Medigap Plan A

Medigap Plan A, or Medicare Supplement Plan A, is a basic Medigap plan that covers the 20% of outpatient medical care Medicare expects you to take care of.

It also provides Medicare Part B coinsurance or copayment coverage and the first three pints of blood you are normally on the hook for.

What is covered under Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan A?

Plan A is the most basic of the 10 Medicare Supplement Insurance plans. However, it covers the most common things Medicare beneficiaries require.

Medigap Plan A covers 100% of the costs associated with these four things:

• Medicare Part A coinsurance payments for inpatient hospital care for up to an additional365 days after Medicare benefits are exhausted
• Medicare Part B copayment or coinsurance expenses
• The first three pints of blood used in a medical procedure
• Part A hospice care coinsurance expense or copayment

What is not covered by Medigap Plan A?

Medicare Supplement Plan A policyholders still are on their own to pay Medicare Part A and Part B deductibles. They are also still responsible for their own skilled nursing facility care coinsurance, Part B excess charges, and foreign travel emergency costs. However, Plan A might be the plan of choice for people who don’t want to pay higher premiums for benefits they might not use.

Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan A for those Under 65

Medigap Plan A is the supplement available to people under 65 in some states as long as you qualify for Medicare early because of a disability. It is made available for purchase during your open enrollment period without any underwriting.

However, the cost for this plan for people under 65 can be much higher than what a 65-year-old will pay. This is because people who qualify for Medicare due to a disability oftentimes have higher medical costs.

Because of this, it may make more sense for those who are eligible for Medicare because of a disability may be better served by a Medicare Advantage plan. Medicare Advantage plans offer the same rate for anyone regardless of age, gender, or even disability.