Top Supplemental Health Insurance Plans for Individuals
Supplemental health insurance plans for individuals are for those who find gaps in their health coverage, income, and any other out-of-pocket costs. Incidents such as critical illnesses, hospital stays, and eye exams are among the most common supplemental insurance benefits provided to you. The difference between medical insurance and supplemental insurance is who gets the money or benefits. Medical insurance pays the doctors or providers. Supplemental insurance pays you, the insured. This money is to help you out and for you to use as you see fit.
Read moreFree Health Insurance Comparison
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Brad Larson
Licensed Insurance Agent
Brad Larson has been in the insurance industry for over 16 years. He specializes in helping clients navigate the claims process, with a particular emphasis on coverage analysis. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah in Political Science. He also holds an Associate in Claims (AIC) and Associate in General Insurance (AINS) designations, as well as a Utah Property and Casual...
Licensed Insurance Agent
UPDATED: Jan 27, 2024
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one insurance provider and cannot guarantee quotes from any single provider.
Our insurance industry partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different insurance providers please enter your ZIP code above to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.
UPDATED: Jan 27, 2024
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one insurance provider and cannot guarantee quotes from any single provider.
Our insurance industry partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different insurance providers please enter your ZIP code above to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
On This Page
- Supplemental health insurance plans help with medical costs that your regular health insurance plan may not cover
- You can purchase supplemental health insurance individually, or through your employer, associations, or the Health Insurance Marketplace
- Critical illness, accidents, hospital stays, dental visits, orthodontics, and eye exams are some of the most common supplemental health insurance plans
Supplemental health insurance plans for individuals can be found in different types of companies, whether you are insured with Medicare or not.
Supplemental health insurance is mainly for those individuals who find gaps in their income, health coverage, and other living costs. Some of these supplemental plans give out cash that you can use for anything that you choose.
You can find supplemental insurance for your dental insurance plans or cheapest health insurance policies you may have.
Find supplemental health insurance that is best for you. Enter your ZIP code and get a free quote today.
What are some supplemental health insurance plans for individuals?
Supplemental plans come in a variety of coverages. These plans help with medical costs that your regular health insurance plan may not cover — expensive events, accidents, and preventive care. They are designed to complement major medical policies rather than replace them.
There are three major factors to consider before deciding who should buy supplemental health insurance.
First, if your deductible is greater than the amount of money in your savings account, then you should think about purchasing supplemental health insurance plans for individuals.
Another sign that you should purchase a supplemental health insurance policy is if you have children that will require extra childcare expenses if you are ill or injured.
Lastly, consider that you have to be off work for a while. If you don’t have savings to cover being off from work for illness or injury, purchase supplemental insurance.
Supplemental Insurance Plans
Supplemental health insurance plans can help provide coverage for:
- Critical illness. Policies typically cover illnesses such as heart attacks, cancer, organ transplants, comas, renal failure, or strokes.
- Accidents. Depending on who the supplemental insurance plan is through, these policies will vary. It will cover injuries like car accidents, trips and falls, or travel accidents. They also may provide benefits in case of paralysis or loss of a limb or eyesight.
- Hospital stays. If you have a traditional policy that covers critical medical procedures, this benefit will pay a lump sum for hospital stays. It may also offer a set of benefit payouts for things like emergency room services, ICU treatments, ambulance services, X-rays, and lab tests.
- Dental visits. Typically, dental plans will cover most of the costs of preventive dental care. Often, they also cover a percentage of the costs of basic procedures, as well as major ones.
- Orthodontics. Certain types of dental insurance will cover part of the cost of braces, although this may be limited to children under the age of 18.
- Eye exams. A vision policy may offer discounts on laser vision correction procedures, such as LASIK. Typically, vision insurance will cover a significant portion of costs for exams, eyeglasses, corrective lenses, and contacts.
These are some of the common supplemental plans available, but remember that different health insurance companies will have different options.
Read more: Top Dental Insurance Coverage: What You Need to Know
Compare Insurance Providers Rates to Save Up to 75%
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
10 Best Supplemental Insurance Companies and Their Plans
Though not necessarily available in every market, below you’ll find the most popular supplemental health insurance companies and the plans they offer.
- Transamerica Insurance. Known as Medigap, plans A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N are Transamerica Medicare Supplement Plan options. (read our “Top Medigap (Medicare Supplement Health Insurance) Coverage: What You Need to Know” for more information)
- Manhattan Life Insurance Company. Skilled nursing facility care coinsurance, Parts A and B, blood, and foreign travel exchange are some of the supplemental insurance benefits offered by this insurance company.
- United Healthcare. United Healthcare offers dental, international travel, term life, accident, critical insurance, hospital and doctor fixed indemnity, and vision.
