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Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans

A Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan* (also known as a Medigap policy) works with Original Medicare. While Medicare Parts A and B cover a lot of health care cost, they don’t cover all cost. A Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan offered by a private health insurance company like Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, a Division of Health Care Service Corporation, covers the cost that Original Medicare doesn’t, like:

                            ✔   Coinsurance                             ✔   Copayments                             ✔   Deductibles

Medicare can change these amounts each year, but Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans adjust to always cover them.

Plans are identified by the letters A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M and N. Each plan covers a different set of costs. Some plans only cover basic benefits. Other plans cover a wider range of health care costs.

Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans do not cover hearing, dental or vision care, or prescription drugs. However, any plan can be paired with a prescription drug plan. Some Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans cover foreign travel care.

Plan G from one company has the same coverage as Plan G from another company. The only differences are premiums and service. You can use any doctor, specialist or hospital that accepts Medicare.

You can enroll in a Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan year-round, but only during the open enrollment period is acceptance guaranteed. This period starts the first month that you are 65 and enrolled in Medicare Part B. After the open enrollment period, you’ll need to meet certain requirements to be accepted and may have to pay more once you’re a member.

Important Things to Remember

You can’t have a Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan and a Medicare Advantage Plan at the same time.

Medicare Advantage Plans are health insurance plans approved by Medicare and offered by private companies. Medicare Advantage Plans are different from Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans. If you enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan, you cannot purchase a Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan.

Medicare Supplement Insurance

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    Medicare Supplement Insurance

     

    What is it?

    Medicare Supplement insurance plans help pay for health care costs that are not covered by Original Medicare, Parts A and B. Medicare Supplement plans – which are sometimes called Medigap policies - are sold through private insurance companies. They may protect you against medical costs that are not covered or are unexpected.

    Medicare Supplement insurance plans are "standardized" by the government and are named by the letters A through N. Standardized means that all the companies' plans are the same. The only difference is price, reputation and customer service.

    Who is eligible and when do I enroll?

    The best time to buy a Medicare Supplement insurance plan is when you first become eligible, up to one year before your 65th birthday. Your coverage begins the same day that your Medicare Part B coverage starts.

    Keep in mind that you cannot be turned down because of a pre-existing condition when you first apply for a Medicare Supplement insurance plan.

    What else should I know?

    Keep these factors in mind when deciding if Medicare Supplement Insurance is right for you.

    • Don't be confused between Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans and the Medicare Parts. The Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans – A through N help pay for expenses that are not covered by Medicare A and B.
    • Medicare Supplement plans cover only one person. The plan gives you the freedom to choose your own doctors, specialists and hospitals.
    • Medicare Supplement insurance plans do not include prescription drug coverage.
    • You can't have a Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan and a Medicare Advantage Plan at the same time, so if you have a Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan and decide to join a Medicare Advantage Plan, you will have to drop your Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan.
    • And finally, Original Medicare may only pay 80 percent for certain coverages. You will have to pay for the other 20 percent. Look carefully at the costs of the plans to decide whether a Medicare Supplement insurance plan will help you.

Help Me Choose a Plan

Already a BCBSTX member? If you are age 64 or older, use the Help Me Choose tool to find the plan that's right for you.

Not a BCBSTX member? If you’re not sure what plan you need, answer a few questions to help you decide.

Now that you’ve picked a plan, it’s time to enroll.

Useful Tools

Plan A: UWMSP(A)-2010, Plan F: UWMSP(F)-2010, Plan High Deductible F: UWMSP(F-HD)-2010, Plan G: UWMSP(G)-2010, Plan K: UWMSP(K)-2010, Plan L: UWMSP(L)-2010, Plan N: UWMSP(N)-2010, Medicare Select Plan F: UWMSP-SEL(F)-2010, Medicare Select Plan G: UWMSP-SEL(G)-2010, Medicare Select Plan K: UWMSP-SEL(K)-2010, Medicare Select Plan L: UWMSP-SEL(L)-2010, Medicare Select Plan N: UWMSP-SEL(N)-2010.

Benefits and premiums under this policy may be suspended for up to 24 months if you become entitled to benefits under Medicaid. You must request that your policy be suspended within 90 days of becoming entitled to Medicaid. If you lose (are no longer entitled to) benefits from Medicaid, this policy can be reinstated if you request reinstatement within 90 days of the loss of such benefits and pay the required premium.

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Last Updated: Aug. 04, 2023