Medicare Supplement
Keep Original Medicare — and cap the bills it leaves you.
A Medicare Supplement, or Medigap, policy sits alongside Original Medicare and pays much of what Medicare does not: the deductibles, copays and coinsurance that otherwise have no ceiling. You keep any doctor that accepts Medicare, with no network.
In plain language
What this actually is
Medigap does not replace Medicare — it fills the gaps in it. You stay on Original Medicare, and the supplement picks up cost-sharing according to the plan you choose.
There is no network. Any provider in the country who accepts Medicare accepts your supplement, which suits people who travel or split the year between states.
Most states sell Medigap under the federal Plan A through Plan N letters. Wisconsin is one of three that do not — it uses a single standardized basic policy with optional riders instead.
Suitability
Who a supplement tends to suit
- People who want predictable costs and are willing to pay a monthly premium for them
- Anyone who wants to keep any Medicare-accepting doctor without network restrictions
- Frequent travelers or people who live in more than one state during the year
- Those who would rather budget a set premium than face variable copays
Eligibility
The window that matters most
Your one guaranteed-acceptance window opens the month your Part B starts and lasts six months. During it, you cannot be turned down or charged more for your health.
- A six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period beginning when Part B takes effect
- No medical underwriting during that window — health history cannot be used against you
- After it closes, most states let carriers underwrite, so approval is not guaranteed
- Some states and situations offer additional guaranteed-issue rights worth checking
Timing
The clock that matters
Medigap has one guaranteed-acceptance window, and it never comes back. It opens when your Part B starts and lasts six months.
- Part B starts
- Month 3
- Month 6
- After
Six months, one time, no health questions. It does not repeat.
The honest picture
What it does well, and where it falls short
Both columns matter. A product described only by its advantages has been sold to you, not explained.
What it does well
- Predictable costs
- Depending on the plan, most or all of Medicare's deductibles and coinsurance are covered, so bills stop being a surprise.
- No network
- Any provider that accepts Medicare accepts your supplement — nationwide, with no referrals.
- Coverage that stays put
- A supplement does not change its benefits every year the way an Advantage plan can; the coverage is stable.
Limitations worth knowing
- A monthly premium
- Supplements carry a premium in addition to Part B, and premiums generally rise with age and inflation over time.
- No drug coverage
- Medigap does not include Part D; you add a standalone drug plan separately.
- Underwriting later
- Miss the one-time window and, in most states, a carrier can review your health and decline you or charge more.
How we work through it
The order we do things in
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Confirm your window
We work out whether you are inside your guaranteed-issue window or will need underwriting, because it changes everything.
-
Match the coverage level
We compare the plans we offer against how you actually use care, in writing.
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Add a drug plan
Because Medigap excludes drugs, we line up a standalone Part D plan to go with it.
-
Review rate history
For identical coverage, we look at each carrier's rate-increase history — not just today's premium.
Where we help
Available across all seven states we serve
Medicare Supplement guidance is available to clients in every state we are licensed in. Our home base is northeast Wisconsin — the Fox Valley, Green Bay and the Lakeshore — and we work remote-first, by phone and video, right across every state on the list.
Questions
Medicare Supplement questions
Can I keep my own doctors?
Yes. A supplement has no network — any provider that accepts Medicare accepts it, anywhere in the country.
Is Wisconsin really different?
Yes. Wisconsin, Massachusetts and Minnesota standardize Medigap their own way. A national quote for a lettered plan like 'Plan G' is quoting a plan Wisconsin does not sell.
What if I missed my six-month window?
You can still apply, but in most states the carrier can review your health and may decline or surcharge you. We tell you honestly what your options look like.
Related
Usually considered alongside this
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Benefits Empire is not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program.
Find out whether a supplement or Advantage fits you better
The honest comparison depends on your health, your budget and how you use care. A no-fee review lays both paths out side by side.