supplement will help you select a Plan according to your needs
It is too complicated to understand different plans.
Does this supplement will cover the 100 % of what advantage does not cover?
I recently retired from my job and signed up for Medicare Part B & D effective Jan 2021. I live on Guam, a US Territory and I am interested in knowing more about the Medigap plan. Please provide information.
I’m a couple years away from Medicare, with a history that requires a minimum of three, sometimes up to five doctor visits per year (two of them specialists) and multiple ongoing prescriptions. Seems like Medicare, Supplement, and Drug Plan will be the more cost effective and avoid “surprise” expenses.
At 64, I am getting bombarded daily with companies wanting me to choose them for my coverage.
Nobody ever talks about the people like me that live abroad. I’ve been on original Medicare with silver script part d since when I turn 65 December 2021. I didn’t think about getting a medigap plan because I knew I was going to stay most of the time here in Mexico and pay out of pocket to the doctors here which are very good, and the prescription medications are cheap and the doctor’s visits to see a professional is only $40. The medigap plans can run anywhere from 90 to even 350 a month and I don’t want to pay premiums like that for insurance I’m never going to use. I do however visit the United States several times a year and I would hate for something to happen to me and then need a medigap plan and I don’t have one. I certainly wouldn’t want to have huge medical bills. I’m in really good health for my age and I’m a non-smoker non-drinker. For me I would rather just pay a high deductible and copays for the doctor if and when I ever use the insurance in the states.