What is the Best Medicare Supplement Plan to Choose?

What is the best Medicare supplement plan to choose? The best answer is the best one for you is what suits your needs. Basic Medicare does provide a decent safety net and will cover most of the costs. But, both Part A and Part B involve deductibles, co-payments and co-insurance.

This means that there are significant out of pocket expenses that the patient will need to cover for even a short hospital stay. That is where finding the right supplemental plan is critical for each person.

What is the best Medicare supplement plan to choose? If you want basic coverage, Plan A will provide it. This covers hospitalization coinsurance costs for stays between 61 and 150 days. It also provides an additional 365 days of hospital stay once Medicare coverage stops.

It covers the cost of Part B coinsurance. It will cover the first three pints of blood which are the patient's costs otherwise. Beginning in June of 2010, hospice care is also going to be covered. You are still responsible for the deductibles for both Part A and B.

Now, all other medicare supplement plans include everything that Plan A does. But the other plans also cover additional items. For more than basic coverage, there are many other options. To cover the deductible for Part A, supplemental plan B is the ticket. In 2009, the typical deductible is $1068.

Plan C provides more benefits. It will cover the deductibles for both Parts A and B. In addition, it provides a coinsurance for a stay at a skilled nursing facility and will cover up to 80% of foreign travel emergencies.

Supplemental plan D is similar to Plan C, but does not cover the Part B deductible. Plan F is a popular choice since it covers everything that Plan C does plus provides extra coverage of Medicare Part B excess charges. Plan G does not cover the Part B deductible but does cover 80% of the Part B excess charges.

Plans K and L can provide partial coverages at the 50% and 75% levels. Beginning in June 2010, there are new options becoming available. There are new plans M and N. Plan M increases cost-sharing. Part A's deductible is covered at 50%, with Part B's deductible not being covered. Plan N introduces a new co-payment option.

For each visit to a doctor or emergency room, the patient must pay a co-pay up front. There is also no coverage of the Part B deductible.