Medigap Plan D. Medigap insurance plans may help with certain costs not covered by Original Medicare. There are 10 standardized plan types available each labeled with a different letter. Each plan type corresponds with a different level of coverage and works alongside your Original Medicare, Part A, and Part B, benefits.

Among the 10 Medigap plan types, Medigap Plan D might be viewed as the midpoint in terms of the amount of coverage. Plan D offers more coverage than Plans A and B, but does not offer the additional benefits covered by Plans C and F. Certain benefits included in other plans, such as the Medicare Part B deductible and Part B excess charges, are not covered under Plan D.

Medigap Plan D should not be confused with Medicare Part D, which is Medicare prescription drug coverage. Plan D is supplementary insurance that fills some coverage gaps in Original Medicare. Part D is the Medicare prescription drug benefit available through Medicare Prescription Drug Plans and Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug plans.

Medigap plans do not include prescription drug benefits. If you’re enrolled in Original Medicare and want coverage for your medications, you should enroll in a stand-alone Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.

Medicare Supplement (Medigap) Plan: Plan D coverage

Medigap Plan D provides the following benefits:

• Part A hospital coinsurance and hospital costs up to an extra 365 days after Original Medicare benefits are exhausted
• Part A hospice care coinsurance payment or copayment
• Part B copayment or coinsurance payment
• First three pints of blood for a medical procedure
• Skilled nursing facility (SNF) care coinsurance
• Part A deductible
• 80% of foreign travel emergency costs (up to plan limits)

Plan D does not cover Medicare Part B deductible payments or Part B excess charges. Medicare Part B excess charges may occur if a doctor doesn’t accept assignment, meaning he or she charges you above the amount that Medicare will pay for the service. This difference between what your doctor charges and the Medicare-approved amount for a health-care service is known as an “excess charge,” and doctors who don’t accept assignments are allowed to charge up to 15% above the Medicare-approved amount. You’re typically responsible for paying these charges out of pocket. Plan D doesn’t cover excess charges, but Plans F and G do cover these costs.

Comparing Medigap Plan D with other Medicare Supplement insurance plans

It is important to note that not all insurance companies may sell this plan, and availability may depend on your location. Insurance companies are required to offer Medigap Plan A; if they want to offer additional Medigap plans, they must also offer either Plan C or Plan F.