Medicare Supplements are insurance policies sold by private insurance companies. They’re meant to supplement Original Medicare coverage, because Medicare does not cover everything!

As an example, Medicare Part B generally covers about 80% of the bill – the remaining 20% could wreck a senior’s finances in an instant. A Medicare Supplement plan can cover that 20% in full.

Medicare Supplement plans are also called Medigap for this reason; they fill in the gaps left behind by Medicare.

A few quick things to know about Medicare Supplements:

• They don’t include drug coverage – a separate, Part D prescription drug plan is needed.
  
• Plans are lettered from A-N (Plan F, G, and N are the most popular options).
  
• Benefits for each plan letter are standardized by the federal government in most states, meaning you get the same exact benefits no matter which insurance company you buy from.
  
• In Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, standardized plans can be changed without federal approval.

This is a new bill passed in Maryland allowing people to have open enrollment 30 days prior to their birthdate, allowing them to change Medicap plans.

If you are currently enrolled in a Medicare Supplemental Policy..Did you know that …New Maryland House Bill 247, As of January 1, 2023, Maryland has passed two important laws affecting Medicare Supplement plans sold in Maryland. Maryland House Bill 247, also known as the “Birthday Rule,” requires a carrier that sells Medicare Supplement policies to provide an enrolled individual the opportunity to switch to a different Medicare Supplement policy with equal or lesser benefits within 30 days following the individual’s birthday. This 30-day period is an Open Enrollment period where carriers cannot impose medical underwriting, and issuance to an equal or lesser benefits plan is guaranteed. House Bill 247 was effective January 1, 2023, beginning with July 1, 2023, birthdays.