Summary of Medigap and Secondary Health Insurance Policies
Part 3, Chapter 10: Medicare and Medicare Related Programs: Medigap and Secondary Health Insurance Policies Page 8
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Summary
Many people consider a Medigap policy to be essential for Medicare benefiaries who are covered by the traditional Medicare program. There are now ten standardized Medigap policies available, labeled A through J. Plan A offers the least coverage; plans H, I, and J offer the most coverage. Individuals in some states may also be eligible for Medicare Select, a Medicare-supplementary policy based on a managed care approach.
Individuals who are unable to afford a Medigap policy may be able to qualify for benefits under either the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary program or the Selected Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary program. Those programs may pay for specific Medicare costs under certain conditions. Although they are not technically considered standardized Medigap policies, these programs provide important economic benefits for eligible individuals.
Medigap policies are of enormous importance in many cases. However, secondary insurance policies that act as supplements to Medicare can offer significant advantages. Since such policies may include a different definition of medical necessity, secondary health insurance policies may provide coverage for treatments, services, or medical equipment in situations where such coverage might not be available under a Medigap policy.
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