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Medicare Supplement (Medigap)
Fill the gaps in Original Medicare
Standardized plans that pay the deductibles, copays and coinsurance Original Medicare leaves you to cover.
How Medicare Supplement (Medigap) works
Medicare Supplement insurance, commonly called Medigap, works alongside Original Medicare rather than replacing it. Original Medicare typically pays about 80% of approved costs for Part B services, leaving the remaining 20% with no upper limit, so a single serious illness can produce very large bills. Medigap plans pay some or all of those gaps. The plans are standardized by letter, so a Plan G from one carrier covers exactly the same benefits as a Plan G from another; only price, service and rate stability differ. Because you keep Original Medicare, you can see any provider in the country that accepts Medicare, with no networks and no referrals. The critical timing consideration is medical underwriting: during your six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period, which begins when your Part B starts, you have a guaranteed issue right. Apply later and, in most states, a carrier can decline you or charge more based on your health.
Questions
Medicare Supplement (Medigap): common questions
Does Medigap include prescription drug coverage?
No. Medigap plans sold today do not include Part D. If you choose a Medigap plan you should also enroll in a separate Part D prescription drug plan, otherwise you may face a late-enrollment penalty that is added to your premium permanently.
Why is my Medigap Open Enrollment Period so important?
During those six months a carrier must sell you any plan it offers at its best available rate regardless of your health history. After the window closes, most states allow medical underwriting, meaning you can be declined or charged more. This is the single most consequential deadline in Medicare planning.
Can I have both a Medigap plan and a Medicare Advantage plan?
No. It is illegal for someone to sell you a Medigap policy while you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan. You choose one path or the other.
Not sure which plan is right for you?
That’s the normal starting point. Tell a licensed agent what matters to you (your doctors, your prescriptions, your budget) and they’ll narrow it down. No cost, no obligation.
When we’re available
- Monday – Friday
- 07:00 – 20:00
- Saturday
- 08:00 – 18:00
- Sunday
- 09:00 – 17:00
Outside these hours, submit a quote request and an agent will call you back on the next business day. TTY users dial 711.
Other options
Related coverage you may also need
Most people combine a primary plan with one or two add-ons.
Important information
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or consult your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.
InsuranceQuoteBase LLC is a private entity and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the U.S. government, the federal Medicare program, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), or the Health Insurance Marketplace.