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Medigap Plan D

Updated: Dec 13, 2023

An Option for New Medicare Enrollees



If you read our last post , you know that Medigap Plan C is not available to new Medicare enrollees. Generally, this includes anyone enrolled in Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. Thank goodness, this is not the same for Medigap Plan D. It is available to new enrollees. Let’s look at Plan D benefits:


100% coverage for the following:

  • Medicare Part A coinsurance and hospital costs (up to an additional 365 days after Medicare benefits are used)

  • Medicare Part B coinsurance or copayment

  • Blood (first 3 pints)

  • Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment

  • Skilled nursing facility care coinsurance

  • Part A Inpatient deductible ($1,600, 2023 and $1,632, 2024)

80% Coverage for the following:

  • Foreign travel emergency (up to plan limits)

0% Coverage for the following:

  • Part B Annual deductible ($226, 2023 and $240, 2024)

  • Part B excess charge


You can see by this list that Plan D covers all the Plan C benefits except for the Part B deductible. (Part B excess charge is not covered in both Plan C and Plan D.) There are some other important points you need to know about Plan D benefits:


  • In addition to offering Plan A, Medigap insurance carriers must offer either Plan D or Plan G policies.

  • People that purchased Plan D or Plan G coverages prior to June 1, 2010, have different benefits than people who purchased these Plans after June 1, 2010.

  • As of January 1, 2020, none of the Medigap Insurance carriers can include benefits for the Part B deductible, including Plan D.

  • There appears to be confusion, for some, about the difference between Medigap Plan D and Medicare Part D. Remember, Medicare Part D is one of the parts of Original Medicare. Medicare Part D helps cover cost of prescription drugs (including many recommended shots or vaccines). Medicare Part D is not included in the Medigap Plan coverages. Medicare enrollees should purchase Medicare Part D, from a private insurance carrier, when they are first eligible and enrolled in Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B, and at the same time purchase a Medigap or Medicare Supplemental Plan. If you don’t enroll in Medicare Part D when first eligible, you may incur higher premiums with penalties. (We will discuss Medicare Part D in another post.)


Do you need assistance to pay your Medicare deductibles, coinsurance, premiums or other?


If it is difficult for you to pay Medicare deductibles, coinsurance, premiums or other, please contact your State Department of Health--click on this link)


How many people are enrolled in Plan D?


According to AHIP (formerly known as America’s Health Insurance Plans), in December 2021, there were 14,592,068 people enrolled in the Medigap Plans; 151,327 were enrolled in Medigap Plan D. In the state of Maryland, 1,801 were enrolled in Medigap Plan D and in the state of North Carolina, 3,540.


Remember to take out the time to compare the various Medigap Plans and Medicare Advantage Plan options that are available to you and make wise choices based on your short-term and long-term health care needs.


We hope this information has been helpful. Contact Benefits-4-Retirees for Medigap, Life or other ancillary insurance benefits!



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