Medigap
Medicare Supplement insurance in Arizona
A Medicare Supplement pays the share Original Medicare does not. Here is how the lettered plans work, why every carrier sells identical benefits within a letter, and what that means when you shop.
The short answer
Medicare generally covers 80% of medical costs. A Medicare Supplement (Medigap) covers the balance of the remaining 20%, depending on the plan you select, and lets you see any doctor in the country who accepts Medicare. Plans are standardized by letter, so a given letter provides the same basic benefits from every carrier that sells it. You pay a monthly premium, you need a separate Part D plan for prescriptions, and you can switch at any time of year.
No network, anywhere in the country
A Supplement lets you see any doctor who accepts Medicare, anywhere in the United States. There is no provider network to check and no referral structure.
Benefits are standardized by plan letter
Plans are labelled A through N. Every carrier selling a given letter must provide the same basic benefits, so the meaningful differences between carriers are premium, rate-increase history and service.
You still need a separate Part D plan
Medigap does not include prescription drug coverage. Pairing a Supplement with a standalone Part D plan is the normal arrangement, and the Part D choice depends on your actual prescription list.
You can change it any time of year
Unlike Medicare Advantage and Part D, a Supplement is not locked to the Annual Election Period. That is what makes periodic re-shopping practical.
How Medigap fits alongside Original Medicare
Original Medicare, meaning Parts A and B, pays most of the cost of covered hospital and medical care but not all of it. A Medicare Supplement plan covers the balance of the 20% not paid by Medicare, depending on the plan selected. You pay a monthly premium for the plan and will not receive a bill unless it is for a service that Medicare does not cover at all.
Because a Supplement works alongside Original Medicare rather than replacing it, you keep Original Medicare’s nationwide access. This plan allows you to see any doctor who accepts Medicare anywhere in the country, which matters if you travel, spend part of the year outside Arizona, or want to keep a specialist who is not in a local network.
What the plan letters mean
Medigap plans are identified by letters A through N, each with different benefits, costs and premium amounts. The key point that surprises most people: each plan must offer the same basic benefits no matter which company offers it. A given letter from one carrier and the same letter from another carrier provide the same core coverage.
That standardization is what makes shopping worthwhile. Since the coverage inside a letter does not vary, the real differences are the premium, how aggressively the carrier has raised rates historically, and how the company handles service. Those are exactly the comparisons an independent broker can run across every carrier available in your Arizona ZIP code, at no cost to you.
Prescriptions are separate
Part D prescription plans are not covered with Medigap plans, so you will need a separate Part D plan as well. Which Part D plan is right depends on your actual prescription list, because formularies differ between plans and change annually. See how Part D works for the details, including the late-enrollment penalty.
Why re-shopping matters
It is not uncommon for your Supplement premium to go up around 10% per year. It is wise to re-shop your Supplement every two to three years to make sure your monthly premium is in alignment with current market premiums. You can re-shop your Medigap plan any time during the year; the Annual Election Period does not apply to you.
This is the single most common piece of money left on the table by Arizona seniors on a Supplement: the plan is fine, the premium has simply drifted. Since the benefits inside a plan letter are identical between carriers, a move is a price decision, not a coverage sacrifice.
Supplement or Medicare Advantage?
These are two different structures, not two grades of the same thing. A Supplement keeps Original Medicare and pays what it does not, with no network but a monthly premium and a separate Part D plan. Medicare Advantage replaces how you receive Part A and Part B benefits, usually bundles extras like dental, vision and drug coverage, and uses a provider network. Our side-by-side comparison of Medicare Advantage and Medigap walks through which situations point which way.
Where we work
Medigap help across Arizona
Which carriers are available, and at what premium, depends on your ZIP code. We compare them for seniors across the state.
- Tempe
- Phoenix Metro
- Mesa
- Kingman
- Bullhead City
- Yuma
- Prescott
- Sierra Vista
- Camp Verde
Medicare Supplement questions
- What is a Medicare Supplement plan in Arizona?
- A Medicare Supplement, also called Medigap, is a policy that pays the share of costs Original Medicare leaves behind. Medicare generally covers 80% of medical costs; a Supplement covers the balance of the remaining 20%, depending on the plan you select. It lets you see any doctor in the country who accepts Medicare, with no network.
- Do all Arizona carriers offer the same Medigap benefits?
- Yes, within a given plan letter. Medigap plans are identified by letters A through N, and each lettered plan must offer the same basic benefits no matter which company offers it. That means carriers compete on price, rate history and service rather than on coverage.
- Does a Medicare Supplement include prescription drug coverage?
- No. Part D prescription plans are not covered with Medigap plans, so you will need a separate Part D plan alongside your Supplement.
- When can I enroll in or switch a Medicare Supplement in Arizona?
- You can enroll in or switch to a Medicare Supplement plan at any time of year. The Annual Election Period, which restricts Medicare Advantage and Part D changes to October 15 through December 7, does not apply to Medigap.
- Why should I re-shop my Medicare Supplement?
- It is not uncommon for a Supplement premium to rise around 10% per year. Re-shopping every two to three years helps confirm your monthly premium is still in line with current market premiums. Because the benefits within a plan letter are identical between carriers, switching is a price and service decision rather than a coverage decision.
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