Are Medicare Supplement plans the same thing as "Medicare Secondary Insurance"?

Question

Vachik Chakhbazian · Accepted Answer

No, Medicare Supplement plans and "Medicare Secondary Insurance" are not exactly the same, though they are related. Medicare Supplement plans, also known as Medigap, are specific types of secondary insurance designed to cover the costs that Original Medicare doesn't cover.

Answered by Vachik Chakhbazian on April 26, 2025

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Fred Manas · Answer

No, Medicare Supplement plans are not the same as "Medicare Secondary Insurance", although they are related. Medicare Supplement plans, also known as Medigap, are extra insurance purchased to cover gaps in Original Medicare.
"Medicare Secondary Insurance" refers to a situation where Medicare is the second insurance payer after another primary insurance. While a Medigap plan can function as secondary insurance to Original Medicare, it's not the only type of secondary insurance that can exist.

Tony Hardwick · Answer

No. A Medicare Supplement plan is a private health insurance policy that helps cover out of pocket costs not covered by Original Medicare. A Medicare Secondary Payer refers to situations where Medicare pays after another insurance plan has already paid.

Answered by Tony Hardwick on April 28, 2025

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Brandon Brown · Answer

Yes, “Medicare Supplement” and “Medicare Secondary Insurance” usually mean the same thing.

Both refer to insurance that pays after Medicare — helping cover costs like deductibles, copays, and coinsurance that Medicare doesn’t fully pay. The official name is Medicare Supplement Insurance (or Medigap), but a lot of people casually call it “secondary insurance” because it acts after Medicare pays first.

Quick tip: Not all “secondary insurance” is a Medigap plan — some people might have secondary coverage through a retiree plan, Medicaid, or an employer too. But if you’re buying it yourself specifically to fill Medicare’s gaps, it’s a Medicare Supplement.

Stella Hattox · Answer

YES, they pick up deductibles and co insurance.  However, if Medicare does not cover it, the Supplement ( also known as Medigap) will not cover it either.

Are Medicare Supplement plans the same thing as "Medicare Secondary Insurance"?

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Are Medicare Supplement plans the same thing as "Medicare Secondary Insurance"?

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