What Is Medigap Plan C? What You Need to Know

However, Plan C is no longer available to most new enrollees. If you are new to Medicare and aren’t eligible for Plan C, there are other Medigap alternatives for you.

Here’s how Medigap plans work: After Medicare pays its approved amount, your Medigap coverage takes effect. These plans typically assist with copayments, coinsurance and some deductibles not covered under your Original Medicare policy. You must be enrolled in Medicare parts A and B to be eligible for a Medicare Supplement plan (it’s not available to Medicare Advantage enrollees).

Like Medigap Plan F, Plan C is no longer available to Medicare beneficiaries who became eligible on or after Jan. 1, 2020. If you already had Plan C before that date, you can keep your plan, and if you were eligible for Medicare before Jan. 1, 2020, but not yet enrolled, then you may still have the option to buy Plan C.

• Part A coinsurance and hospital costs up to an additional 365 days after Medicare benefits are used up.

• Part B coinsurance or copayment.

• Blood (first three pints).

• Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment.

• Skilled nursing facility care coinsurance.

• Part A deductible.

• Part B deductible.

• Foreign travel exchange (up to plan limits).

If you are not eligible for Medigap Plan C, there are other Medicare Supplement Insurance plans available to you. It is worth noting, though, that no plans currently available to new enrollees cover the Medicare Part B deductible.

All Medigap Plans are sold by private companies. They are all federally regulated and standardized across all states, except Massachusetts, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

The cost of Medigap plans vary widely depending on numerous factors, with monthly premiums generally ranging from less than $100 per month to several hundred dollars.

The best time to enroll in Medigap is your initial enrollment period — a six-month window that begins once you’re enrolled in Medicare Part B.

Policies are typically cheaper during this period because companies are not allowed to consider your current health or medical history when writing the initial policy. After this enrollment period, your health status can be taken into account, and companies can charge more for the same coverage or deny coverage outright.