Health Insurance for the Elderly: Owning Duplicate Policies Is Costly and Unnecessary
HEHS-94-185
Published: Aug 03, 1994. Publicly Released: Aug 03, 1994.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed Medigap insurance policies, focusing on the: (1) potential for duplicate coverage among elderly Medicare beneficiaries; and (2) necessity for a beneficiary covered by an employer-sponsored retiree plan to purchase a Medigap policy.
Recommendations
Matter for Congressional Consideration
| Matter | Status | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Congress may wish to consider amending the law to provide a mechanism for retirees to obtain Medigap insurance when a Medicare beneficiary's plan is subsequently modified or discontinued by the employer. | Section 4031(a) of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 amended section 1882(s) of the Social Security Act to require Medigap insurers to offer policies to persons whose employer-sponsored Medicare supplement plans terminate. Insurers cannot discriminate in pricing the policy because of health status, claims experience, receipt of health care, or medical condition, nor can they impose a pre-existing condition exclusion under the policy. |
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Topics
BeneficiariesElderly personsEligibility criteriaHealth care servicesHealth insuranceHealth insurance cost controlInsurance companiesMedicaidRetireesRetirement benefitsMedicare