Can spouses share the same Medicare Supplement policy?

You cannot be on the same Medicare Supplement insurance policy as your husband or wife; you must have separate policies. However, you and your spouse may be able to get a discount if you both buy individual policies from the same insurance company.

Individual coverage

Medicare Supplement Insurance (also called Medigap) is an individualized type of insurance. Unlike group health insurance plans that cover multiple people at a time, a Medigap policy covers only one person.

Your Medigap policy will not cover any of your spouse’s health care costs, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). When you buy a Medicare Supplement insurance policy, you should do so during your personal Medigap open enrollment period. The open enrollment period is a 6-month period that begins the day you are both:

• 65 years old
• Enrolled in Medicare Part B

Spousal discount

Although you cannot share a Medigap policy with your spouse, you might be able to get a small discount for buying your policies from the same company. The discount, often called a “spousal discount” or “marital discount,” can slightly reduce the overall premium for both partners.

The actual discount amount will vary depending on the insurance provider. Insurance companies are not legally required to offer a spousal discount. Although Medigap plan benefits are standardized, incentives such as premium costs and discounts are optional.

Spousal discounts are merely offered as an incentive to choose one insurance provider over the next.

Medicare & spousal coverage

Unlike Medigap policies, Original Medicare (Medicare Part A and Part B) does cover both spouses in certain situations.

Medicare covers both husband and wife if both qualify for Medicare based on their age (at least 65 years old) or because they have a qualifying disability or condition and if at least one spouse met the program’s employment requirements. Medicare offers premium-free Part A coverage as long as you or your spouse has worked and paid Medicare taxes for 40 quarters (10 years).