Original Medicare Parts A and B do not pay for all of the costs for covered healthcare services and supplies.

Medicare Supplement insurance plans (also know as MediGap) work with Original Medicare (Parts A & B) to help with those out-of-pocket costs.

When you have a Medicare Supplement, it means that Medicare is primary insurance, and the supplement or MediGap plan is secondary insurance. (As contrasted with a Medicare Advantage plan which has a contract with Medicare to run the program for them, and then becomes the primary insurance).

The following are also true about Medicare Supplement insurance plans:

• No network restrictions, which means you can see any doctor who accepts Medicare patients.
• No referrals required to see a specialist (unless that provider has a policy requiring referrals).
• Coverage goes with you anywhere you travel in the U.S.
• Medicare Supplements/MediGap plans offer a range of plan choices  to fit your health needs and budget.

Generally, Medicare Supplements do not cover long- term care, routine vision or dental services, hearing aids, eyeglasses or private duty nursing.