What Does Comprehensive Medicare Supplement Mean?
Comprehensive medical supplement is additional insurance for primary Medicare insurance. It does not cover basic, primary health care; rather, it covers the gap between what primary Medicare insurance pays for and what the policyholder would pay out of pocket. It does not cover long-term care, hearing aids, vision or dental care, eyeglasses, or private nurses.
Comprehensive Medicare supplement is also known as Medigap.
Insuranceopedia Explains Comprehensive Medicare Supplement
Medicare supplements were first introduced in 1949. From the term supplement, this type of insurance is designed to work with existing Medicare insurances. During times wherein primary Medicare insurance proves to be insufficient, a comprehensive medical supplement may come in handy. It can help pay for co-payments, coinsurance, and deductibles primary Medicare won't cover. Additional expenses like a visit to the doctor's or hospital stays become deductibles that a Medicare supplement policy would cover. These insurance plans are helpful but are not designed to serve as a replacement for primary Medicare plans.