As of June 1, 2010, you can buy a new medigap policy from one of 10 standard medigap insurance policy types, called Plan A through D, F, G, and K through N. Any new medigap policy offered by any insurance company must fall into one of these 10 plans, covering the same medical services as all other policies in the same plan. Before June 2010, policies were also sold under Plans E, H, I, and J. People who already had policies under these plans can keep them, but they're no longer available to new buyers.
Also, in Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, medigap policies come in different plan categories, and some have a few extra options. If you live in one of these states, the state's department of insurance and the insurance company offering the policy can explain that state's plan differences.
All medigap policies, in every plan type, include three basic coverage elements: Every policy pays the Medicare Part A hospital coinsurance amounts, plus the full cost up to 365 additional hospital days after Medicare coverage runs out. Every policy pays all or some of the Medicare Part B 20 percent coinsurance amount for doctor bills and other outpatient medical care (the amount varying from plan to plan). And every policy pays some or all of the cost of the first three pints of transfused blood, which Medicare doesn't pay.
This downloadable PDF chart shows the other Medicare gaps in payment covered by policies under the various medigap plans sold on or after June 1, 2010. "Yes" indicates coverage of the gap and "No" indicates that coverage is not provided by that medigap plan. (Remember, Plans E, H, I, and J are no longer sold to new buyers but can continue in force for those who already have them.)
