Medicare Supplements

Medicare Supplemental Insurance in South Carolina

Medicare Supplemental Health Insurance plans were created to fill the gap that Medicare parts A and B do not cover, and are sold by private health insurance companies to individuals who also receive Medicare. These insurance plans are commonly referred to as Medigap plans, and are intended to provide a supplement to the Medicare beneficiary that will cover medical expenses that are either not covered, or only partially covered by Medicare.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible to purchase a Medigap Policy in South Carolina, the individual must first be enrolled in both Medicare Part A and Part B. During the open enrollment period, an individual may enroll in a Supplemental Health Insurance plan with a guaranteed issue, with no required medical screening. The open enrollment period is within 6 months of the individual’s 65th birthday, or within 6 months of enrollment in Medicare Part B.

Medigap Plans A thru L

In the United States, private insurance companies offering Medigap policies – except in Wisconsin, Massachusetts, and Minnesota, which carry their own supplemental insurance plans – offer 12 standardized Medigap Plans, labeled A thru L.

•Plan A
Plan A offers only the basics, and will not cover hospital deductibles.

•Plan B
This plan offers the basic coverage offered by plan A, as well as hospital deductibles.

•Plan C
In addition to the basics, this plan will cover the hospital deductible, as well as the coinsurance for the Medicare Part A skilled nursing facility, and the annual deductible for Medicare Part B. In addition, plan C covers emergency care when traveling.

•Plan D
Plan D includes all plan C coverage, except for the Medicare Part B deductible. It does, however, provide in home health care benefits, provided the home health care provided is also covered by Medicare.

•Plan E
This plan contains all the same benefits as plan D, excluding home health care services. It does, however, provide a specified amount toward preventative care services.

•Plan F
Plan F is identical to plan C, and also includes coverage for additional charges incurred by physicians who will not accept the approved amount by Medicare as full payment for services rendered.

•Plan G
This plan covers all the same benefits as plan D, in addition to 80% of excess charges in Medicare Part B.

•Plan H
Plan H is identical to plan C, except that it does not cover the Medicare Part B annual deductible.

•Plan I
This plan covers all the same benefits as plan H, in addition to offering a benefit for home recovery, as well as 100% coverage of excess charges by physicians not accepting the allowable amount by Medicare as full payment.

•Plan J
Perhaps the best, and most expensive plan, Plan J is identical to Plan I, and offers an annual preventative care benefit, as well as payment of the annual Medicare Part B deductible.

•Plan K
This plan has lower premium payments, and requires a portion of the cost of Medicare approved services to be paid by the individual until an out-of-pocket amount has been met. Until this amount has been met, this plan will only cover 50% of charges incurred.

•Plan L
Plan L is similar to plan K, except that the out-of-pocket limit is lower, and after the out-of-pocket amount has been met, the plan will pay 75% of charges incurred.

 

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