Medicare Supplement

Medigap Coverage in Wichita: How Medicare Supplement Works

WICHITA, Kan. — If you're new to Medicare, you've probably heard the term "Medigap" and wondered what it actually does. Medicare Supplement Insurance, better known as Medigap, is private insurance that helps pay some of the out-of-pocket costs Original Medicare leaves behind — things like coinsurance, copayments, and the Part A hospital deductible.

Medigap in plain English

Medigap does not replace Medicare. It works alongside Part A (hospital) and Part B (doctor visits). When Medicare pays its share of a covered service, your Medigap policy picks up some or all of what's left, depending on which plan you have.

Why the letters matter

Here's where the letters come in. In most states, including Kansas, Medigap plans are standardized. That means a Plan G from one company covers the exact same medical benefits as a Plan G from another company. The federal government sets what each lettered plan must cover.

The plans available today are labeled A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N. (Plans C and F are only available to people who became eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020.)

Because benefits are identical within each letter, the things that can differ between companies are:

• The monthly premium
• Customer service and billing
• Optional extras some carriers add on (like fitness perks)
• How the company prices policies as you age

That's it. A Plan N is a Plan N, no matter whose name is on the envelope.

What Medigap does not cover

Medigap is designed to fill gaps in Original Medicare — not to add new categories of coverage. It generally does not cover:

• Prescription drugs (you'd add a separate Part D plan)
• Routine dental, vision, or hearing
• Long-term care
• Private-duty nursing

For 2026, keep in mind that Part D has a $2,100 annual out-of-pocket cap on covered drugs, and the maximum Part D deductible is $615. The old "donut hole" coverage gap was eliminated in 2025, so Part D now has three phases instead of four. If drug costs still feel heavy month to month, the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread them out across the year.

Medigap vs. Medicare Advantage — a quick note

Medigap and Medicare Advantage (Part C) are two different paths, and you can't use both at the same time.

• Original Medicare + Medigap + Part D keeps you in the federal program and uses Medigap to smooth out cost-sharing.
• Medicare Advantage replaces how you get your Part A and B benefits, usually through a network, and often bundles drug coverage.

Wichita is in Sedgwick County, where multiple Medicare Advantage plans and Part D plans are offered each year. The lineup changes annually, which is one reason the Annual Enrollment Period (Oct. 15 – Dec. 7) exists. If you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan, there's also the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period from Jan. 1 – March 31 to make a one-time change.

When to buy Medigap: the timing that matters most

The best window to buy a Medigap policy is your Medigap Open Enrollment Period — the six months that start the month you're 65 and enrolled in Part B. During this window, companies must sell you any Medigap policy they offer at their best available rate, and they can't turn you down or charge more because of health problems.

After that window closes, in most cases insurers can use medical underwriting. That doesn't mean you can never switch later — it just means the rules are different, and answers depend on your situation.

Also worth knowing: if your income is above $109,000 as a single filer in 2026, IRMAA surcharges may apply to your Part B and Part D premiums. That's separate from Medigap, but it affects your overall Medicare budget.

How to compare plans without getting overwhelmed

A simple approach:

1. Pick the letter first. Decide how much cost-sharing you're comfortable handling yourself. Plans with richer benefits usually have higher premiums. 2. Then compare companies on that letter. Because benefits are identical, you're really comparing price, stability of rate increases, and service. 3. Add a Part D plan separately if you need drug coverage. 4. Recheck yearly. Your Part D plan can — and should — be reviewed during AEP, even if your Medigap policy stays the same.