What is included in Medigap, and what is left out
You keep Part A and Part B. A standardized Medigap letter helps with some of the costs Original Medicare leaves behind. It generally does not include Part D prescriptions, and it generally does not add dental, vision, or hearing extras. You usually add a separate Part D plan if you need outpatient drug coverage.
Letters, not company names
In California, Medigap benefits are standardized by letter (for example Plan G or Plan N). Plan G from one company is designed to cover the same core benefits as Plan G from another. Premiums, household discounts, and rate history are not standardized. This website does not name a “best” company or letter.
When you can buy without health questions
Federal guaranteed-issue rights are strongest during Medigap open enrollment — typically the six months after you are 65 or older and enrolled in Part B. California also has an annual birthday window for people who already have Medigap (see the Birthday Rule article). Outside those windows, insurers may use medical underwriting. Confirm current rules with the California Department of Insurance and Medicare.gov.
Plan F and newly eligible people
Plan F is generally not available to people newly eligible for Medicare after January 1, 2020. People who already have Plan F may keep it. Ask for the outline of coverage before you compare premiums.
My Medicare Checkup
Answer a few questions about your ZIP code, what matters about cost and doctors, and where you get care. The summary shows the questions those answers raise. Confirm each one with the office, the plan, or Medicare.gov. A listing in a directory, or the name of a plan, does not show whether a doctor is in the network, whether a prescription is covered, or what you would pay this year.
Start My Medicare CheckupYou will get a summary of the questions to verify. You can also talk it through with Alan.