Medicare Glossary: Simple Definitions & Terms

See Medigap / Medicare Supplement Insurance. Coverage that helps pay the out-of-pocket costs (gaps) not covered by Original Medicare, such as deductibles, coinsurance, and copays.

A prescription drug that has the same active ingredients, dosage, and effectiveness as a brand-name drug but is sold at a lower price after the brand-name patent expires. Generic drugs are typically in lower Part D tiers with lower copays.

A set amount of time after a premium due date, typically extending into the following month or two, during which you can still pay a missed Medicare Advantage, Part D, or Medigap premium before losing coverage.

A complaint you make about the quality of care or other non-coverage issues with your Medicare health or drug plan. A grievance is different from an appeal, which is about coverage or payment decisions.

Situations in which an insurance company must sell you a Medigap policy regardless of your health status, cannot charge you more due to pre-existing conditions, and cannot make you wait for coverage to start. Also called Medigap protections.

A feature of standardized Medigap policies requiring the insurer to renew your coverage every year as long as you pay your premium, regardless of your health or how many claims you have filed.