Medicare supplemental health insurance or MediGap plans are provided to beneficiaries si months after they have received their Medicare benefits. With MediGap plans, your pre-eisting conditions are also paid for. However, there are certain limitations if you want to use Medicare supplemental health insurance plans. If you are enrolled in Medicare and are also receiving Medicaid benefits, you usually don’t need MediGap plans. Your healthcare needs are already being covered by both Medicare and Medicaid. Also, Medicare supplemental insurance plans are not needed by Medicare beneficiaries who fall within 100 percent of the federal poverty level. If this is the case, your medical services are already being paid for by the state and an insurance plan sponsored by the federal government. Usually, Medicare supplemental plans consist of different types, ranging from Parts A to L. Each plan offers the same basic coverage. Each plan, however, covers different types of medical benefits and services. You may even purchase plans with additional benefits such as skilled nursing coinsurance, Part B deductible, foreign travel emergency, home recovery, and preventive care. You can buy Medicare supplemental plans in every state, ecept for Massachusetts, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. They offer their own version of supplementary health plans that have the same features as the MediGap plans. Before choosing your Medicare supplemental plan, check the different healthcare benefits that you might need. Check your medical history and be honest with your health condition. You can even consult a doctor to check your prognosis for the future. MediGap plans offer various medical benefits. But you need to identify the needs that you think should be prioritized, considering your health condition, and try to anticipate possible unepected medical events that you think must also be covered. - June 26, 2009 @ 4:01 pm