AARP & Medicare Supplement

Medicare supplement plans help limit expenses.

AARP offers Medicare supplement plans through United Healthcare. Medicare supplement plans are also known as Medigap plans because they help pay some of the medical care and hospital expenses that Medicare does not cover.

Flexibility

Medicare supplement coverage travels throughout the U.S. motorcoach,motorhome,rv image by Greg Pickens from Fotolia.com

Medicare supplement plans allow individuals to keep their own doctors, specialists and hospitals. If a health care facility accepts Medicare, it accepts Medicare supplement plans. As opposed to some HMO plans, Medicare supplement coverage travels with the individual, so there are no out-of-network charges.

Plans

Medicare supplements allow your choice of doctor. Doctor image by Monika 3 Steps Ahead from Fotolia.com

There are numerous Medicare supplement plans. The ones with higher premiums offer more comprehensive benefits. For example, Plan F pays the Medicare hospital deductible while Plan A does not. Plans also differ in whether they pay the coinsurance that is excluded by Medicare. AARP and other insurance providers offer charts that illustrate side-by-side comparisons of coverage to help individuals determine which plan is right for them.

Costs

Medicare supplements can help meet seniors' needs. elderly couple image by les sanders from Fotolia.com

Medicare supplement plans charge a monthly premium. However, until limits of Medicare coverage are met, there are no additional copays or coinsurance charges. When an individual selects a Medicare supplement plan, he will also need to choose a Part D prescription drug plan. In addition, charges for Medicare Part B will be taken from Social Security benefits.

References

• Medicare: Medigap Policies
• AARP: Medicare Supplement Insurance