Medicare Supplement Insurance: Compare Quotes

Medigap, or Medicare supplement insurance, is private health insurance that insurers sell to fill in the gaps in regular Medicare coverage. These supplemental insurance policies pay some of the health care costs that Medicare doesn't cover. If you have both Medicare and a Medigap policy, the two policies share the costs of covered health care. If you are in original Medicare and you have a Medigap policy, Medicare will pays its share of the Medicare-approved amounts for covered health care costs. After Medicare pays, then the Medigap policy pays its share.

Insurance companies may sell any of 12 different standardized supplemental insurance policies called Medigap Plans A through L. These policies must follow federal and state laws designed to protect consumers. Because state laws vary, consumers in different states may have different options. For example, in Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, Medicare supplement insurance policies are standardized in different ways. One thing is the same in every state: All Medigap policies must carry the words, "Medicare Supplement Insurance."

Each plan, A through L, has a different set of benefits. Each insurance company decides for itself which of the A through L policies it wants to sell. An insurance company must, however, sell plan A if it sells any other Medicare supplement insurance plan. The benefits in plans A through L vary, but they are the same for any insurance company. That is, plan A has a different set of benefits from plan B, but plan A has the same benefits no matter who sells it. However, different insurance companies can charge different premiums. So, while plan A has the same benefits no matter who sells it, different insurance companies can charge different premiums for a plan A policy. That's why it's important to compare costs.

Generally, consumers who buy Medicare supplement insurance policies must have Medicare Part A and Part B. Consumers have to pay the monthly Medicare Part B premium plus the Medigap premium.

Married couples must buy separate Medigap policies. Medigap policies do not provide any spousal benefits, nor do they cover long-term care, vision or dental care, hearing aids, eyeglasses, and private-duty nurses.

Consumers should compare Medicare supplement insurance policies because costs can vary. Each insurance company decides how it will set the premiums. Some insurance companies offer discounts for low risk individuals, such as non-smokers or for certain types of payment options. Online Medicare supplement insurance agents can help consumers compare costs for their states.

Consumers commonly ask questions such as:

* What a Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policy is;
* What such policies cover and don't cover;
* What rights they have regarding buying a policy;
* How to compare costs and benefits;
* When is the best time to buy a policy:
* Why it's important to buy a Medigap policy;
* How to buy a policy; and
* How to switch policies.

It is very important for consumers to get timely and accurate information on Medicare supplement insurance so they can make the decisions that are best for them. Knowledgeable online agents can help.

To learn more about subjects like Medicare supplement please visit the web site at: http://www.gomedigap.com

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About the Author

Chris Robertson is a published author of Majon International. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2009 (Sat Aug 08 2009) Majon International. Majon International is one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing and internet advertising companies on the web. Visit their main business resource web site at: http://majon.com