Medigap Plan C

Excess charges are surcharges that your doctor can charge above and beyond what Medicare will reimburse. They are limited to 15% beyond what Medicare pays. Many doctors do not charge excess charges, but sometimes they do. If this concerns you, the Supplement Plan F or G might be a better choice for you than Supplement Plan C. Those two plans cover excess charges, so you won’t have to worry about asking.

Below shows an example of how an Excess charge works:

Barabara purchased a Supplement Plan C. Most of her doctors are participating Medicare doctors so Barbara usually doesn’t pay any co-pays. Barabara sprained her wrist while cleaning her garage. She notices swelling on her wrist, so she visits an urgent care clinic for an X-ray. The clinic does not accept Medicare assignment rates, but chooses to bill an excess charge. The fee for the X-ray is normally $40 but at this clinic there is a 15% excess charge, bringing the cost to $46. Since Barbara’s Supplement Plan C does not cover excess charges, Barbara will owe the $6.00 difference to the urgent care clinic.