Medicare Supplement (Medigap) in Florida: A Comprehensive Guide

Medicare is government issued insurance coverage for people ages 65 or older, people under the age of 65 with certain disabilities or people with end stage renal disease. A Medicare supplement policy or Medigap policy is insurance coverage purchased through a private company to cover the cost of medical treatment that is not covered by Medicare. In order to qualify for Medigap coverage, you must have Medicare part A &B. Medicare part A covers care received during a hospital stay, rehabilitation care or long term nursing care. Medicare part B covers outpatient treatment, doctors services and some preventive treatments.

Instructions

• 1

  Confirm that you have Medicare part A &B. Review your Medicare card for the effective dates for your Medicare part A &B.

• 2

  Locate licensed insurers in your area that sell Medigap policies. A list of insurers is available through the Florida Insurance Department at 877-693-5236 or the Medicare.gov website. Coverage availability is determined by the area in which you reside.

• 3

  Compare the costs of Medigap policies. Each insurer is allowed to charge different rates for their policies.

• 4

  Determine which policy provides the coverage you need.

• 5

  Review the policy to confirm it reads Medicare supplement insurance. Federal and state laws require this information to be stated on the policy. Insurers are only allowed to sell you a standardized Medigap policy, identified by letters A through L.

• 6

  Purchase the policy and enroll during the company's open enrollment period. Open enrollment lasts 6 months and starts the first day of the month that you are 65 or older and enrolled in part B.