This one’s easy to answer – NOTHING!  These two terms are identical.  Medicare Supplement plans (aka Medigap) are offered by private insurance companies and are designed to pay for the majority, if not all, of the financial gaps that exist in Original Medicare.

Original Medicare (Parts A and B) will be your primary insurance and the Medicare Supplement plan (aka Medigap) will be your secondary insurance.  

There are a total of 10 different Medicare Supplement plans available on the market.  Each one is named after a letter of the alphabet.  The most popular plans are letters F, G, and N.

This one’s a bit more complicated to answer because there are quite a few differences between the two types of plans. 

One major difference is your upfront cost.  With a Medicare Supplement plan, you will have a monthly premium, but little to no cost on the backend when you’re receiving medical care.

With a Medicare Advantage plan (aka Medicare Part C), you’ll have little to zero cost up front, in terms of a monthly premium.  However, you’ll typically pay more on the backend in the form of copays and coinsurance.  Please give us a call and we’ll be happy to explain the differences in more detail.   

Great question!  And it has nothing to do with a trip to your favorite Dunkin’ Donuts.  Every Medicare prescription drug plan (aka Medicare Part D) is structured the same way.  With every plan, there are 4 stages of coverage that an individual might potentially move through during any calendar year.  Stage 3 is called the Coverage Gap but is more commonly known as the “donut hole.” 

This 3rd stage of coverage, the “donut hole”, will be completely eliminated from all Medicare prescription drug plans, as of January 1st, 2025.  Please contact us for more details about prescription drug plans and the 4 stages of coverage, including the “donut hole.”