Medicare supplement insurance is a plan sold by private insurance companies. It is basically insurance that will cover what Medicare does not. Unless a Medicare recipient has group health insurance through a spouse or an employer, Medicare supplement insurance is a good idea.
There are three different kinds of Medicare. There is Medicare Part A, Medicare Part B and Medicare Part D. Medicare part A basically only covers inpatient hospital stays, hospice, skilled nursing facilities, inpatient rehab, home health care, and inpatient mental health. Medicare Part B covers medically necessary services and preventative services. There is a monthly premium for Medicare Part B. Medicare Part D is for prescriptions. A recipient for Medicare Part D has to join a Medicare drug plan.
It is a good idea to purchase Medicare supplement insurance because Medicare Part A, B, and D cover very little. Medicare supplement insurance will cover what Medicare Parts A and B will not. Some of the things it will cover are the Medicare Part A deductibles and co-pays. It can also cover skilled nursing and foreign travel emergency care.
Medicare supplement insurance works off of a lettering system. There are 12 standardized Medicare supplement programs, ranging from A through L. Every state has the same program except Massachusetts, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Each letter has its own benefits. Certain plans will have lower premiums but have higher deductibles. The other plans will have higher premiums but lower deductibles. Most of the plans will let the recipient go to any doctor or any hospital.
It would be a wise decision to purchase Medicare supplement insurance. It is necessary to be able to cover the costs can become very expensive. Without Medicare supplement insurance, health care can become very expense.