Medicare Supplement Plans Medicare will pay some of your doctor and hospital bills, but it was not set up to pay for all of them. Medicare Supplement insurance plans help cover the items that Medicare doesn?t pay for and provide you with protection from the ever-increasing gaps in Medicare coverage. Every carrier offering Medicare Supplements provides identical coverage plans. Within 6 months of reaching age 65, individuals can apply and will get accepted by the carrier of their choice (regardless of individual health history). If an application is not submitted until after this 6-month period passes, the insurance companies can ask health questions and either accept or reject an individual for coverage. If you are in this situation, contact Deerpath Insurance Agency—we can assist you in securing coverage with a carrier that may not ask health questions. Remember, benefits are exactly the same regardless of insurer--the only differences are in the premium level and whether any health considerations have been made. As far as medical supplement plans go, the least expensive plan which covers the smallest amounts of benefits is plan A. This is followed by plan B, which will cover more, but has an increased cost. Plans C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J will cover more and more as you go up the alphabet. Deerpath Insurance recommends that our clients buy at least plan F (or greater) for their coverage. A complete listing and chart can be e-mailed or faxed to you showing what each of the plans will or will not cover by contacting us at the following: E-mail Mike@Deerpathinsurance.com or Fax (847)367-5476. There are also other supplement plans on the market such as HMO Medicare referral programs. With these plans, Deerpath Insurance Agency will call the insurance company, and the company will contact you directly. Some possible benefits are: co-pays of $10-$20 to see an HMO network doctor for a visit; a prescription drug card; 100% (or close to) hospital coverage for as little as $0 to $40 per month! These plan have the insured pick a primary care physician as the gatekeeper, and all medical treatment or referrals must originate with this doctor. These plans are also available to people who are on disability or have not yet reached the age of 65. These plans are very good for someone who stays in the area on a full-time basis and travels infrequently. The other Medicare supplement plans offer much greater flexibility, as the patient can choose any physician for their services. Mike@Deerpathinsurance.com