What type of insurance is sold by private companies to fill gaps in the original Medicare plan (excluding drug coverage)?

The correct answer is Medigap, which specifically refers to the supplemental insurance policies that private companies offer to help cover out-of-pocket costs not fully paid by the original Medicare plan. These policies are designed to cover expenses such as copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles, essentially filling the "gaps" in coverage that original Medicare doesn’t address.

Medigap policies typically do not cover prescription drug costs, which distinguishes them from other parts of Medicare, such as Medicare Part D, which is dedicated to prescription drug coverage. This focus on supplemental coverage makes Medigap an essential component for many beneficiaries seeking to manage their healthcare expenses more effectively.

While Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part C refer to plans that provide an alternative to original Medicare by bundling both hospital and medical insurance, they do not specifically fill in gaps of the original Medicare coverage in the same manner as Medigap. Furthermore, Medicare Part D specifically covers prescription drugs and does not pertain to the additional coverage of out-of-pocket costs of original Medicare services. Therefore, Medigap accurately reflects the type of insurance that addresses those specific gaps in coverage.