Minnesota Medicare Supplemental Insurance
Medicare supplemental insurance, or Medigap, is a type of insurance typically sold by private insurance companies to cover the 'gaps' left by traditional Medicare coverage.
You are eligible for a Medigap policy in Minnesota if you are a) a Minnesota resident, b) a senior aged sixty five or better, and c) you're already enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B (known as the Original Medicare Plan). You may also be eligible if you are under age sixty five, but have certain types of disabilities, or have end-stage renal disease. In both cases you must already be enrolled in the Original Medicare Plan.
There are four ways to buy a Medicare supplemental insurance policy in Minnesota:
- By purchasing a Medigap plan through a private insurance company.
- By purchasing a Managed care plan through an HMO.
- By purchasing a private fee-for-service Medicare+Choice plan from an insurer.
- Your last employer may offer a retiree health plan containing Medicare supplemental insurance benefits.
The Medigap policy system in Minnesota differs from those in other states. Notably, Minnesota does not offer the standardized Medigap 'Plans A through L' offered in most other states. Instead, it offers two types of Medicare supplemental insurance policies which meet or exceed the benefits offered elsewhere in the U.S. These are:
Type 1: Basic
Benefits of Basic Medigap for seniors include: Medicare Part A and Part B coinsurance; first three pints of blood in each year; Part A skilled nursing facility coinsurance; eighty percent coverage of foreign travel emergency medical costs; fifty percent of outpatient mental health care coverage costs; immunization and routine cancer screening coverage; coverage of physical therapy.
Type 2: Extended Basic
Benefits of Minnesota's Extended Basic Medigap include all of those described above, as well as: Medicare Part A inpatient hospital deductible; eighty percent coverage of usual and customary fees; eighty percent coverage of prescription drugs; coverage of at-home recovery and preventative medical care; eighty percent coverage while in a foreign country; and 100% coverage of expenses after you pay the first $1000 out-of-pocket annually.
