Supplemental health insurance plans are additional plans you can purchase for any costs your regular plans do not cover. The plans can cover healthcare expenses, bills, utilities, ambulance care, or other plan-related costs like deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance. Supplemental health insurance plans are not expensive; most employers offer these plans or buy them directly from insurance companies. The purpose of supplemental health insurance plans is to augment and support your current plans that save you from paying out-of-pocket expenses.

Types of supplemental health insurance plans
A few of the many types of supplementary health insurance plans include:

• Fixed indemnity plans
  These plans are useful add-ons and provide a fixed amount to pay for injury or critical illness.
• Accident insurance plans
  These plans offer lump sum cash benefits if you suffer an accident injury and pay for expenses like emergency care, costs of tests, transport, and other living expenses like rent or utility bills.
• Dental insurance
  Dental procedures are not covered by standard insurance plans. You can buy supplemental plans that cover basic and major procedures, preventive care, annual screenings, imaging tests, cleanings, fillings, and root canal treatments. You can get orthodontic insurance if you have children who may need braces.
• Vision insurance
  This is similar to dental insurance and covers the costs of eye exams, eyeglasses, and lenses that are necessary.
• Critical illness insurance
  This covers healthcare expenses and offers other benefits, including bills and childcare for specific critical illnesses like cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and organ transplants.
• Short-term disability insurance
  This insurance compensates for any loss of income. It pays a percentage of your income for a short duration if you cannot work because of a temporary disability.
• Rx Discount Card
  This covers the cost of prescription treatments and saves some monthly out-of-pocket expenses if you require regular and long-term care.

Supplemental health insurance guide
If you feel your current health insurance may not be enough to cover your growing family’s healthcare requirements or long-term healthcare needs, you can choose supplementary health insurance plans. Premiums for these plans can be entered as health expenses in your taxes.

Cost of supplemental health insurance plans
The cost of supplemental health insurance plans varies based on age, lifestyle habits like age, current health condition, and other expenses like copays and deductibles. You can find supplemental insurance plans starting at $10. Hence, it is important to know your needs and choose a plan that meets them. These plans are usually low-cost but high on benefits.

Best senior supplemental health insurance plans
Some of the leading insurance companies that offer supplementary health insurance plans for seniors include:

• Medigap
  This is a supplemental health insurance plan offered by private companies and regulated by the federal government. The plan can cover insurance expenses like deductibles, copays, and coinsurance.
• Aetna Senior Products
  It offers Medicare supplement plans and other critical illness plans, dental, vision, hearing, home care, recovery care, and final expense whole life insurance plans for seniors.
• AARB by United Healthcare
  This is a supplementary health care insurance plan offered exclusively by United Healthcare for AARP members. These plans cover expenses not covered by Medicare Part A and Part B.
• Cigna
  Cigna plans offer a range of supplementary plans for people up to the age of 99. It includes plans like supplementary whole life insurance and hospital indemnity insurance for seniors up to 85.