Medicare Supplement Plan D
There are 10 standardized Medicare supplement plans to help you cover the gaps in your costs from Original Medicare. One of these is Medicare Supplement Plan D and in this post we will go over what it covers and help you decide if it is the right plan for you. If you are more interested in having your questions answered by a professional give us a call at 866-319-5886 for a free consultation.
Medicare supplements help you cover some of the costs that are left to you from your Original Medicare Parts A & B. The gaps in coverage can range from deductibles, copays and coinsurance that are all passed on to you from Medicare. Each Medicare supplement Plan is specifically designed to help cover certain expenses that would otherwise be paid by you out of your pocket.
These Medicare supplements have a monthly premium that goes along with the plan you choose. The more comprehensive a plan is, the more costly it may be in premiums. Many people find a Medicare supplement to be worth the extra premium because of the peace of mind they get knowing what their costs are going to be based on the plan they choose.
Keep in mind that Medicare Supplement Plan D is NOT the same as Medicare Part D. Medicare Part D is the part of Medicare that deals with your prescription drug coverage. Medicare Supplement Plan D is a plan designed to help you cover the gaps from Medicare Part A & B.
Medigap Plans do not cover Part D Prescription Drug plan benefits, so if you are enrolling into a Medicare supplement you will also need to purchase a separate Part D plan as well. If you would like more help finding a Part D Drug Plan just give us a call at 866-319-5886 and we will be happy to help.
Medicare Supplement Plan D Benefits
Medigap Plan D covers the following benefits:
- Part A hospital coinsurance and hospital costs (up to an extra 365 days after original medicare benefits are exhausted)
- Part A hospice care coinsurance payment or copayment
- Part B copayment or coinsurance payment
- Your first three pints of blood
- Skilled nursing facility coinsurance
- Part A Deductible ($1,364 dedcutible for each benefit period)
Foreign Travel Emergency coverage
What Does Medicare Supplement Plan D Not Cover?
There are two gaps in coverage that Plan D does not cover. It does not cover your Part B deductible ($185 per year in 2019) and it also does not cover your Part B excess charges.
The Part B excess charge is a charge that a doctor can charge when they do not accept Medicare Assignment. In most states if the provider does not accept the Medicare assigned fee, they can legally charge you up to additional 15% above the Medicare allowed amount.
So, for anyone choosing Plan D as your supplement will have to be okay with the possibility of having to pay these charges.
Medicare supplement Plan D is not one of the most popular plans right now because although the benefits are good, the monthly price compared to some of the other plans is just not that great.
Two of the more popular plans that still offer great benefits for the price would be Medicare supplement Plan G and Medicare supplement Plan N. Plan N offers similar coverage, but you will have to pay for a copay for doctor visits and for the emergency room.
Which Medicare Supplement Should I Choose?
Medicare supplement plans are standardized to make sure you know what the benefits are but not every plan is the right fit for every person. There are many things to consider when it comes to price and we are here to help you figure out which plan will best serve your needs.
You may have a friend that has a Plan N in a different state and says to you it is the best option out there. This may be true if you had the exact same circumstances as your friend but not all plans are available in every area.
Call us today at 866-319-5886 and we will be happy to help you find a plan that works with your lifestyle. You can also fill out the form below if you would like to set up a time for us to give you a call.