Function

• Both of these products are designed to help with medical care for the elderly. Once you reach the age of 65, you have the option to receive Medicare. This is a government program that provides you with some healthcare for free. This type of coverage provides you with help when paying for hospital visits as well as when you go to the doctor. The purpose of Medigap is to fill in any coverage gaps that are left from Medicare.
  
  

Types

• Each type of medical coverage has different options for you to choose from. With regular Medicare, you can choose from Part A and Part B. Part A is a coverage that will help you with hospital bills. Part B is designed to help you pay for doctor expenses. With Medigap, you have several options to choose from. You can choose one of the 12 standard Medigap policies that are available. With Medigap, they have policies that go from A through L.
  
  

Benefits

• Each type of policy can provide you with some benefits as a consumer. With traditional Medicare, you can get the bulk of your medical expenses covered. The majority of your hospital bill will be paid, and the total cost of the bill will be reduced as well. If you buy a Medigap policy in addition to the Medicare policy, you can potentially get the rest of your bill covered. These policies are designed to lower your out-of-pocket expenses.
  
  

Offering Entity

• One of the big differences between these two types of coverage is who offers them. Traditional Medicare is actually an insurance policy that is offered by the federal government. It is paid for with Medicare taxes that are collected from every working individual. With Medigap, you would actually be working with a private company. Even though you work with a private company, their policies and terms are standardized, so every policy is essentially the same.
  
  

Considerations

• When you get a Medigap policy, there are several options that you will have to consider. If you are married, you will potentially need to get two different policies. Medigap policies are not set up to cover spouses together like other health insurance plans do. This means that if you have a Medigap policy, it will not cover any of the medical bills that are incurred by your spouse.