If you have Original Medicare, you might decide to buy Medicare supplemental insurance, or Medi-gap. Private companies sell Medi-gap insurance. It helps you pay for costs that Medicare doesn't cover, such as your share of doctor and hospital services. Insurance companies in most states can offer ten different Medi-gap plans to people on Medicare. These standard plans are labeled Plan A through Plan J. Each one offers a different set of benefits, fills different gaps in Medicare coverage, and varies in price. The simplest plan, which offers the least amount of extra coverage, is Plan A. The most comprehensive plan is Plan J. All Medi-gap policies cover:

• Hospital coinsurance for Medicare-covered hospital stays.
• Medicare coinsurance on your doctor's bills and all other Medicare Part B services.
• First three pints of blood you need each year.

Enrolling in Medi-gap:
You have the right to enroll in a Medi-gap plan of your choice during the six months following your initial enrollment in Medicare Part B at age 65 and over. This is called the open enrollment period. It's available only once.

More Information

You can find more information on Medi-gap insurance on AARP's website. Go to www.aarp.org/hcchooices/medicare/supplement/home.html .

The Medicare Personal Plan Finder provides detailed information about Medigap plans available in your local area. To access this information, got to the Medicare website at www.medicare.gov/MPPF/Home.asp .