Question

Which of the following is true regarding duplication of Medicare benefits?

a) The extent of duplication depends upon the Medicare supplement plans that are bought.
b) Medicare supplement policies can duplicate a certain percentage of benefits.
c) Medicare supplement policies cannot duplicate any Medicare benefits.
d) Medicare supplement policies can duplicate all available Medicare benefits.

Answer 1

Medicare supplement policies cannot duplicate any Medicare benefits and only provide additional coverage for services that Medicare covers.

Step-by-step explanation:

Regarding the duplication of Medicare benefits, the correct statement is c) Medicare supplement policies cannot duplicate any Medicare benefits.

Medicare supplement policies, also known as Medigap plans, are designed to fill in the gaps in Original Medicare coverage. They do not duplicate any Medicare benefits, but rather provide additional coverage for services such as deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance.

For example, if Medicare covers 80% of a medical service, a Medigap plan can pay the remaining 20% so that the individual doesn't have to pay out-of-pocket for that portion. However, a Medigap plan cannot provide coverage for services that Medicare does not cover.