Medicare Supplement Insurance is another option for your health coverage. Understand that Original Medicare pays for much, but not all, of the cost for covered health care services and supplies. Medicare Supplement Insurance policies, sold by private companies, can help pay some of the remaining health care costs for covered services and supplies, like copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles.

In addition, some Medigap policies also offer coverage for services that Original Medicare doesn’t cover. For example, medical care when you travel outside the U.S.

Generally, Medigap policies do not cover long-term care (like care in a nursing home), vision or dental care, hearing aids, eyeglasses, or private-duty nursing. Also, Medigap policies are standardized and every Medigap policy must follow federal and state laws designed to protect you, and they must be clearly identified as “Medicare Supplement Insurance.”

Insurance companies can sell you only a “standardized” policy identified in most states by letters A through D, F, G, and K through N. All policies offer the same basic benefits, but some offer additional benefits so you can choose which one meets your needs.

*Starting January 1, 2020, Medigap plans sold to people who are new to Medicare won’t be allowed to cover the Part B deductible. Because of this, Plans C and F won’t be available to people who are newly eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020.

*If you already have either of these 2 plans (or the high deductible version of Plan F) or are covered by one of these plans before January 1, 2020, you’ll be able to keep your plan.

*If you were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020, but not yet enrolled, you may be able to buy one of these plans.