Medicare Supplements - Understanding The Gaps They Fill

Medicare is the largest healthcare program in the United States

. Nearly 44 million senior Americans qualify for enrollment in the program. It is sponsored by the government to help seniors have the health insurance coverage they need to pay for increased medical expenses that often accompany aging. Though 80% of medical coverage is typically covered by Medicare, the gaps left behind can be costly for people without Medicare supplement insurance. For this reason, there are many different kinds of Medicare supplements available to any senior who wants to sign up for more coverage. Each plan is administered on an individual basis as opposed to regular health insurance which is commonly bought to cover whole families.

You first need to know about the gaps left by Medicare Part A. This serves as your hospital insurance and covers inpatient care, some nursing home facilities, hospice, and some instances of home healthcare. There is a greater than $1000 deductible required for hospital visits along with coinsurance payments. Once the deductible is met, coverage is provided, but coinsurance payments are required based on the period of time the patient is in the hospital. Medicare supplements help reduce or completely cover these costs for you in the case of an extended stay in the hospital.

Then there is Medicare Part B, which also has gaps covered by Medicare supplements. Part B is your medical insurance. It pays for regular doctor visits, outpatient care, and other services that Part A fails to cover. An annual deductible of $155 is required in 2010 before you can receive any benefits at all. After that, you pay 20% of Medicare-approved services. Next year, the number is bound to increase, as it went up from $135 in 2009 to this year's current rate, but CMS will release it at the very end of the year.

Clearly, there are gaps in Medicare coverage even if decent coverage is offered by Medicare on its own. If you have a level of medical needs that goes beyond an annual visit to the doctor, you should certainly look into the possible Medicare supplements that are available to you. Protecting yourself in the case of an emergency is important as well, especially because aging certainly brings its share of medical surprises. It important for you to know that if you are a low income individual with Medicaid, you do not need Medicare supplement coverage because the former will pay all your needed expenses.

by: Richard Cantu

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