Medicare Supplement

What each Medigap letter covers in Beckley, WV

BECKLEY, W.Va. — If you've ever looked at Medicare Supplement Insurance — often called Medigap — and felt lost in a wall of letters (A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, N), you're not alone. Those letters aren't random. They're a system designed to make it easier to compare policies. Here's how Medigap works, what the letters actually mean, and the small missteps that can trip people up.

What Medigap actually does

Medigap works alongside Original Medicare (Part A and Part B). After Medicare pays its share of an approved service, your Medigap policy picks up some or all of what's left — things like coinsurance, copayments, and in some cases deductibles.

A few important boundaries. Medigap only works with Original Medicare, not Medicare Advantage. It doesn't cover long-term care, dental, vision, hearing aids, or private-duty nursing. And it doesn't include Part D drug coverage — that's a separate purchase.

Why the letters exist

Before standardization, Medigap policies were hard to compare because every company designed its own. Today, the federal government requires Medigap plans to fit into standardized letter categories. That means the benefits inside Plan G, for example, are the same from one insurer to the next.

What can differ between companies selling the "same" letter plan:

• The monthly premium
• Customer service and claims handling
• Whether the plan offers extras like a fitness benefit
• How premiums are priced as you age (community-rated, issue-age, or attained-age)

So two Plan Ns can have identical medical benefits but very different prices. That's why comparing carriers matters, even inside one letter.

A quick tour of the letters

There are 10 standardized Medigap plans in most states: A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N. Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Wisconsin standardize their plans differently.

One rule worth knowing: Plans C and F are only available to people who became eligible for Medicare before Jan. 1, 2020. If you turned 65 after that date, those two aren't options for you. Plans K and L have their own out-of-pocket limits and cover a smaller share of certain costs until you hit the limit.

For a side-by-side benefits chart, Medicare.gov's plan finder shows exactly what each letter covers.

The enrollment window that matters most

The single biggest Medigap mistake is missing your Medigap Open Enrollment Period. It's a one-time, six-month window that starts the month you're 65 and enrolled in Part B. During this window:

• You can buy any Medigap policy sold in your state.
• Insurers can't turn you down or charge you more because of health conditions.

After that window closes, insurers in most states can use medical underwriting. That means they can ask about your health and potentially deny coverage or raise your premium. West Virginia follows the federal baseline on this, so timing counts.

How this connects to Beckley

Beckley is in Raleigh County, where residents choose between staying with Original Medicare (and optionally adding a Medigap and Part D plan) or enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan. Medigap and Medicare Advantage are not something you combine — you pick one path.

If you'd like unbiased, one-on-one help sorting through options in West Virginia, the state's SHIP program (called West Virginia SHIP) offers free counseling. You can reach WV SHIP at 1-877-987-4463.

Small mistakes that cost people later

• Assuming Medigap covers drugs. It doesn't. You need a separate Part D plan.
• Waiting too long to enroll. After your six-month window, health underwriting can apply.
• Shopping by letter alone. Once you know your letter, compare premiums and pricing methods across carriers.
• Confusing Medigap with Medicare Advantage. They're different products with different rules.