Medicare is an amazing program, covering plenty of preventative costs, emergency visits, short term care needs and more. In fact, six in 10 Americans believe the program is working well, with seniors being even more positive with eight in 10 giving a positive review, this according to the Kaiser Family Foundation in 2013.
Despite its popularity, however, Medicare does not offer exhaustive coverage. Gaps exists in areas like traveling abroad, prescription drug coverage, and that doesn’t even address the dreaded Medicare doughnut hole.
In order to rectify these short-fallings in essential health benefits, several Medicare supplement insurances, or Medigap insurance, exist to help.
Below are three reasons you may need Medigap Insurance:
- If You Have Cancer
Cancer is a very difficult disease, from every way you might look at it. It is especially difficult on the finances of the family. With Medicare, most of your inpatient and certain outpatient procedures may be covered; however, you will still experience a hefty co-payment on many necessary procedures.
Medigap insurance can help alleviate some of that burden, reducing your co-pays and allowing you more options for the sort of medical attention you want. - If You Plan To Travel Abroad
For many seniors, retirement is the reward for a life of working and contributing to society. The so-called golden years are your chance to focus on your loved ones, see the world, pursue a passion, or generally relax. That said, however, if you do plan on seeing the world it is important to know that your Medicare will not cover most medical expenses abroad.
The six standard plans that offer coverage for emergency care while traveling abroad are: Plan C, D, F, G, M, and N. These plans will ensure that you are covered in the case of an extreme emergency, but you still must plan ahead for your prescriptions. - If You Have a Chronic Illness That Requires a Prescription
Most prescription drugs will not be covered by your basic Medicare. Therefore, if you struggle with a chronic condition, particularly any chronic lung disease that requires expensive inhalers, it is best to pursue supplement insurance programs that can help reduce the cost of medication, especially if you are living on a fixed income.
Medicare Supplement options can go a long way to ease the burden of certain medical conditions and broaden your coverage but they are by no means the end all be all in managing health care expenses. Talk to you insurance agent to see what programs might be best for you.
Sources:
- The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, “The Public’s Health Care Agenda for the 113th Congress,” January 2013
- Medicare.gov
