New enrollees are not eligible for Medigap F, which pays out-of-pocket Medicare expenses. There are other options.
Plan F is part Medicare Supplement Insurance also known as Medigap. This insurance is sold by private companies. It fills in gaps in Original Medicare coverage such as copayments and coinsurance.
How it works: Medicare pays its share of the approved amount for covered health care costs and services. Then, the Medigap policy pays its share. You’ll be charged a separate monthly premium to receive Medigap benefits.
The catch is that you can’t purchase a Medigap Plan F policy if you are newly eligible for Medicare. What’s the reason? The reason is that new policies can’t be used to pay a Medicare Part B Deductible after this date. This is Plan F’s main feature.
You can continue your Part F plan if you have been covered by it before January 1, 2020. You may also be eligible for Medicare if you have not yet enrolled in Part F.
What Medigap Plan F covers
Here’s what Medigap Plan F covers, according to Medicare.gov:
- After Medicare benefits have ended, Part A coinsurance can be used to cover hospital costs for up to 365 additional days.
- Part A hospice care coinsurance/copayment
- Part A deductible
- Part B copayment or coinsurance
- Part B is deductible
- Extra charge for Part B
- Blood (first three pints).
- Coinsurance for skilled nursing facility care
- Up to the plan limit, 80% for foreign travel
What Medigap plan F doesn’t cover
The following are not covered by Medigap Plan F:
- Prescription drugs.
- Supplemental health benefits: Medigap does not cover vision care, hearing aids, and long-term care.
All states except Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Wisconsin have Medigap plans.
Medigap plan F was available when it was complete. It covers all out-of-pocket costs associated with Original Medicare (Medicare Part A, Medicare Part B). Plan F may not be available to you. Plan G is the closest Medigap policy, and it offers the same coverage, except that the Part B deductible is excluded.
Be aware that different insurance companies might charge different premiums when you shop for Medigap policies. Compare prices from different companies before you make a purchase.
