How Is My Medication Covered On My Medigap Plan?
Seniors who have recently turned 65 or who are considering a Medicare supplemental plan may wonder how their Medigap plan will cover drugs. The answer is much simpler than it once was at one time. Such plans no longer offer prescription drug coverage.
Older plans may still have coverage for prescription drugs, but there is almost no reason for seniors to keep these plans. Medicare prescription drug plans have been available to Americans over the age of 65 since January of 2006.
Medigap Plan Drug Coverage and Medicare Part D
Medicare did not originally cover medications. Supplemental insurance providers decided to cover this gap and take care of something that many seniors found expensive. The rising cost of prescription drugs and the fact that seniors started buying many drugs from the neighboring country of Canada forced congress into action.
The outline of the first medication coverage plans under Medicare Part D appeared late in 2006. Many seniors on the old plans switched at this time. People who receive Medicare eligibility for the first time will need to consider their options. The federal government does not allow a Medigap plan to offer prescription coverage any more.
Doesn’t a Medigap Plan Cover Gaps in Medicare Part D?
No Medigap plan will cover the gaps in Medicare Part D, as the prescription drug coverage was initially offered to cover the lack of coverage under original Medicare. Moving the policies over to the government plan made sure almost all older Americans have needed prescription drug coverage.
If a person has an older plan with good coverage, he may find that he must pay a co-pay to the pharmacy, just as he would with any other private insurance plan. It works the same way as Part D does, except it is not funded by money taken off of people’s pay checks.
Related posts:
- Are Prescription Medications Covered By Medigap Plans?
- What If I Have A Medigap Plan That Has Been Discontinued?
- Is There A Difference Between Medigap & Medicare Advantage Plan?
- Do I Need To Wait To Change From One Medigap Plan To Another?
- What is Medigap Insurance?