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.

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.