Medigap Insurance
Supplemental Insurance for Medicare (also called Medigap) is insurance meant to cover Medicare deductibles. Medicare is the 'primary insurance' and Medigap is 'secondary'. For example, Medicare typically pays up to a certain amount (usually 80%) for hospital care, doctors' visits, etc., with the individual beneficiary responsible for the remainder. Medigap Insurance helps pay for these remaining costs.
There are varies levels of Medigap insuranc coverage. Before purchasing a policy, carefully consider whether it covers the services you now need, or may be expected to need in the future.
New York and federal laws require that private insurance companies only sell standardized Medigap policies. For more information about Medigap, call the NYC Department for the Aging Information & Referral Helpline at 1-212-442-1000 and ask for the HIICAP Unit.
Many states have a State Health Insurance Program (SHIP or SHIIP). For a complete listing of SHIP programs, you can visit SHIP.org