Medicare Part D

Medigap and Medicare Supplement explained for Lafayette

LAFAYETTE, La. — If you've just aged into Medicare or you're helping a parent sort through the mail, you've probably heard the words "Medigap" and "Medicare Supplement" tossed around like they mean something different. They don't. They're the same thing — and understanding how they work can save you a lot of confusion later.

Here's a plain-language guide to what Medigap actually does, what it doesn't, and the small details that trip people up in Lafayette Parish.

What Medigap is (and what it isn't)

Medigap is private insurance that works alongside Original Medicare (Part A and Part B). It helps pay some of the costs Original Medicare leaves behind — things like coinsurance, copays, and some deductibles.

A few things to be clear about up front:

• Medigap is not Medicare Advantage. Advantage plans (Part C) replace how you get your Medicare. Medigap sits on top of Original Medicare.
• Medigap does not include prescription drug coverage. For drugs, you'd add a separate Part D plan.
• You cannot have both a Medigap policy and a Medicare Advantage plan at the same time.

How the standardized letters work

Here's the part that surprises people: Medigap plans are standardized by the federal government. That means Plan G sold by Company A covers the exact same medical benefits as Plan G sold by Company B. The letters (A, B, D, G, K, L, M, N) tell you what's covered.

What can differ between companies?

• The monthly premium you pay.
• Customer service, billing, and how the company handles rate increases over time.
• Optional extras some companies bundle in (like small wellness perks).

But the core medical benefits under each lettered plan are set by Medicare. That's why comparing Medigap policies is really a comparison of price and company, not benefits — once you've picked a letter.

Note: If you became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020, Plans C and F are no longer available to you. Those two plans covered the Part B deductible, which newer enrollees can't get through Medigap anymore.

What Medigap generally helps with

Depending on the letter you choose, Medigap can help pay for:

• Part A hospital coinsurance and additional hospital days after Medicare's coverage ends
• Part B coinsurance or copayments
• The first three pints of blood in a medical procedure
• Hospice care coinsurance
• Skilled nursing facility coinsurance
• The Part A deductible (on most letters)
• Foreign travel emergency care (on some letters)

What Medigap does not cover: prescription drugs, routine dental, routine vision, hearing aids, long-term custodial care, or private-duty nursing. Those need separate coverage or out-of-pocket payment.

The enrollment window most people miss

This is the single biggest Medigap mistake we see: waiting too long.

You get a one-time, six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period that starts the month you're 65 and enrolled in Part B. During that window, insurance companies must sell you any Medigap policy they offer at their best available rate, regardless of your health history.

After that window closes, companies in most states can use medical underwriting — meaning they can charge you more, or turn you down entirely, based on your health. Louisiana follows the federal baseline here, so if you're in Lafayette and you miss that six-month window, buying (or switching) Medigap later can get complicated.

There are limited "guaranteed issue" situations that protect you outside that window — for example, if certain other coverage ends involuntarily. If you think one applies, call your local SHIP before making a move.

Availability in Lafayette Parish

Medicare plan options are set at the county level. Lafayette is in Lafayette Parish, and the mix of Medigap carriers licensed to sell in Louisiana determines what's available to residents there. Because Medigap benefits are standardized, your job in Lafayette isn't to hunt for a "better" Plan G — it's to compare the companies offering it and the premium each one charges.

For a current list of companies licensed to sell Medigap in Louisiana, the Louisiana Department of Insurance and Medicare.gov's plan finder are the two authoritative sources.

How Medigap fits with Part D and 2027 costs

Because Medigap doesn't cover drugs, most people who choose a Medigap policy also enroll in a stand-alone Part D plan. A few numbers worth knowing for 2027:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. Once you hit it, you pay nothing more for covered drugs the rest of the year.
• The Part D maximum deductible is $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027.
• The old "donut hole" coverage gap was eliminated in 2025. Part D now has three phases instead of four.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread your drug costs across the calendar year in monthly amounts instead of paying big bills at the pharmacy counter. It's optional and free to opt into.
• IRMAA surcharges — extra amounts higher-income enrollees pay for Part B and Part D — begin above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.

Key enrollment dates to keep on the fridge:

• Annual Enrollment Period: October 15 – December 7
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: January 1 – March 31

Note that these dates apply to Advantage and Part D. Medigap has its own timing rules, tied to when you first got Part B.