- Mutual of Omaha. Medicare Plan F, High Deductible Plan F, Plan G, and Plan N are Medicare Supplement Insurance benefits that can be obtained through Mutual of Omaha insurance company.
- Globe Life. With Globe Life, supplemental health insurance products you can choose from include cancer, ICU, critical illness, hospital, and accident insurance policies.
- Aetna. Aetna has plans for full-time employees who are eligible for benefits as well as for those who are not eligible for benefits.This table should help illustrate Aetna’s approach to supplement plan coverage:
Eligible for Benefits Not Eligible for Benefits Accident Plans: Provide cash benefits for common services or conditions related to a covered injury that happens on or off the job Health Plan: Meets minimum value and minimum essential coverage requirements of the ACA Critical Illness Plans: Help pay for everyday expenses if diagnosed with a major illness Fixed Benefit: Fixed cash payments Hospital Indemnity Plans: Provide fixed payments for out-of-pocket and non-medical expenses related to a covered hospital stay Dental and Vision Plan: Available through your employer Compare RatesStart Now → - Humana. Through Humana, Medicare supplement plans are available. This plan has add-on benefits that include discounts on vision, hearing, and Lifeline medical alerts. It does not include any dental benefits.
- Blue Cross Blue Shield. Known as Simple Blue, Blue Cross Blue Shield’s supplemental coverage has guaranteed acceptance. This plan covers costs that original Medicare plans do not, like coinsurance, deductibles, and co-pays.
- AFLAC. AFLAC offers hospital, short-term disability, and critical care and recovery supplemental coverage. Although they are among the top 10 supplemental insurance companies, most of their benefits are employee sponsored, not individual.
- CIGNA. Cigna offers variations of its own supplemental plans. They are subscription plans that range from $7 to $28 per month. The two lump-sum plans are heart attack & stroke and cancer insurance. Other benefits they offer include cancer treatment, hospital indemnity, and whole life insurance.
Read more:
How do I purchase supplemental insurance?
There are multiple ways to purchase supplemental insurance. It just depends on the way that you are looking to enroll.
You can enroll through your employer, if they offer it; or purchase it individually through different associations, Medicare and Medicaid, or the Health Insurance Marketplace.
Frequently Asked Questions About Supplemental Insurance
While we’ve tried to answer as many questions as possible, we know that there are still a lot of questions that haven’t been addressed. Below are some of the most frequently asked questions about supplemental insurance.
#1 — Why do I need supplemental insurance if I already have medical insurance?
According to VeryWellHealth, medical insurance doesn’t always cover all services and out-of-pocket expenses, so you may need help filling financial gaps. Supplemental insurance pays you a cash benefit directly to help fill those gaps.
#2 — How is supplemental insurance different than medical insurance?
Medical insurance pays your doctors and hospitals; supplemental insurance pays you. The cash benefit you receive from your supplemental insurance plan can be used for anything you choose.
#3 — Is there any restriction on how I use the money?
No. You can use the money however you choose. It’s your money, your decision.
#4 — Can supplemental insurance be added to any healthcare policy?
Yes. There are supplemental health insurance plans for individuals that are not Medicare.
Some of the best supplemental health insurance and best individual health insurance are wrapped up into one. Supplemental health insurance plans can be purchased through your employer, certain associations, or through the Health Insurance Marketplace.
Find supplemental health insurance that is non-Medicare. Enter your ZIP code and get a free quote today.
Compare Insurance Providers Rates to Save Up to 75%
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Frequently Asked Questions
What is supplemental health insurance for individuals?
Supplemental health insurance covers gaps in your regular health coverage, providing additional financial support for expenses like critical illnesses and hospital stays.
How is supplemental insurance different from medical insurance?
Medical insurance pays doctors/providers, while supplemental insurance pays you directly. It provides cash benefits to use as you see fit.
Why do I need supplemental insurance if I already have medical insurance?
Supplemental insurance helps fill financial gaps that medical insurance may not cover, reducing your out-of-pocket expenses.
Can supplemental insurance be added to any healthcare policy?
Yes, supplemental health insurance plans for individuals are available outside of Medicare and can be added to various healthcare policies.
How do I purchase supplemental insurance?
You can purchase supplemental insurance through your employer, certain associations, or through Medicare, Medicaid, or the Health Insurance Marketplace.
Compare Insurance Providers Rates to Save Up to 75%
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Brad Larson
Licensed Insurance Agent
Brad Larson has been in the insurance industry for over 16 years. He specializes in helping clients navigate the claims process, with a particular emphasis on coverage analysis. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah in Political Science. He also holds an Associate in Claims (AIC) and Associate in General Insurance (AINS) designations, as well as a Utah Property and Casual...
Licensed Insurance Agent
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.