Medicare Supplement (Medigap)
Standardized policies like Plan G and Plan N that pay what Original Medicare leaves behind.
Original Medicare, explained without the jargon
Parts A and B are the foundation every other choice sits on. Here is what they cover, what they leave open, and when to sign up.
Overview
What Original Medicare means for you
Original Medicare is the program most people picture: Part A pays for inpatient hospital stays, skilled nursing after a qualifying stay, hospice and some home health care. Part B pays for doctor visits, outpatient surgery, lab work, imaging, durable medical equipment and most preventive care.
You can see any doctor or hospital in the country that accepts Medicare, with no referrals and no networks. That freedom matters a great deal in coastal Georgia, where many of our clients see specialists at Memorial Health in Savannah, St. Joseph's/Candler, and sometimes Emory or Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville.
What Original Medicare does not do is cap your spending. Part B pays 80 percent of approved charges and the remaining 20 percent has no annual limit. It also leaves out most prescription drugs, routine dental, eyeglasses and hearing aids. That is why most people pair it with a Medicare Supplement and a Part D plan, or replace it with a Medicare Advantage plan.
Figures are shown for illustration and change every January. Confirm current amounts at Medicare.gov. We do not offer every plan available in your area. Contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE for all of your options.
What is included
The coverage that matters most, in plain language. Details vary by plan.
- Inpatient hospital care, semi-private room and meals (Part A)
- Skilled nursing facility care after a 3-day inpatient stay, up to 100 days (Part A)
- Hospice care and limited home health services
- Doctor visits, specialists and outpatient procedures (Part B)
- Lab tests, X-rays, MRIs and other diagnostic imaging (Part B)
- Durable medical equipment such as walkers, CPAP machines and oxygen
- An annual wellness visit and most preventive screenings at no cost
- Outpatient mental health care and telehealth visits
How we help you decide
Our process for original medicare, start to finish.
Confirm your Part A status
If you or a spouse worked about 10 years, Part A is premium-free. We check your Social Security record with you before your birthday month.
Decide on Part B timing
Still working with employer coverage from a company of 20 or more? You may delay Part B without penalty. We walk through the numbers with your HR plan.
Enroll through Social Security
We sit with you, in person or on video, while you apply online at ssa.gov. It takes about 20 minutes.
Add the pieces you need
Once your Medicare number arrives, we compare Medigap, Part D and Advantage options that fit your doctors and prescriptions.
Why people choose it
Any doctor that takes Medicare
No networks, no referrals and no prior authorization for most services.
Coverage when you travel
Accepted nationwide, useful for snowbirds and families spread across states.
The base for Medigap
Pair it with a Supplement and your yearly costs become very predictable.
Costs and factors
Figures are shown for illustration and change every January. Confirm current amounts at Medicare.gov.
- Part A premium
- $0
- With 40 quarters of work history
- Part A deductible
- $1,736
- Per benefit period (sample 2026 figure)
- Part B premium
- $202.90
- Standard monthly amount, higher with IRMAA (sample 2026 figure)
- Part B deductible
- $283
- Per year, then 20 percent coinsurance (sample 2026 figure)
Original Medicare questions
Still wondering about something? A licensed advisor can answer in plain English, usually the same day.
Not always. If you have creditable group coverage through your own or your spouse's current employment at a company with 20 or more employees, you can usually delay Part B and enroll later in a Special Enrollment Period without a penalty.
For most people, no. The 20 percent Part B coinsurance has no yearly cap and drugs are not covered. A Supplement plus Part D, or a Medicare Advantage plan, closes those gaps.
It is 10 percent added to your Part B premium for each full 12-month period you could have had Part B but did not, and it generally lasts for as long as you have Part B.
No. Medicare covers short skilled nursing stays after a hospital admission, but not custodial care in a nursing home or assisted living. We can point you toward long-term care resources.
Related coverage
Part D prescription drug plans
Stand-alone drug plans that work with Original Medicare and Medigap.
Medicare Advantage
Part C plans from private carriers that bundle A, B and usually D with extra benefits.
