Medicare Plan C, Medigap Plan C

Benefits Under Medigap Plan C
Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan C is a policy which covers nearly all of the Medicare gaps that you would usually be required to pay. The only exception is the Part B excess charges.

Excess charges are surcharges that your doctor can charge above and beyond what Medicare will reimburse. They are limited to 15% beyond what Medicare pays. Many doctors do not charge excess charges, but occasionally they do. If this concerns you, the Medigap Plan F or G might be a better choice for you than Medicare Plan C. Those two plans cover excess charges, so you won’t have to worry about asking.

You can read more about excess charges and how they are assessed here.

Consider this scenario: Mike purchases a Medigap Plan C policy. Most of his doctors are participating Medicare doctors so Mike usually owes absolutely nothing. Mike twists his ankle while walking his dog. Then he notices swelling, so he visits an urgent care clinic for an X-ray. The clinic does not accept Medicare assignment rates, but chooses to bill an excess charge. The fee for the X-ray is normally $50 but at this clinic there is a 15% excess charge, bringing the cost to $57.50. Since Mike’s Medigap Plan C does not cover excess charges, Mike will owe the $7.50 difference to the medical facility.

Medicare Supplement Plan C is Different than Part C
Medigap Plan C is one of 10 different medicare supplement options available to you. (Part C, on the other hand, refers to Medicare Advantage policies. These are not supplements and work very differently than supplements.) If you buy a Plan C, you will enjoy the freedom of access top physicians and hospitals that you already get with Original Medicare. You can also rest easy that your supplement policy is going to pay for things like your inpatient and outpatient deductibles. This had made it a popular seller for decades.

Again, Medicare Plan C has benefits very similar to Plan F. So, if not having the coverage for excess charges worries you, then you might consider quotes for the F policy for comparison. You will find that in many areas the prices are nearly equivalent, making it quite cost effective to buy the richer coverage if that appeals to you.

Quotes for Medigap Plan C
There are literally dozens of carriers that offer supplement policies in each state. These carriers have often in operation for decades. Some of these companies will be big-brand name insurance companies that you easily recognize. You have likely enjoyed insurance benefits from them during your working years through your employer group health insurance. They are household names.