Medigap in Minnesota

If you live in Minnesota, you have the right to buy a Medicare Supplement plan, also called Medigap coverage. But some of the plans sold in Minnesota are different from Medigap policies sold in other states.

Terry Turner, writer and researcher for RetireGuide
  • Written by
    Terry Turner

    Terry Turner

    Senior Financial Writer and Financial Wellness Facilitator

    Terry Turner has more than 35 years of journalism experience, including covering benefits, spending and congressional action on federal programs such as Social Security and Medicare. He is a Certified Financial Wellness Facilitator through the National Wellness Institute and the Foundation for Financial Wellness and a member of the Association for Financial Counseling & Planning Education (AFCPE®).

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    Matt Mauney
    Matt Mauney, Senior Editor for RetireGuide

    Matt Mauney

    Financial Editor

    Matt Mauney is an award-winning journalist, editor, writer and content strategist with more than 15 years of professional experience working for nationally recognized newspapers and digital brands. He has contributed content for ChicagoTribune.com, LATimes.com, The Hill and the American Cancer Society, and he was part of the Orlando Sentinel digital staff that was named a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2017.

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    Brian Hickey, CLU®, CLTC®, FLMI
    Brian Hickey

    Brian Hickey, CLU®, CLTC®, FLMI

    Vice President of Insuractive

    Brian Hickey is vice president of Insuractive, an Omaha-based company providing direct-to-consumer Medicare plans, life insurance and wealth protection to individuals. With 24 years’ experiencein Medicare, long-term care, life insurance and wealth protection, Brian leads and develops Insuractive’s strategic initiatives with a focus on direct-to-consumeroptions for insurance information and solutions.

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  • Published: January 29, 2021
  • Updated: May 23, 2023
  • 4 min read time
  • This page features 3 Cited Research Articles
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A licensed insurance professional reviewed this page for accuracy and compliance with the CMS Medicare Communications and Marketing Guidelines (MCMGs) and Medicare Advantage (MA/MAPD) and/or Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (PDP) carriers’ guidelines.

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APA Turner, T. (2023, May 23). Medigap in Minnesota. RetireGuide.com. Retrieved June 8, 2023, from https://www.retireguide.com/medicare/supplement-insurance/compare/minnesota/

MLA Turner, Terry. "Medigap in Minnesota." RetireGuide.com, 23 May 2023, https://www.retireguide.com/medicare/supplement-insurance/compare/minnesota/.

Chicago Turner, Terry. "Medigap in Minnesota." RetireGuide.com. Last modified May 23, 2023. https://www.retireguide.com/medicare/supplement-insurance/compare/minnesota/.

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Types of Minnesota Medigap Policies

Medigap plans can help you cover health care costs that Original Medicare — Medicare Part A and Part B — does not cover. Minnesota is one of three states that the federal government has given waivers to set up their own standardization of Medigap plans. The other two are Massachusetts and Wisconsin.

There are 10 standardized Medicare Supplement plans under federal rules and five of those are available in Minnesota, along with Medicare Select plans that are available in several states and three types of plans unique to Minnesota.

Medigap Plans Available in Minnesota
  • Basic*
  • Basic with riders*
  • Extended Basic *
  • Medigap Plan F
  • Medigap Plan K
  • Medigap Plan L
  • Medigap Plan M
  • Medigap Plan N
  • Medicare Select
Source: * Exclusive to Minnesota

The Basic, Basic with riders and Extended Basic all contain some common benefits.

Basic Benefits in Minnesota Standardized Medigap Plans
  • Medicare Part A hospitalization coinsurance coverage
  • Medicare Part A hospice and respite cost sharing expenses
  • Medicare Part B medical coinsurance coverage (usually 20 percent of medical bills)
  • Medicare Part A and Part B home health care and supplies cost sharing expenses
  • First three pints of blood each year

Medigap plans are sold through private insurers. In 2020, there were 21 insurance companies that sold Medicare Supplement plans in the state, according to the Minnesota Commerce Department.

Comparing Minnesota’s Medigap Plans

Minnesota’s unique plans are primarily the Basic and Extended Basic plans. Extended Basic provides more coverage and can cost more.

Side-by-Side Comparison of Basic and Extended Basic Medigap Plans
Benefits Basic Plan Extended Basic Plan
Basic benefits Yes Yes
Coverage while in a foreign country No 80 percent up to $1,000 in a calendar year — 100 percent after $1,000 is reached in a year
Emergency health care while traveling in a foreign country 80 percent 80 percent
Medicare-covered preventive care Yes Yes
Outpatient mental health care 50 percent 50 percent
Part A inpatient hospital deductible No Yes
Part A skilled nursing facility coinsurance Yes (up to 100 days care) Yes (up to 120 days care)
Part B deductible No Yes (only if you were eligible before Jan. 1, 2020)
Physical therapy 20 percent 20 percent
State mandated health care benefits (cancer screenings, diabetes equipment and supplies, immunizations and reconstructive surgery) Yes Yes
Usual and customary health care fees No 80 percent up to $1,000 in a calendar year — 100 percent after $1,000 is reached in a year

Another option is the Minnesota Basic plan with riders. Riders are extra options that can be purchased and added to an insurance policy — in this case your Medigap Basic plan. There are four additional riders you can choose from.

Riders that Can Be Added to a Basic Plan
  • Part A inpatient hospital deductible coverage
  • Part B deductible coverage (only available to people who were eligible before Jan. 1, 2020)
  • Usual and customary health care fees
  • Non-Medicare covered preventive care

A Basic plan with riders policy allows you to tailor your coverage to give you more than Basic coverage but with less cost and without unwanted coverage of Extended Basic.

As an alternative to Medigap plans offered in Minnesota, residents who are eligible for Medicare also have the option to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan. These plans are run by private insurers and most include prescription drug coverage (Part D).

Note that you cannot enroll in both a Medigap plan and a Medicare advantage plan.

Last Modified: May 23, 2023

3 Cited Research Articles

  1. Hall, A. (2022, September 1). Medicare Advantage Plans In Minnesota In 2022. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/health/medicare/medicare-advantage-in-minnesota/
  2. U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Medigap in Minnesota. Retrieved from https://www.medicare.gov/supplements-other-insurance/how-to-compare-medigap-policies/medigap-in-minnesota
  3. Minnesota Commerce Department. (n.d.). Medicare. Retrieved from https://mn.gov/commerce/insurance/health/basics/medicare/