You have guaranteed issue rights to buy a Medigap policy, but the policies are different.
Basic benefits
- Inpatient hospital care: covers the Part A coinsurance
- Medical costs: covers the Part B coinsurance (generally 20% of the Medicare-approved amount)
- Blood: covers the first 3 pints of blood each year
- Part A hospice coinsurance or copayment
Medigap plan
Basic Plan
Covers
- Basic benefits
- Part A: skilled nursing facility coinsurance
- 175 days per lifetime in addition to Medicare's benefit of inpatient mental health coverage
- 40 home health care visits in addition to those paid for by Medicare
- State mandated benefits
Important plan information
Plans known as "50% and 25% Cost-sharing Plans" are available. These plans are similar to standardized Plans K (50%) and L (25%). A high-deductible plan ($2,000) is also available.
Insurance companies are allowed to offer the following additional riders to a Medigap policy:
- Part A deductible
- Additional home health care (365 visits including those paid by Medicare)
- Part B deductible
- Part B excess charges
- Foreign travel emergency
- 50% Part A deductible
- Part B copayment or coinsurance